Hair algae outbreak affecting Bird's Nest

yellow_tang2009 · 09/04/2017, 10:39 AM

I have had a decent outbreak of hair algae in my 30G. I have trimmed it back as much as possible, did a significant water change, and am running Purigen.

However, the dying algae is getting stuck in the bird's nest, and there are places where it is bleaching at the base of the branches. Any remedies or thoughts? Would the algae cause this problem?

I can siphon out the algae from the coral, but that is only short lived.

Alkalinity = 8.5 (fighting to keep it up)
Calcium = 500PPM
PO4 =0
NO3 =0

Thank You!

Ifeelsick · 09/04/2017, 10:50 AM

Hair algae sucks! You could try a product called "vibrant cleaner" i will probably end up buying it as my hair algae problem isn't going away.

P.s. isn't it crazy that you can have hair algae even though you have no nitrates and no phosphate. How the hell can we out compete the hair algae before it uptakes all the nutrients. I have no space for macro algae or an algae scrubber!

Ifeelsick · 09/04/2017, 10:59 AM

I didn't realise it was dying back. Not sure what you can do then. Maybe turkey bast it off. Hopefully it it is completly dead so it wont grow on your sticks.

neacewood · 09/04/2017, 11:03 AM

It died from the base up? I had a softball size piece do the exact same thing when I had green hair

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yellow_tang2009 · 09/04/2017, 11:05 AM

The bleaching is occurring on the base of the branches. I think this is where the algae had accumulated. It's not really growing on the coral just getting stuck in the branches.

neacewood · 09/04/2017, 11:10 AM

Mine did the same thing started at the base and it looked like it was just blowing open polyps off of it till it was just skeleton left. I had polyp extension they just looked like they were peeling off

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09/04/2017, 10:39 AM	#1
yellow_tang2009 DFWMAS Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 316	Hair algae outbreak affecting Bird's Nest I have had a decent outbreak of hair algae in my 30G. I have trimmed it back as much as possible, did a significant water change, and am running Purigen. However, the dying algae is getting stuck in the bird's nest, and there are places where it is bleaching at the base of the branches. Any remedies or thoughts? Would the algae cause this problem? I can siphon out the algae from the coral, but that is only short lived. Alkalinity = 8.5 (fighting to keep it up) Calcium = 500PPM PO4 =0 NO3 =0 Thank You!

09/04/2017, 10:50 AM	#2
Ifeelsick Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 199	Hair algae sucks! You could try a product called "vibrant cleaner" i will probably end up buying it as my hair algae problem isn't going away. P.s. isn't it crazy that you can have hair algae even though you have no nitrates and no phosphate. How the hell can we out compete the hair algae before it uptakes all the nutrients. I have no space for macro algae or an algae scrubber!

09/04/2017, 10:59 AM	#3
Ifeelsick Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 199	I didn't realise it was dying back. Not sure what you can do then. Maybe turkey bast it off. Hopefully it it is completly dead so it wont grow on your sticks.

09/04/2017, 11:03 AM	#4
neacewood Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Richmond VA Posts: 67	It died from the base up? I had a softball size piece do the exact same thing when I had green hair Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

09/04/2017, 11:05 AM	#5
yellow_tang2009 DFWMAS Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 316	The bleaching is occurring on the base of the branches. I think this is where the algae had accumulated. It's not really growing on the coral just getting stuck in the branches.

09/04/2017, 11:10 AM	#6
neacewood Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Richmond VA Posts: 67	Mine did the same thing started at the base and it looked like it was just blowing open polyps off of it till it was just skeleton left. I had polyp extension they just looked like they were peeling off Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk