hair algae

[zeke92]

ok, well i've never minded hair algae but it's growing all over my fake plants and caulerpa and looks terrible.
and could it take stuff out of the water that could affect the horses? just wondering.
anyway, how can i get rid of it? i have a conch and it cleans the ground great but he can't climb. especially fake plants.
what should i do? it's all over the plants in the horse tank. how have you guys gotten rid of it in your experiences?

 

[rykna]

Originally Posted by zeke92
http:///forum/post/2455267
ok, well i've never minded hair algae but it's growing all over my fake plants and caulerpa and looks terrible.
and could it take stuff out of the water that could affect the horses? just wondering.
anyway, how can i get rid of it? i have a conch and it cleans the ground great but he can't climb. especially fake plants.
what should i do? it's all over the plants in the horse tank. how have you guys gotten rid of it in your experiences?
Zeke, This is a MAJOR RED FLAG

 

[zeke92]

i know, but that isn't telling me how to stop it now is it -.-
I'll get new lights, you mentioned lower spectrum's so I'll get new light bulbs i guess. my parents won't be happy about it but if it's a have to then I'll get on my hands and knees and cry.
i've tried removing it by hand so it doesn't take over too much tho. i just need advice on how to eliminate it.

 

[rykna]

Originally Posted by zeke92
http:///forum/post/2455668
i know, but that isn't telling me how to stop it now is it -.-
I'll get new lights, you mentioned lower spectrum's so I'll get new light bulbs i guess. my parents won't be happy about it but if it's a have to then I'll get on my hands and knees and cry.
i've tried removing it by hand so it doesn't take over too much tho. i just need advice on how to eliminate it.
Sorry Zeke, you're right...

ya Ryk...ahhhhh algae equals bad....

I was currently locked onto the over all seahorse death toll posts....
I'd get new light bulbs and step up your water changes.

 

[zeke92]

will do. my parents aren't too happy about the news about new light bulbs but were gonna get them no matter what.
i just hand picked as much hair algae as i could out of the tank.
i also posted some spitball ideas on that thread.

 

[rykna]

Originally Posted by zeke92
http:///forum/post/2455715
will do. my parents aren't too happy about the news about new light bulbs but were gonna get them no matter what.
i just hand picked as much hair algae as i could out of the tank.
i also posted some spitball ideas on that thread.
Cool

 

[bronco300]

get your water tested...one or more parameters are off if you have algae...nitrates...phosphates...even a small bit of phosphate can start something...
how does a lower spectrum stop algae, just curious? are we talking about going to like a 65k instead of a 10k? to my knowledge the lower you go the better growth of algae you'll have....most planted tank people like to use 65k bulbs because it is good for their plant growth....i would think you'd want a higher K bulb....maybe i'm confusing my things

 

[larrynews]

what is the wattage of your lights....and spectrum

 

[zeke92]

i don't know the wattage, it's just two fluorescents that came with the kit i bought for this tank. there not power compact or anything i don't think, there just made to light up the tank.
i'm gonna, like i've said, have my water tested for things i can't test as soon as i can get to an LFS. which should be tomorrow.
hand picked as much as i could out of the tank. I have enough algae in this little container to feed a snail farm.
tomorrow when we go we will also get new like bulbs aswell. i'm gonna work on my 55g HOB filter and try to fix the leak so i can set that up int he tank aswell.

 

[larrynews]

if they are just theflorescent lights, thats what i have on my seahorse tank, you may be over feeding and the extra nutrients are causing it. if you test for phosphates, they may read low or even zero because the hair algae is feeding on it and they wont show up. do more water changes and cut back on the feeding a little. i wouldn't think florescent bulbs would cause an out break like that, i have like 18w bulbs and bought the 10k bulbs they were like 19 bucks each. take one of your old bulbs with you keep us posted

 

[reef_dart21]

ok dnot panic i just had the same problem!!! but once your get ahead of the algea its a sinch to get rid of.
First off if you dont have any corals that need ALOT of light just turn on your light for about 4-6hours a day. Buy at least 10 turbo snail or 20(your choice) along with a lawnmower blenny (yes they are seahorse safe) and do about 3 gallon water changes every other day for a week and POOF its gone ^_^ good luck

 

[zeke92]

i doubt my parents want to buy a bunch of snails along with lights but i'll see. I usually turn the lights off at night unless i pass out as soon as i sit down. i will make sure not to overfeed aswell.

 

[reef_dart21]

buying stronger lights will only worsen the problem............just leave the lights on for a TOTAL of 4-6 hours for about a month along with water changes.......also if you can buy snail you always could hypo the tank but you would need to find a safe place for your horses while you do it (hypo is last resort in my eyes)

 

[zeke92]

so do i get new light bulbs or buy a bunch of snails? if i get bulbs all I'll do is get normal fluorescents.

 

[larrynews]

if they are just those purplish blue lights that come with tanks and not like a 10k or 20k or anything like that i would get snails and little hermit crabs and shorten your light cycle then next month or so get new bulbs....are you using ro water or tap, if you are using tap id change to at least distilled water from the grocery, not drinking water but distilled i us that alot

 

[zeke92]

i use tap but i use special stuff to get rid of all the crap in the water. i am also using salt with no phosphates in it.
it's just normal fluorescents not actinics. nothing special. just normal.

 

[larrynews]

if you can i would change water to distilled. when i first started i used tap and my reef exploded with hair algae, even with the stuff to make it safe it still has alot of things in it. we have fish stores here that sell ro water for like 75 cents a gallon, that is best, distilled is next. i would bet that its the water and over feeding that is causing it

 

[zeke92]

i live 45 minutes from the nearest fish store if you catch my drift.

it's not as easy for an adult that has a job and can drive almost whenever they want to go pickup stuff and do all sorts of stuff for tanks. i can't drive and my parents have to buy most of the stuff.
and for distilled buying water to water change a 55 gallon tank will kill my parents

 

[larrynews]

i understand, then i would get me some blue legged crabs and maybe a sea hare, but after the hair algae is gone you will need to get rid of the sea hare because we will starve but he will mow through the hair algae..hth, let me know which way you go, good luck

 

[monalisa]

Hi Zeke,
I know that the hair algae problem I was having came from over feeding my tank to help my male sh out when he was having problems. I tried different things to help eradicate it, pulling it by hand, more water changes, etc, but nothing seemed to work for me. Finally I decided that I would just pull all of the fake plants out and replace them. I also just pulled the caulerpa cup that I had in the tank. I think that all the algae was pulling too much O2 from the tank.
This evening I put in an open end air line into my tank in the hopes that it will help keep the O2 and pH levels at an even keel. I don't know for sure if it will work, but I do know that Navajo loves having the extra movement in the tank and has visited her "spa" several times this evening...here's hoping everything works out for you...and for me.
Lisa