Need help algae

[d.grcich]

I have a spot on a large rock that allways has a huge patch of hair algae. It is very porus and no matter how much I pick at it within days its back. I am thinking about a way to cut the light to just that spot and thought of wrapping it in black pantyhose. What you guys think? Anyone done something like this?

 

[rackyrane]

No, haven't tried that. But wouldn't just the indirect light in the rest of the tank be enough for it to grow? I don't know if it can only use direct light. Have you tried any herbivores to get rid of it? I think sea hares are good for it, but of course can have problems with those as well.
Our LFS will kind of "rent" sea hares out to take care of a problem and then take them back for credit.

 

[anomie]

I read a thread on RC about raising Mag to get rid of bryopsis.(sp?) Maybe you could try that?

 

[ficklefins]

You could always build a frag rack and place it right over that rock. Then you not only have a frag rack for your corals, but you also are shading the rock.

If you want to cut the light down by a lot you could make your frag rack out of black/white acrylic and drill holes in it or just use disks versus frag plugs.

 

[Reef Goddess]

But if you have hair algae in one spot even if you cover that rock up, couldn't you still get it on another rock?
Best solution for hair algae is a sea hare; they are reef safe and won't harm your tank if they ink, this is just a bad rumor that I plan to put an end to. Sea hares can be handled without inking and its a rare case when they actually do. I've had my whole tank turned purple and all my corals and fish were fine. Most sea hares will even stop producing ink after a few weeks of eating only green algae.

Lettuce hares are also the best thing for bryopsis, but you need to keep a little on the side because they are so efficient that they will starve when there is no more bryopsis.

Or they also sell phosphate reactors for these problems. ;]