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View Full Version : Hair algea how to get rid ???


fishguyxd
03-03-2009, 07:57 AM
I have it and this stuff grows fast as some of your know ,I myself have never had it before. So now How do I get rid of it? The water parameters this last last test were all in the normal range. The tank is 4 yrs old. At this point there not alot of livestock only a couple snails one the algea has grown on him so he a fuzzy snail and couple crabs (safe type) and only some small corals (mushroom and frogspawn).this hair stuff grows in patches but seems to get around alot. So what?? water changes, more skimming, lighting adjusting any additives what??
thxs
AL

zazzoo
03-03-2009, 07:59 AM
turbo snails... work welll
best thing is to get a scopeous tang.... he ate all the hair algy i had :D ... reduce feeding ...
carbon dosing helps
sugar / vinegar / vodka
ultralith stuff works good mins and baks
zeo stuff works
nitrate destroyer works good... but dont go crazy with nitrate destroyer... will mess ur tank up

midgetwaiter
03-03-2009, 08:59 AM
I have it and this stuff grows fast as some of your know ,I myself have never had it before. So now How do I get rid of it? The water parameters this last last test were all in the normal range. The tank is 4 yrs old. At this point there not alot of livestock only a couple snails one the algea has grown on him so he a fuzzy snail and couple crabs (safe type) and only some small corals (mushroom and frogspawn).this hair stuff grows in patches but seems to get around alot. So what?? water changes, more skimming, lighting adjusting any additives what??
thxs
AL

Post a pic, the cause is easier to track down with a solid ID of the algae.

I've noticed that there seems to be quick a bit of organic phosphate (can't read with a normal test kit) in the tap water lately, lots of people are having algae problems. I have a softie tank I've never used RO/DI water with and all of a sudden I have cyano issues, every time a do a water change it gets worse. A friend of mine also in St. Albert is having the same problem but I'm not sure if it is city wide.

Best solution is using RO/DI if you can and some method of phosphate control. Better skimming should help too.

Whatigot
03-03-2009, 03:00 PM
hope this helps....
I started to get hair algae, but since I started a macro fuge, it has been receding.

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=44860&highlight=hair

Myka put together a great step by step on this

phreezee
03-03-2009, 04:24 PM
I got a seahare and it worked well, but then my anemone ate him :(

Treebeard
03-03-2009, 05:46 PM
I read Myka's how-to, and was wondering which would be more beneficial to start with, a fuge or a phosban reactor. I currently have neither.

Whatigot
03-03-2009, 06:21 PM
either or, your results may vary.

Newtoreef
03-06-2009, 02:24 AM
I read Myka's how-to, and was wondering which would be more beneficial to start with, a fuge or a phosban reactor. I currently have neither.

I done both, emptied out the back of bio cube 29. Put lights on it with some cheato, and ran a Phosban, after tooth brushing my rocks and doing weekly water changes. Tried sea hare, he crawled in the sump and died. lawnmower blennie got eaten by anemone. It's been an on going battle. Don't give up you must be diligent. slack for a week or 2 and it back in full force. I also use RO/DI water. I got the LR from a friend who gave me the prob to begin with, been a nightmare ever since.
Good luck .

dkcrx
03-06-2009, 06:27 AM
depending on what your keeping in your tank, any tang will clean it up in a flash. just based on your tank size keep them to no more than 2-3 fish

Newtoreef
03-06-2009, 06:41 AM
Yes I also have a small Tomini tang in my tank. Does not touch the hair algae. I'm sure I will have to move it once he out grows the 29.

Black Phantom
03-06-2009, 02:31 PM
depending on what your keeping in your tank, any tang will clean it up in a flash. just based on your tank size keep them to no more than 2-3 fish

Any tang except mine. I have a hippo, naso and yellow tang. I even have a foxface. Do you think any of them will touch it. Noooooooo, they're all too spoiled with their fancy pellet and flake food.:biggrin:

subman
03-06-2009, 03:09 PM
Post a pic, the cause is easier to track down with a solid ID of the algae.

I've noticed that there seems to be quick a bit of organic phosphate (can't read with a normal test kit) in the tap water lately, lots of people are having algae problems. I have a softie tank I've never used RO/DI water with and all of a sudden I have cyano issues, every time a do a water change it gets worse. A friend of mine also in St. Albert is having the same problem but I'm not sure if it is city wide.

Best solution is using RO/DI if you can and some method of phosphate control. Better skimming should help too.

I had a Phosphate spike as well!

Ripwoop
03-06-2009, 03:21 PM
try to reduce the photo period by 1 hour, work for me. no dosing. How old are the bulbs? have you tested the top up water for phosphate? Good luck :)

Chowder
03-06-2009, 03:35 PM
Are you sure you have Hair algae and not bryopsis? Does the hair alge look feathery?

Chris

Oscar
03-06-2009, 05:04 PM
I went through the following steps, trying to go from cheapest to the more expensive:

weekly Water changes
pruning
chaeto
pruning
more snails
pruning
Mg to 1600
pruning
shorter light period
pruning
phosban reactor
pruning
new hallide

At the end of the day the problem was a hallide that was too yellow.

fishguyxd
03-11-2009, 09:43 PM
I guess I should add I have bubble algea sprouting up to.

water checks out ok, it's RO water no phosphates present

Myka
03-12-2009, 12:40 AM
The battle continues...that sucks. Hair algae is usually pretty easily eliminated, Bubble algae on the other hand, not so much.