Hair algae problem!!!

[FrostyKevin]

Ok, I got this HUGE hair algae problem, and it has gotten so bad that I'm about to nuke the tank with algaefix. It's growing in strands all over the tank. It's on the glass, on the sand, and on the live rock too!

Is it ok to use algaefix with corals in the tank?

What inverts should I use?

 

[Reefaquarium]

I have same problem but not as bad. Killing some zoas tho!!

 

[Hyprviperx]

TURBO SNAILS large they seem to be the best for me

nothing else i have had even comes close... the downside is that they can knock over small rocks

and they dont bother any of my corals or softies

 

[_Alex_]

pull off all that you can get to. just grab it and pull it out, turn your lights off for a day or 2 even 3. your corals will be fine. i cured my problem (not as bad as this) by doing 2 days a week lights out and adding a carbon and gfo reactor from bulk reef supply. i changed the gfo and carbon evrey 2 weeks. within a month of adding the reactor i started to see the GHA turn brown and start to let go of the rock and die.

what are your parameters at and what kind of light are you running and for how long? how old are the bulbs?

 

[FrostyKevin]

Ok, I'll try that. Thanks!

 

[dknuckles]

Kent Tech-M!!!!
Raise Mg to 1500 keep there for couple weeks till it dies off then start frequent water changes

 

[Raggamuffin]

fix the source not the problem....

 

[Tab28]

as was stated by others you have to find the source. Which is more than likely phosphates. Algaecide will only be a temp fix. I used it and it did control but some of my corals started to suffer so I stopped. GFO is what I now use it will take awhile to work but even the algaecide does not start to work for about a month. What are your tank perimeters?

 

[bella127]

Kent tech M will help out with briopsis not hair algae

 

[dknuckles]

Kent tech M will help out with briopsis not hair algae

Correct
After PMs it sounds more like bryopsis. And yes you must fix the cause hence frequent w/c (and GFO) to bring back water parameters to stop death of animals, and @ same time cut back food (usual source of PO4, although many many things add PO4 to tank)
IMO PO4 cannot be measured correctly while in an outbreak, the algae masks true PO4 content

 

[Tab28]

Correct
After PMs it sounds more like bryopsis. And yes you must fix the cause hence frequent w/c (and GFO) to bring back water parameters to stop death of animals, and @ same time cut back food (usual source of PO4, although many many things add PO4 to tank)
IMO PO4 cannot be measured correctly while in an outbreak, the algae masks true PO4 content

That is exactly what happened to me. I used phosphate pellets and my test said my levels were always below .05. I now use GFO in a reactor and measure my levels every week after about a month no more algae. Although for the first few weeks I had to change out the GFO every few days. In the beginning the stuff gets maxed out early. That was where u was going wrong I thought the stuff lasted a few months. So I did not test as often and the algae got consumed the phosphates so I thought the stuff was still good. I got a Hanna tester which gave me an exact number instead if the guessing what shade of color is it.

 

[FrostyKevin]

What's a GFO?

 

[Raggamuffin]

Granular Ferric Oxide, Aquarium Carbon ? Activated Carbon, GFO Phosphate Remover | BulkReefSupply.com - English

2 questions.

1: do you feed frozen or flake foods? Flake tends to have high phos and frozen if not rinsed in RO water will crash a tank all by itself with phos.
2: did you use live rock or dry rock in your tank? base rocks tend to leach nasties much slower and longer than live rock, this could also be a source.

 

[FrostyKevin]

1. Frozen mysis, although I do feed pellets to my shrimp.

2. Live rock.

 

[scuba taz]

this is working for me

 

[Tab28]

this is working for me

The sea hare does work. The sad note you can not grow algae fast enough for the sea hare's appitite.

 

[scuba taz]

that is why you rent him out after he has it gone, or ues h2o2

 

[FrostyKevin]

The algae in my tank grow in long strands; not in bushes.

 

[Tab28]

There are many types of algae. But they are basically put into a lump as hair algae. Controling your phosphate and nitrate levels will keep them in check.

 

[firsttime]

Like others have eluded to.

Run gfo
Very minimal feeding
Turbosnails/urchin
2 days lights off
Tech- M

I think these above methods should bring it under control for you.