PLEASE HELP with the evil hair algae.

[slowhand383]

I am fighting a loosing battle with hair algae and red slime in my 12gal nano. The red slime is contralable with siphoning and a poly filter, but the hair algae is unbeatable. The patch of green hair is only in my patch of green star polyps. I will remove the hair algae manually by picking it out of the polyps only to have it grow back faster and worse than before within a week. I have read that removing hair algae thats deeply rooted amongst star polyps is virtually impossible. Is this true? The only thing I can think to do as a last resort is to remove the polyps with the algae. I have done EVERYTHING shy of chemicals to rid this algae problem with no success. What can I do!! PLEASE HELP before I remove my polyps out of frustration. I can provide water params and what I have in the tank if needed. Thank you so much in advance for any help leading to the demise of the green hair.

[lvreefer]

If its that bad then there is something wrong with your water. Give us some parameters and your lighting setup. Does the tank get a lot of natural light. What is your photo period?

[slowhand383]

Okay here we go... I do once to twice a week 10% water changes with RO/DI. In the back chambers are the sponges for mechanical fitration, then a poly filter, after that is Kent Reef carbon. I have a total of 360 gph circulating the tank between 3 powerheads. The parameters I have tests for are: Ammo Nitrite and Nitrate are all 0. Phos is 0.1 and salinity is 1.023-1.024. I cut the light cycle back to 10hrs on. (There is some natural light in the room 2 to 3 hrs before the tank lights come on, and after the lights go out the room lights are on 1 to 3 hrs.) I feed pellets using the saturation method once weekly, and feed a very small amount of zooplex biweekly. The cleanup crew consists of 2 nass snails, 2 cerith snails, 2 astrea snails, 1 brittle star, 1 unknown hermit, 6 hermits, and a peanut worm in there somewhere. There is only one fish, a small Clarkii wich I may remove in trade for a smaller hair algae grazing fish if there is one.

[slowhand383]

Oh yeah, I have 48 watts PC 50/50

[FishMachine]

how long have you had the bulbs. If it gets to your rock, a clean new toothbrush can come in handy. when i had the same problem, i put my lights on only 8 hours and it helped a little. Also, i have to thank my 2 turbos for sucking out all of the algae since ive gottin rid of it. Try 2 turbos. I love them. They also pick algae of my zoos.

[slowhand383]

The bulbs are as old as the tank, only 2 months. Maybe I could add a Turbo to the clean up crew but being that the tank is so small Im worried that they'll knock over rock work.

[Andrew]

Keep you'r lights on for only 6-7 hours a day and pick up some blue hermit crabs. Also start using RO water when doing water changes.

[slowhand383]

The 6 blue legs I already have dont touch the stuff. Here in Texas the sunlight shines for 13 to 14 hrs a day in the summertime and the room is still sunlit during the off hours of the tank. I have cut back to 10 hrs but most tanks I see on reefcentral are run for 10 to 12 with no algae problems at all.

[FishMachine]

the turbos really help

[mightymouse]

i didnt read the other responses but all i did was cut back on feeding now i only feed every other day or so and almost all my algae is gone

[Agu]

I had a nasty hair algae infestation in one of my nanos which is now gone.

Only use sponge filters to catch waste. I'd scrub with a toothbrush until all hair algae was in suspension. Then I'd suck it out doing a water change or keep it in suspension with a turkey baster until it was caught in the sponges. After the water change all sponges were removed, rinsed in hot water, and thoroughly dried.

Two turbos were added to mow down residual hair algae. Which they did. I still have some hair algae in the sump refugium but until Mr Mantis calls a truce I'll have to live with that

[BLKTANG]

Turbos,Turbos,& more Turbos,i have a 10g reef,& had lots of hair algae,two big turbos and no more algae,your right about them probably knocking over rocks or corals that are not sturdy,i had to practaly change my whole tank scape because the snails will go anywhere and everywhere to eat my tank now is so algae free that now i wonder if the snails are getting enough to eat,lol

[FishMachine]

finnaly, someone who uses turbos. there the best and didnt knock over any of my corals.

[Brooks_McClary]

I have an Electric Orange Hermit Crab that takes algae down to bare rock... My turbo is awesome but he has a habit of ripping my filter siphon off when he gets a taste for some of that yummy "back of the tank" algae. My Mithrax crab and nass snail take care of everything else.

My suggestion is to get a diverse clean up crew. Try one of EVERYTHING. Some will like one type of algae and not touch anoter. With diversity, you cover all your bases!

[ghostbear29]

Your red slime is cyano bacteria that will reproduce at alarming rates. You may be sucking the active stuff off the top but it still needs to be controlled. I had a drastic bloom when my ro system took a dump. I ended up getting new RO water from a different system and it dramatically improves it. Also, you are having a waaay to much production in nutrients. Try to limit food and other waste into the tank. also the pads in the filter? I would probably take them out and if you really got to have em', wash very well, very often. Try to measure the water before adding it to the tank....thats how I found my problem....Now my tank is crystal clear. Good luck...dont worry too much, its stilll a young tank. it will go through cycles.

[slowhand383]

Thanks all for the helpful advise. Knowing that algae thrives in nutrient rich conditions I do all that I can to keep levels as low as possible. I feed my clownfish only once a week and there is absolutley no uneaten food. Every two weeks I add just 5 to 10 drops of zooplex. Along with weekly water changes I dont know what else there is? I'm probally gonna remove the carbon and switch to phosban or chemipure, just not sure which would be better. I would get a turbo but Im too afraid he'll knock something over.

[Bobalouy]

I had a huge hair algae outbreak when my NC first started. I ended up getting 3 emerald crabs and added phos-x, the crabs went to work emediatly, but I had to rip out the long stuff because they wouldnt touch it if it was more than an inch or so long.

It took about a month to completely clear up, but I haven't seen any since.