Hair Alagae will not subside!!

[Those2clowns]

So I have a 25 lagoon tank and CANNOT seem to get the hair algae out. I have tried flux and just scrubbing it too and also have an urchin in there now. My Nitrates are low but everything else is very normal. I had an alk swing a few weeks ago from 8 - 11 (unfortunately I lost some corals but I was dumb and didn't test). Any advice would be helpful. The tank is 4 months old as of today actually and was set up with dry rock and live sand from my previous tank. Also just wiped the glass off so tank is a little dusty.

 

[Nem1clownfish2]

Try adding more clean up crew like some astraea snails and hermit crabs and maybe an emerald crab they are really good at eating hair algae. Also try to dim the lights and only keep them on for about 6-8 hours a day you could also get a phosphate remover they really work to make it easier to pull the hair algae off and you could try scribing the rock with a toothbrush to get the hair algae off.

 

[Nem1clownfish2]

Also what are your phosphate readings?

 

[Aeb1419]

I second the light schedule. How long do you run the lights? I cut mine from 10 to 8 hours (the 8 hours includes 1hr ramp doqn/up for each and it cut my hair alage drastically.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Can tell already you’re winning the fight! When the gha starts looking like dreadlocks than hair in a Breck commercial then you’ve turn the corner. Keep messing with it. Toothbrush, snails, crabs, turkey baster. Just keep messing with it! Good luck!

 

[Those2clowns]

Can tell already you’re winning the fight! When the gha starts looking like dreadlocks than hair in a Breck commercial then you’ve turn the corner. Keep messing with it. Toothbrush, snails, crabs, turkey baster. Just keep messing with it! Good luck!

Lord please! I've been dealing with it for about a month and a half now. Just have been taking slow and been building up my cuc. Hoping that the end is near! Thanks for the input.

 

[Bruce60]

Lord please! I've been dealing with it for about a month and a half now. Just have been taking slow and been building up my cuc. Hoping that the end is near! Thanks for the input.

We feel your pain...many of us, myself included, have been in your situation. [Once I thought a sledgehammer might be my only solution]

I know this sucks, but the best I can recommend is patience and persistence. I have found that physical removal (manually and with an adequate CUC) is the best most consistent way to get GHA under control. Once your tank is mature enough (4 months is young) for corals to thrive, then they will outcompete the GHA (and other undesirables) and keep them down. You are never rid of it.

Best wishes and keep the faith!

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Lord please! I've been dealing with it for about a month and a half now. Just have been taking slow and been building up my cuc. Hoping that the end is near! Thanks for the input.

Please call me Glenn lol. I helped some folks get rid of GHA in their 120g reef. Complete success came after 2 1/2 months. Hang in there. It’s worth it!

 

[RobertTheNurse]

GHA over Dinos any day. Agree. Manual removal...if any on sand bed get a conch. Those things are lawn mowers. I find the snails don't really do anything to the long hair they are good at maintaining.

Best of luck