" HAIR ALGAE " I've tried everything " HELP "

newfishliny

newfishliny

Member
HI everyone ,
My tank been running fine for the past year , for the past month
I can't get rid of this ! I put in new light bulbs , water change , used phosphate filter pads. What can one man due ! I have been useing only distilled water for the past six monhs or more , it is poland spring that I get wholesale ---
what should I test and look for

[hr]
other wise my tank is fine , 90 gal 50 gals of sumps (2) aqua c 120 protein skimmer
thanks
newfish
DON
 
sggavin

sggavin

Member
i had hair algae pretty bad at one point also, what i did to get rid of it was just pull it right off the rocks and everything else it was on, after awhile it was gone. HTH
 
dburr

dburr

Active Member
If it's on one or two rocks, remove them and put them in a dark place with water for a month. Like a cooler.( I know it sounds funny, but it worked for me) It wont kill pods because they eat the dying algae.
Don't over feed your tank.
What do you have for a clean up crew? What are your nitrates?
Phosphates?
What else can you tell us about your setup?
Dan
 
scotts

scotts

Active Member
Here is how I solved my problem. I cut down on the amount of food that I fed the fish and added a clean up crew. Also pull out as much as you can. You can use a brush to get it off of the rock. Some people use a tooth brush.
The hair algae feeds off of the waste material in your tank. The clean up crew will eat the stuff before your hair algae can. My clean up crew consists of around 20 red hermit crabs. Plus the hermit crabs are pretty cool to watch. It is fun to watch one hermit crab cleaning the shell of another hermit crab.
Scott
 
T

thomas712

Guest
What are the tests for phosphates and nitrates?
What kind of substrate?
What spectrum of lighting, watts, type of lighting?
What kind of phosphate remover are you using?
What type of test kits?
Do you feed frozen foods, how often?
Do you have a cleanup crew, what type?
Are you sure that this is not byropsis?
Do you run carbon, what type?
Have you ever tested your poland spring water before mixing with salt?
Thomas
 
cincyreefer

cincyreefer

Active Member
Just take the actual siphon part off your siphon and use the hosing to suck it off. It will come right off but so will any sand so be careful not to stick the end too close to the sand.
 
julie

julie

Member
Will it hurt the polyps if I was to brush the algae off with a toothbrush, in an alternate container?
 
T

thomas712

Guest

Originally posted by julie
Will it hurt the polyps if I was to brush the algae off with a toothbrush, in an alternate container?
I think that it would damage the polyps, The syphon idea can work, but perhaps you can also use a turkey baster to blow it off of the polyps and then catch it with the syphon. Try it.
Thomas
 
mcreef

mcreef

New Member
I have the same problem right now! I have been fighting it for a couple of weeks. I am using reef carbon, phosphate sponge and doing water changes ( RO/DI ) every week. ( I just did the 2nd water change today ). I didn't think the lighting was making a difference at first and now I can see with the Metal Halide on the stuff goes crazy! So, I am limiting the MH to 5 hours a day. I have got my fingers crossed after this water change that it will keep it in check enough for my clean up crew to handle ( I have turbo snails and blue leg hermits, sand sifting star and cleaner shrimps )
Keep up the fight!!!!!
 
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