GREEN Hair in my tank - OHHHHHH NO!!!!
- Thread starter chessie
- Start date
mr . salty
Active Member
I had a terrible red slime outbreak a couple weeks ago and killed it with an addative.I never saw a rise in readings. But I pulled the dead stuff out after three days of treatment.It never came back. You think that by pulling it out,I avoided it releasing the stuff back into the tank???STEVE
donna2933
Member
I am still having trouble with hair algae and it is getting worse. I did a water change 2 weeks ago and remove all the algae that I could by picking it off the rock, however, it is back and just about covered everything and even spots of it in the sand. My nitrates and phosphates are at a minimum, I used RO water, temperature stays the same. I didn't have this trouble until I added two 175 watt metal halides. I don't know if this is the cause or if it is something else. I bought one sally lightfoot and 1 arrow crab but I probably need more. How can I get rid of this algae? I give up on what is causing it to spread so because I cannot find anything wrong with water conditions.
Thanks Donna
Thanks Donna
W
wrassefan
Guest
Chessie,
Sorry I didn't respond earlier. I got it on line at Thatpetplace.com.
Sorry I didn't respond earlier. I got it on line at Thatpetplace.com.
harris
Member
Chessie,
Did you by any chance throw in those vacation feeder blocks that you can buy? I have heard only terrible things about those food cubes. They can destroy your water in a few days. As for the phosphates, I use my brita filter out og my fridge. It brings the phosphates down a little but not that much.
I sometime see my cleaner shrimp grooming the little alagae that I have.
If you do get a sack of cleanup guys, make sure you can return them for credit or actually rent them. When the alagae is all gone your new cleanup guys will die. Therefore it is better to return them or toss them to a friend. Good luck
Did you by any chance throw in those vacation feeder blocks that you can buy? I have heard only terrible things about those food cubes. They can destroy your water in a few days. As for the phosphates, I use my brita filter out og my fridge. It brings the phosphates down a little but not that much.
I sometime see my cleaner shrimp grooming the little alagae that I have.
If you do get a sack of cleanup guys, make sure you can return them for credit or actually rent them. When the alagae is all gone your new cleanup guys will die. Therefore it is better to return them or toss them to a friend. Good luck
mr . salty
Active Member
DONNA, I think your algae problem is largly due to all that lighting on for 12 hrs a day. You should put them on timers.Have the blues come on first,a couple hours later have the rest of the flo's come on,Then the MH for two or three hours ONLY. The MH off. one hour later Flo's off.An hour later the blues turn off.Total time should not excede 6-10 hours.This will best duplicate the sun rise(blues) morning and evening(flo's) and bright midday sun(MH'S).Then the sun set with the blues. STEVE
donna2933
Member
Mr. Salty
Thanks for the info on the timing of my lights, however, I think I have you confused about the lights. I have a twin fluorescent strip with 1-20K full spectrum bulb (40 W) and the other bulb is a actinic (40 W). These are located on the back on the tank. The two halides are 175 W (10 & 12K blueline German bulbs) and they are located across the front of the tank. I have started turning the 2 fluorescents on about 9 AM and then turn halides on about noon, leave all lights on and then turn halides off about 3 hrs later and then leave the 2 fluorescents on until about 7-8 PM. Do I still need to change this pattern? Should I replace the 40W actinic with another full spectrum bulb since both halides are blueline?
Thanks a lot for your time and information! Donna
Thanks for the info on the timing of my lights, however, I think I have you confused about the lights. I have a twin fluorescent strip with 1-20K full spectrum bulb (40 W) and the other bulb is a actinic (40 W). These are located on the back on the tank. The two halides are 175 W (10 & 12K blueline German bulbs) and they are located across the front of the tank. I have started turning the 2 fluorescents on about 9 AM and then turn halides on about noon, leave all lights on and then turn halides off about 3 hrs later and then leave the 2 fluorescents on until about 7-8 PM. Do I still need to change this pattern? Should I replace the 40W actinic with another full spectrum bulb since both halides are blueline?
Thanks a lot for your time and information! Donna
mr . salty
Active Member
Sorry about the confusion,what you got going now sounds good to me.It may take awhile for the algae to clear up.STEVE
hermit
Member
I really feel for ya.. Honest.. I have had such a 'bout with Hair Algae that it makes me want to through everything in the garbage..
I still am battling it even after Phosphate sponge and Phososorb and all that jazz... Mine is even more complex because I am working with Micro Reefs where every little thing effects everything on a grand scale.
I can not believe that in theis age where we can genetically engineer a sheep that we can't get rid of hair algae..
Let me know what happens.. Good luck..
I still am battling it even after Phosphate sponge and Phososorb and all that jazz... Mine is even more complex because I am working with Micro Reefs where every little thing effects everything on a grand scale.
I can not believe that in theis age where we can genetically engineer a sheep that we can't get rid of hair algae..
Let me know what happens.. Good luck..
donna2933
Member
I have 430 watts of lights, however, I think my prolem has been leaving the metal halides on all day along with the fluorescents. Mr. Salty suggested that I only leave the halides on no more than 3 hours where I have had them on for 8-10. The only question I have left is about the fluorescents. I have a 40 watt actinic bulb and a 20K 40 watt bulb . Should I leave the fluorescents like they are or put in another 20K and take the actinic out? I think the reduction of the lighting has already helped the hair algae. I also bought a yellow tang and have a "clean up crew"on the way.
Thanks Bunches!! Donna
Thanks Bunches!! Donna
mr . salty
Active Member
I'd leave the flo's like they are for now.STEVE
obsessedwithfish
Member
Originally posted by donna2933:
I am still having trouble with hair algae and it is getting worse. I did a water change 2 weeks ago and remove all the algae that I could by picking it off the rock, however, it is back and just about covered everything and even spots of it in the sand. My nitrates and phosphates are at a minimum, I used RO water, temperature stays the same. I didn't have this trouble until I added two 175 watt metal halides. I don't know if this is the cause or if it is something else. I bought one sally lightfoot and 1 arrow crab but I probably need more. How can I get rid of this algae? I give up on what is causing it to spread so because I cannot find anything wrong with water conditions.
Thanks Donna
I have problems with hair algae too, I do know frequent water changes (2 20% changes each week with ro water will help) Emerald crabs help, I just purchased a clown tang and he is always picking at the rock. If I find something that works better the constant water changes I will let you know.