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#1
07/06/2007, 08:33 PM
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hair algae problem... HELP!
I think it is hair algae that I have a problem with. I have a 30 Gallon Tank with green fine hair that looks like grass growing in it and spreading. I also have a red thick hair like grass stuff that looks almost like a kelp. It is too tough to pull out. And i am worried that it might snuff out my polyps and corals. It is starting to spread quickly. How can I get rid of this stuff. Some of it I know I can scrub off. But some of it is on rock that I can not get out of the tank. If I scrub it in the tank, will that make it spread? And Will that kill it. I would think that it has roots and it would come back.
Also, I think a sea hare will eat it. But I can not find a small sea hare that will fit in a 30 gallon tank in western Canada. Does any one have a solution... Help!!!! |
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#2
07/06/2007, 08:44 PM
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I've had good luck with using a sea hare to get rid of my excess green algae. I just started my tank and got a full on bloom where everything was covered.
Steps I took Tested RO/DI top off water Tested salt water from LFS Reduced Phosphate in tank Agressive water changes Pulled out as much as I could Sea Hare Its been two weeks and I can see that the hair algae is going away.
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i cut the head off my fish but neither half grew |
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#3
07/06/2007, 09:45 PM
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You probably have high phosphates. I'd recommend using some iron-based phosphate media like PHOSaR.
You can try and scrub it off. Net any that comes off. Better yet, take the rocks out, put them in a bucket of salt water, and scrub them. I believe that blue-leg hermits will eat hair algae. A bunch of them and the phosphate media worked for me. |
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#4
07/06/2007, 10:10 PM
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I put chemi pure in, I put phospure in. I changed 15% of water, and mechanically sawed off all the algae and rinsed in water before putting back. I will cross my fingers. I was wondering though. will a sea hare eat the red beard like algae?
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#5
07/06/2007, 10:19 PM
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thanx. I haven't lost a fish in 8 months and I have had all of them the whole time. So they seem to be happy. And I have zoo's, polyps (5 types), ricordea, mushrooms (3types), 7 sexy shrimp, about 30 snails, 2 cleaner shrimp, 1 peppermint, 1 fire shrimp, 3 lps corals, and 5 soft corals. A fighting conch, scallops, and 15 hermit crabs. I have only lost one cleaner shrimp, and 1 bubble coral in 8 months. (and that is only because my angel fish ate them. I also have 40lbs of live rock in there.
Most of my success is due to water flow. I believe it solves almost everything. I have a tunze 6045 nano stream and a mj 600 in the tank. together about 1500 gph going through it and 50X turnover. I makes the fish have to swim really hard all the time. They have grown very fast since i uped the flow. But they are also always hungry. Hence, why I was feeding so much. But I will cut back. The coral also love this kind of water flow and seem to thrive on it. |
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#6
07/06/2007, 10:20 PM
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yup.It is really entertaining. They all have their territories and seem to get along. Actually in a modified biocube 29. It really only holds 25Gallons. But I have a skimmer and 50/50 144w actinic upgrade.
They all seem really healthy. I just have this dang hair algae growing that I am trying to stop. |
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#7
07/06/2007, 11:18 PM
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Watch your snail and hermit population, there is a fine line where they stop being beneficial and become bioload. You are on the right track with the flow but I heard no mention of a skimmer, do you have one? Try a three day dark period, it really weakens the algae.
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"Who am we really and how do I talk about myselves?" -Gregory B. |
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#8
07/06/2007, 11:21 PM
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yup, I have a skimmer. A three day dark period? are you sure? anyone else support this? how hard is that on the coral?
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#10
07/07/2007, 12:26 AM
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The "no lights for three days" post was started by Aquabucket search his posts and you should be able to find it. Has a bunch of pages so read up and see if it would work for you. From what I have read it sounds like it has been a big success.
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#11
07/07/2007, 12:43 AM
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thanx
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#12
07/07/2007, 03:18 AM
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okay if you eliminate the source/cause it will be gone. yes...as stated above.....lighting .....flow...etc can contribute but algae grows and feeds on nutrients( aka ammonia,nitrite/nitrates) with out them they CANT grow. its hard to test for the last when you have a good bloom happening cause its activily feeding on it thus keeping them low(like a sump....your tank is growing algae filtering out the excees nutrients)
. having a sump has always helped to eliminate algae in display. a sump harvest and promotes this growth and competes ...wins...and eliminates algea from the display. so again ive stated what will help but truly removing nutrients is the full proof idea. do this with water changes.......increase filtration / skimming with better equipment, or reduce stookload, etc. anything that will decrease the nutruient levels in ur tank will help. be diligent
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