Hair Algae

hitachi753

hitachi753

Member
Hello All,
I am having some major issues with hair algae or what i believe to be hair algae. It is green and hairy... also the is some red algae i believe it is called cyano? Any ways I have a 150G tank with a 30G sump.
Water parameters:
Nitrates:>10
PHOS undetectable by LFS
Ca:430
dkh:12
We have been doing water changes weekly about 30 gallons. With no effect on algae growth. We scrap almost daily yet it won't go away. Lighting schedules is 8 hours of T5ho antics and 6 Hrs of 2 400watt Mh. We have even used algaefix, and redslime remover niether have help. I need help PLEASE this is very fustrating.
How long do bulbs last before they need replacing.
 
bruner54

bruner54

Member
how long have you had your tank running because i have had a 20 gallon tank for almost 8 months and its still growing some algae its gonna grow algae for a while and it will eventually stop.
 
hitachi753

hitachi753

Member
tank has been up for 7 months algae has just started growing in the last month. I have lots on snails and hermits. Also have 3 tangs still the algae grows faster than can be eaten.
 
crabsrkewl

crabsrkewl

Member
Well I'm guessing you have a reef tank sice you posted in reef tank (forum) but I got rid of my algae by cutting down on my light. Like only 5 hours a day.
 
hitachi753

hitachi753

Member
yeah its a reef tank. Right now Im just running the halides for 6 hrs a day. How long can i go on the lighting schedule until coral/clam/anenome damage occurs.
 
hitachi753

hitachi753

Member
i believe it is hair algae I'll post a pic when lights come up. I use only ro water for making and topping off. I never use tap water for anything related to tank. My other tank which i use the same water for does not have any algae issues.
 
fishfreak1242

fishfreak1242

Active Member
did you just recently get your lights? cus when I got metal halides, I got a huge outbreak of algae and cyano. It eventually went away after a few months.
 
hitachi753

hitachi753

Member
the lights have been on the tank since it was setup in january. There has been no change to the tank since it was new. Here are some pictures.



 
errattiq

errattiq

Member
LMAO I HAD TO LOOK TWICE AT THOSE LAST 2 PICTURES!!! I'm pretty sure those had little to do with your algae problem lol.
 
jbird0420

jbird0420

Member
Yea! I had to take a second look at those last 2 pics..LOL!
I as well am having a huge outbreak in green hair algae. I use Ro/di water, even though I'm pushing about about 25ppm..I have all new filters, except membrane...Which is on it's way, should be here Friday. I also ordered AlageFix Marine, which I hear is supposed to kill off the algae problem. I have snails, hermits, a lawnmower blenny and yet no reduction in the hair algae. Maybe I need to cut my lights back, currenty running my MH's 8 hrs and T12's 12 hours, yes I do have corals and inverts!

I feed once a day, very little bit. Enough where everything is consumed in under 3 min. It's very frustrating, it's worse than trying to cure a fish of Ich or any other disease.. How do you guy's w/ the same setups get away with not having this issue???
 
A

alexmir

Guest
did you mean to enter the pics of your boobs?
anyways..........Crabs and snails will not help that problem, and i unless you can start keeping your water ABSOLUTELY PERFECT, i think the only way to get that down is to put ina refugium in your tank. I had a pretty bad hair algea problem a few months ago, put in a hang on back refugium, and slowly but surely it kicked the algea out, not a single bit of it now!!!
 
nycbob

nycbob

Active Member
foxface and sailfin will eat hair algae. i had hair algae issue a few months back, via some lr i introduced into the tank. foxface took care of the issue over time.
 
jbird0420

jbird0420

Member
I've been looking into this Algae problem a lil further. The lights on this tank are old. I bought the setup 2 months back used, the MH bulbs have black inside the bulb itself, I know they need to be replaced. I assume as long as my corals are growing, which they are...The lights should be fine. So on that note, will changing out both my MH bulbs and T12 bulbs help out the problem. I was gonna change them in a month or so, just need to get some extra cash together for $200 worth of bulbs. Also, I run the MH's for 8hrs and T12's for 12 hrs, do I need to cut back on the lighting? If so, will that hurt my corals?
 
tbcseod

tbcseod

Member
Might try a Sea Hare - I had a tank break out with hair like that and it being a aggressive tank everything i put in (snails hermits ect) became expensive trigger snacks.
It was suggested to me to try a sea hare and I thought "Sure - another snack for the trigers) but they left it alone and actually become fairly protective of it - anyway them things do nothing but eat algae and sleep/poop (yes I firmly believe they sleep and poo at the same time to free up more time to eat)
Just make sure to screen and then double screen your PH's and intakes as they will wander right onto the PH/intake and get their soft little bodies wrapped around it and slowly get sucked into the in take - thus killing it, remeber the end of Aliens 3? something like that.
~T
 
jbird0420

jbird0420

Member
Aren't Sea Hares aggressive towards corals, they like to eat them as well?

Originally Posted by tbcseod
http:///forum/post/2744006
Might try a Sea Hare - I had a tank break out with hair like that and it being a aggressive tank everything i put in (snails hermits ect) became expensive trigger snacks.
It was suggested to me to try a sea hare and I thought "Sure - another snack for the trigers) but they left it alone and actually become fairly protective of it - anyway them things do nothing but eat algae and sleep/poop (yes I firmly believe they sleep and poo at the same time to free up more time to eat)
Just make sure to screen and then double screen your PH's and intakes as they will wander right onto the PH/intake and get their soft little bodies wrapped around it and slowly get sucked into the in take - thus killing it, remeber the end of Aliens 3? something like that.
~T
 
V

vinnyraptor

Guest
foxface will devour your shrimp dont add that fish! i have been using algaefix marine with very good results. also some urchins will help. if possible remove the rock and scrub in old tank water getting as much off as possible . check for nat sunlight issues, then start the algaefix every 3 days. algae eating blenny's a good to add. good luck
Originally Posted by nycbob
http:///forum/post/2743975
foxface and sailfin will eat hair algae. i had hair algae issue a few months back, via some lr i introduced into the tank. foxface took care of the issue over time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top