Hair Algae Problem

[Larry101]

Hello, my 15-gallon column aquarium has been up since February. Ever since I turned on the lights in march after completing the cycle, I have had a hair algae problem. My parameters are this: salinity - 1.025, Ph - 8.0, Nitrates - 5ppm, Phosphates - 0ppm, Alkalinity - 9.1 DKH, Calcium - 420ppm. I had diatoms for like 2 weeks after turning on the lights, but I just decided to run GFO which got rid of the diatoms. Then about a month later I had some hair start, and it seems to never go away no matter what. It has been around 5-ish weeks since the hair algae has been around. Any suggestions?

 

[Dan_P]

Hello, my 15-gallon column aquarium has been up since February. Ever since I turned on the lights in march after completing the cycle, I have had a hair algae problem. My parameters are this: salinity - 1.025, Ph - 8.0, Nitrates - 5ppm, Phosphates - 0ppm, Alkalinity - 9.1 DKH, Calcium - 420ppm. I had diatoms for like 2 weeks after turning on the lights, but I just decided to run GFO which got rid of the diatoms. Then about a month later I had some hair start, and it seems to never go away no matter what. It has been around 5-ish weeks since the hair algae has been around. Any suggestions?

What do you have in the aquarium that eats hair algae? Tweaking nitrate and phosphate concentrations are popular but I wonder just how effective it is at controlling GHA.

 

[Larry101]

What do you have in the aquarium that eats hair algae? Tweaking nitrate and phosphate concentrations are popular but I wonder just how effective it is at controlling GHA.

Do you think I should add to my cuc? I currently have only 3 narsarrius snails (which primarily stay in the sand, and 2 cerith snails (which I barely ever see).

 

[Dan_P]

Do you think I should add to my cuc? I currently have only 3 narsarrius snails (which primarily stay in the sand, and 2 cerith snails (which I barely ever see).

I do not know enough to recommend a species. Sorry. I can share a funny story.

I have a 75 gallon fish only system that had a ton of GHA. After a year, I became tired looking at it and after failing to control it by scrubbing the rocks, I bought 20 Mexican turbo snails, more than inch in diameter, from Live Aquaria. The aquarium was cleaned nearly spotless within one week. After two weeks, I cannot find hair algae unless I look very, very carefully. They are also keeping the glass remarkably clean. I now have 20 hungry monsters that I need to feed sheets of dry algae! No matter how many I bought, I suspect these snails would eventually need to be fed to keep them alive.

 

[Larry101]

I do not know enough to recommend a species. Sorry. I can share a funny story.

I have a 75 gallon fish only system that had a ton of GHA. After a year, I became tired looking at it and after failing to control it by scrubbing the rocks, I bought 20 Mexican turbo snails, more than inch in diameter, from Live Aquaria. The aquarium was cleaned nearly spotless within one week. After two weeks, I cannot find hair algae unless I look very, very carefully. They are also keeping the glass remarkably clean. I now have 20 hungry monsters that I need to feed sheets of dry algae! No matter how many I bought, I suspect these snails would eventually need to be fed to keep them alive.

Haha, at least the tank looks good!

 

[Dan_P]

Haha, at least the tank looks good!

It does indeed look good. I forgot to mention all the snail droppings littering the substrate!

 

[Larry101]

I just bought vibrant. I hope it works

 

[old salt reefer]

It does indeed look good. I forgot to mention all the snail droppings littering the substrate!

Yep, I have a snail named "sure poops a lot".My wife loves to name everything, so when she asked me the snails name that's what I told her.

 

[Dan_P]

Yep, I have a snail named "sure poops a lot".My wife loves to name everything, so when she asked me the snails name that's what I told her.

I have my work cut out for me if I am going to name 20 snails. One issue I have is they all look alike!