hair algae....help please !!!!

[myescape0]

We had hair algae REAL bad in our 150.We took it down,sold it to upgrade to a 180.We had the l/r in a garbage can for over a week hoping to kill it.The pieces with live critters we put in a 29 gal. temp. tank or in my 55.Now my 55 has more hair than I do and our 180 is getting it. How do we get rid of it and it stay gone !!!! When in the garbage can it was w/ protien skimmer,2-powerheads,and no lights. :nervous: :help:

 

[elfdoctors]

The problem is caused by either excessive production or inadequate removal of algae. You should look at both sides to analyze this problem. Here are a few common causes to examine:
Production:
What sort of water do you use? How long do you leave your lights on?
Many times excess algae is from an overgrowth of excess nutrients, especially nitrates and phosphates. If your tapwater has phosphates in it you will continue to have problems. Test your water for those chemicals in particular. Don't leave your lights on for longer then 12-14 hours maximum.
Removal:
Do you have a clean up crew?
Do you have herbivorous fish?
Certain hermits, emerald crabs, snails will eat hair algae. Many fish such as lawnmower blennies, yellow tangs, foxface will also eat this and fix your problem quickly.
How old is your tank? Sometimes this is only a temporary problem associated with getting a new tank started. I had this problem early on in my tank's history. The measures that seemed to work best for me were 1)buying an RO/DI filter and 2)buying a yellow tang.

 

[myescape0]

The original tank was up for over a year,we took the l/r out scrubbed what we could with a toothbrush and placed the rest in a temp. tank.We use r/o water.But for awhile we got it at a conv. store that was closer to us and that is when we noticed our troubles started.We went back to using the water mill in town.Can't afford an r/o system just yet,still getting the new tank the way we want it.A 180 w/ a custom stand and canopy that my husband built out of birch plywood and such.The upgrade has been up for a week now w/ l/r,l/s,lg.maroon clown,mated pair of cbs,2-chromis,2-firefish,1-flame gobi,1-diamond blenny(?),2-dif. brains,2-dif.hammerheads,mushrooms,ricordias,a clam,some hermits and snails.We want a foxface but haven't found one we like yet.We had a beautiful yellow tang but when both the powerheads decided to go out at the same time he didn't make it.We moved him to my at the time beautiful 55 for the oxygen and such but we guessed it was too late by the time we got home and found them not working.
My husband put a filter bag w/ phos. remover in his sump yesterday. My tank we are doing a big water change and scrubbing the l/r again,and waiting for an order of l/r so I can finish my 55 with it and get rid of my base rock.
The 55 has l/r,l/s mixed w/ cc,flame angel,4 t/r percs,one cbs,2-tube anenomes,a well behaved urchin,sargent major,conch,snails,hermits,

 

[myescape0]

Would taking my live critters out and raising the salinity help to get rid of the hair algae ???? If so, how high can we go w/out hurting the l/r and for how long should it stay up ????

 

[elfdoctors]

It is going to be virtually impossible to sterilize your tank against hair algae. Hair algae is pretty hardy. I would believe that it would actually be more likely to come back worse then before. The stuff thrives in polluted water when other things can't grow. That is why it tends to overgrow in a newly cycled tank which is still somewhat polluted by residual waste products leftover from the cycle. You are much more likely to just set it back and kill your more delicate lifeforms. You should continue to concentrate your efforts on decreasing the growth or increasing the predation of it.
I know a LFS in my area that used a foxface successfully when he got an overgrowth in his coral tanks. They are in stock right now on this website. I have been impressed with the quality of the livestock I have purchased.
Did your lighting change with your upgrade? Old bulbs will sometimes facilitate an overgrowth as the light spectrum changes as the bulbs age.

 

[myescape0]

Originally posted by elfdoctors
It is going to be virtually impossible to sterilize your tank against hair algae. Hair algae is pretty hardy. I would believe that it would actually be more likely to come back worse then before. The stuff thrives in polluted water when other things can't grow. That is why it tends to overgrow in a newly cycled tank which is still somewhat polluted by residual waste products leftover from the cycle. You are much more likely to just set it back and kill your more delicate lifeforms. You should continue to concentrate your efforts on decreasing the growth or increasing the predation of it.
I know a LFS in my area that used a foxface successfully when he got an overgrowth in his coral tanks. They are in stock right now on this website. I have been impressed with the quality of the livestock I have purchased.
Did your lighting change with your upgrade? Old bulbs will sometimes facilitate an overgrowth as the light spectrum changes as the bulbs age.
My 55 was perfect until we put things from the 150 in it so we could upgrade.The lights on both tank are new .The 180 has 6X96 pc's and the 55 has 4X65 pc'sw/ moonlites.
Have you ever heard of Marine S.A.T.? It's supposed to treat hair algae.We use it but it is expensive seeing as one bottle costs $29.99 + tax and was only 2 treatments for the 150 and we had to drive over an hour just to get to the only store that we've found to carry it.

 

[elfdoctors]

Nice looking reef. It doesn't look like you have significant problems with hair algae in that photo.
I have no experience with marine S.A.T. I couldn't find it on a quick search to research it either. Personally, I am leery about chemical treatments. I would be concerned that any such product will kill off some of your beneficial algae also (e.g. coraline) which helps keep the pest algaes in check. Biological control is probably safer then chemical control. As those products wear off it is also the nuisance algaes which are likely to come back first.
You might try posting this in the new hobbyists or reef forums to get more experienced opinions. This problem isn't actually a disease.
What kind of clam is that? I have been led to believe that most clams won't do well under the moderate light you have (particularly as they get older and get more of their energy from photosynthesis).

 

[myescape0]

Originally posted by elfdoctors
Nice looking reef. It doesn't look like you have significant problems with hair algae in that photo.
I have no experience with marine S.A.T. I couldn't find it on a quick search to research it either. Personally, I am leery about chemical treatments. I would be concerned that any such product will kill off some of your beneficial algae also (e.g. coraline) which helps keep the pest algaes in check. Biological control is probably safer then chemical control. As those products wear off it is also the nuisance algaes which are likely to come back first.
You might try posting this in the new hobbyists or reef forums to get more experienced opinions. This problem isn't actually a disease.
What kind of clam is that? I have been led to believe that most clams won't do well under the moderate light you have (particularly as they get older and get more of their energy from photosynthesis).
This tank is just starting to get the hair algae my 55 is nasty.
We want to find a cure before the 180 gets like the 150 was and my 55 is now.We have a vortex running,protien skimmer,top skimmer,skilter 400.
The Marine S.A.T. is not a chemical it's 100% bacterial formula made by Aquatic Biocontrol/TLC.The bottle says that it is designed for reef tanks and saltwater aquariums.
We also have a uv ster. on the 180.
Thanks,Paul & Dawn
I'll post in the new hobbyist.

 

[fireman03]

just wondering if you used the marine s.a.t. just started using the stuff. if you are using it how long did it take to see results??

 

[myescape0]

To be honest we weren't all too thrilled with it but we keep using it...so far it's a waste for us. $30.00 + tax per bottle and each bottle only had 2 treatments,less now that we have a bigger tank. We changed to filter floss instead of cloth and a phos. remover.It seems to be dying off.We done a water change,sucking out what we were scraping with a toothbrush then netted what was floating around.Now we got another bottle and are trying it again. Was told it may take three months of using to kill it off then use the maintenance to keep it at bay.We don't have the tank pictured anymore...it's for sale.We got a 92 corner(not set up yet) Hair algae is in our 180 but not as bad as the picture posted of the 55.

 

[goblue]

I wish i had before and after pics of my 55. when I went away to college my dad took charge of it. four years later everything had died, and the tank was only 3/4 full of water due to evaporation. there was so much hair it was baisically just a green box. I drained everything, took a toothbrush to the rocks, bought an RO/DI system, protein skimmer, big clean up crew, and i'm just finally free of hair algae. It takes a LOT of time and paitience and work to get rid of it all but it CAN be done! best of luck!!

 

[myescape0]

We used toothbrushes until there were not any bristles left...lol.We just done a partial water change,scraping and sucking it as we went.Even sucked up a lettuce nudibranch (he made it).Here's our 180 when we first set it up...it has hair algae now but it seems to be slowly and I mean slowly dying off.

 

[fireman03]

i only have a 12g getting ready to upgrade. so i have had 4 treatments in 2weeks. trying to get the max dose. i also have a fuge filled w/ chaeto doesn't seem to bother it. haven't really seen any die off. i too took a toothbrush to my rock just made it worst- i even took it out and re arranged everything. i have a ro/di system that i use. rowaphos has been used for 2 months now and nothing even have changed it out. decrease feedings, dec lighting etc........ i have zebra crabs and they work on a patch or two. its just unbeatable. i think i have been patient. hopefully when i transfer. i putting the rock in w/ no lights for 6weeks and then will see.