hair algae

[op6rigo]

i have a 5 gallon pico reef has been up for about 3-4 months now. i was using chemipure elite in the beginning and the water quality was crystal clear with minimal to no algae. i then used phosguard and it seems to be horrible i have large blooms of hair algae growing on my live rock, glass and sand bed.

what is the best way to remove the algae from the sand and live rock, and also will adding the chemipure elite back into the tank help solve the algae problem. thanks

 

[Bugger]

You can pick out the algae on the sand it should clump together. I would spray the rocks down with hydrogen peroxide from a pharmacy. The chemipure won't do anything.

 

[op6rigo]

Thats some photos, and just scrub with hydrogen peroxide and immediately att the rocks back into the tank?

 

[op6rigo]

And should i have a bigger clean up crew? I currently have 2 hemit crabs and 3 turbos

 

[Bugger]

Let it soak for about 4 or 5 minutes dont spray on most corals. Do your turbos even go for the algae. So don't eat it

 

[op6rigo]

No they don't

 

[Bugger]

I meant some don't eat it . typo yeah your tank is small enough for peroxide to work. Just don't be surprised if it comes back and you have to do it again.
Im surprised nobody has told you to reduce your phosphates. Even the smallest amounts of food will feed the growth. So its really impossible to stop gha.
I would clean the the side walls of the tank and wipe down the water spots on the glass

 

[rdela55]

Get an insanely small tang or rabbitfish

 

[Bugger]

I've tried rabbit fish never touched the stuff

 

[cloak]

Check this out.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-07/nftt/index.php

HTH.

 

[SPS247]

I just went through this issue myself several months back after I moved my tank to a new house.

You want the Banded Trochus snail.
These little guys went to town on my Green Hair algae. I've tried just about every other snail I could get my hands on and these where the only ones that went nuts over it. One trick though is try to keep the Algae cut short by hand so the can get to the roots easier. Another tip if u find them wondering around on the glass pick them off and put them on the area you want eaten up.

Also Tech M by Kent marine. Use it to raise your magnesium above 1400+ppm and it will also kill off the green hair algae. You have do this treatment slowly though. Do some research ton of info on how to.

Start to finish it probably took me a month after I found the right snail and Tech M.

Good luck.

http://m.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+2971+564&pcatid=564

 

[Reefing Madness]

Remove the Phosphates, and the algae will die on its own.

 

[LetItReef]

Besides manually removing it by hand try Margarita and Astrea snails.