TURNING LIGHTS OFF TO RID ALGAE!!!!

[hexcolor reef]

My tank is starting to get over run by algae, I know there’s a lot of chemicals and additives to rid algae growth but what is a very quick for sure way to rid algae from corals Skelton, between polyps??? I’m dealing with very annoying hair algae no matter what I do
I’m thinking turning off lights for a week without harming the coral should do the trick a bit. Or am I wrong

 

[Spare time]

Sounds like you need more things that eat hair algae. Get a sea hare, emerald crabs, hermits, or a rabbitfish. Any of those will help. Alternatively, fluconazole would work. Long term you need a better algae eating crew

 

[blecki]

Lights out might make it appear to diminish but it will grow back with a vengeance if you don't fix the underlying problem. Controlling it takes three things: Less fuel, something eating it, and something out competing it.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

High phosphates feed it. Where are those numbers?

 

[blecki]

Also, peroxide is a very effective spot treatment for coral species that can handle it. Very effective at killing hair algae growing between zoas but potentially fatal for SPS but so is hair algae and scrubbing, so might be worth trying it on a frag and seeing what happens.

 

[hexcolor reef]

High phosphates feed it. Where are those numbers?

Phosphates are .02
I raised my light another couple inches. I don’t have cleaner shrimp and thinking of adding some and I’ve thought about emerald crabs but those aren’t to reed safe. Ive got some turbo snails. I’m thinking of using Red Sea nopx but I didn’t want to drop my levels to undetectable

 

[hexcolor reef]

Also, peroxide is a very effective spot treatment for coral species that can handle it. Very effective at killing hair algae growing between zoas but potentially fatal for SPS but so is hair algae and scrubbing, so might be worth trying it on a frag and seeing what happens.

Just dip the zoa’s in a bowl of peroxide? I’ll do anything at this point. I’m running a ton of phos-guard and I still get algae

 

[hexcolor reef]

Sounds like you need more things that eat hair algae. Get a sea hare, emerald crabs, hermits, or a rabbitfish. Any of those will help. Alternatively, fluconazole would work. Long term you need a better algae eating crew

Emerald crabs good to through in with coral? They were next on my list to add to the tank

 

[Spare time]

Emerald crabs good to through in with coral? They were next on my list to add to the tank

Some people say that they may nip at coral. I've never seen it. It may be a fallback food if they have no algae. I also heard, though have no reason to know or suspect if its true, that the males are more likely to do so (again this may be 100% false).

Some people hate crabs. I have never seen or had them eat coral to my knowledge. I like crabs. I've had turbos eat hair algae, but also ignore it. Apparently astrea are good at it but I don't have those since for some reason they always have vermatids or some boring worm on their shells from my experience (which gives me anxiety lol). A sea hare would be the next thing if you have an absolute ton.

 

[hexcolor reef]

Some people say that they may nip at coral. I've never seen it. It may be a fallback food if they have no algae. I also heard, though have no reason to know or suspect if its true, that the males are more likely to do so (again this may be 100% false).

Some people hate crabs. I have never seen or had them eat coral to my knowledge. I like crabs. I've had turbos eat hair algae, but also ignore it. Apparently astrea are good at it but I don't have those since for some reason they always have vermatids or some boring worm on their shells from my experience (which gives me anxiety lol). A sea hare would be the next thing if you have an absolute ton.

So I bought blue leg crabs and a blue hippo tang. The blue hippo tang went to work as soon as I dropped it in the tank. I still have some hair algae between some zoa’s but as far as rock work, hair algae is gone.