i cant take the algea anymore

[ajwaters]

okay im placing an order for some supplies lights ect. my hair algae is unbelivable im spending to much time with tooth brush and my hands in the tank. so im getting an updated clean up "curisosity of SWF.com" crew for this crap. And would like to purchase some phosphate remover that claims to remove hair algae also. so does anybody have some info on some of these "so called removers"
any info will be very much appreicated
ty all

 

[bdhough]

hmmm. Try not to put any uneccessary chems in your tank. IE phosphate remover. Whatever you buy get some mexican turbo snails for the hair algae. For everything else variety is the spice of life. If you want a new fish a bicolor blenny or lawnmower blenny will also take care of the hair. I've also heard that a lettuce nudibranch will clean it up.
Hair algae is a sign of other issues too.
1)always use properly buffered ro water
2)MAX lights 8-10 hours a day
3)feed less. Once a day if not once every other day....

 

[ajwaters]

i agree my clean up crew is pretty shaby.. the lights 9 hrs, only ro water hits that tank. feeding about every two days right now only have two fish a mandrian and the clown
i was going to purshase the turbos, and a nubi lettuce, also i thought foxfaces ate hair?

 

[ajwaters]

okay trying to attach an image of my horriable algea. this is a cheap old camera my old man work gave him. and the tank was tooth brushed abuot a week ago.

 

[ajwaters]

that wasn't that hard im sure u all will think im nuts but that is SOOOOOOOOOO cool i posted a pic. even though it doesn't look good

 

[birdy]

There is nothing wrong with using a phosphate remover, I run one when I detect phosphates, I have always used kents but I recently have heard it contains aluminum so I probably won't use it again (even though it did not seem to cause any problems) I have heard salifert makes a phosphate remover that doesn't contain alumnium but I haven't been able to find it.
There are tons of threads out there about fighting hair algae, What are your water parameters and what have you done to fight the algae and of course what is your setup?

 

[ajwaters]

okay
i need to check again but are usally norm i know that doesn't help my nitrates usually stay around 20 i need to find my book.. i do about 15 % water changes every two weeks with ro water. emperor filter (i need to get a new one) seaclone skimmer. not the best set up i know.
before my problem was red slime that seemed to just disappear.
(what can i say friday one to many whiskey sours)
i do not have the phosphate tester. but everything i read that is the main cause of the algea.
ty for the reply

 

[bdhough]

Im sure its safe to use but i've of the mind not to add anything to the tank if it can be done naturally.....Especially if you ahve no clean up crew
Try getting some nassarius snails and cerith snails to help go through your sand some. You've got alot and it could be harboring things.... And yes a foxface eats alot of algae too or any rabbitfish for that matter. How big is your tank?

 

[birdy]

Well a phosphate remover is like carbon it is the water is run through it it is not like a chemical that you add to the tank, I also do not add chemicals to my tank if the problem can be solved another way, but I have fought hair algae many times and I belive a phosphate sponge can be very necessary. I will post my getting rid of hair algae to do list.
Here are a few suggestions:
1. Be sure you are using RO/DI water, and test it to be sure the filters are fresh.
2. If you do not have corals turn your lights completely off, (this will kill the algae).
3. Test your water for phosphates, the problem is if you have a lot of algae you may test 0 for phosphates and nitrates but it is because the algae is consuming these, when the algae naturally dies off it feeds new algae.
4. Do weekly %10 water changes, pull as much algae out as possible every day.
5. Run a phosphate sponge.
6. Be sure your bulbs are new and in the correct spectrum
7. Beef up your cleanup crew.
8. Set up a refugium with macro algae.
9. Run a protein skimmer
10. Dripping Kalk will help remove phosphates from the system
9. Once you get rid of the algae, keep Ca in the proper levels and coralline will grow and the hair algae usually doesn't grow where there is coralline.
HTH- Carla

 

[bdhough]

I shee I shee, me not having a problem EVER with algae I think it starts with with thos initial conditions anyways. I do know ALOT of people run into it by overfeeding and no clean up crew. Time and again that was the culprit with saltwater. They may not think they are though.....
YAY 900!

 

[calvindo]

brhough, could you be more specific on your maintainance? what exactly you do to keep the algea away.
thanks

 

[jb1]

i had one rock with hair algae on it and i got a letucce nudi and he is demolishing it . that thing can eat some algae i would recommend getting a couple of nudis for sure

 

[madd catt]

What type of filter are you you using ? canister hang on ? sometimes algae will go away with a higher flowrate,will not be able too adhere to glass or rocks and the use off algae in a sump or scubber will start to use up nutrients instead of the hair algae.

 

[ajwaters]

it is a hang on filter but i am ordering a new one, and also getting an extra power heads so that should help more with the water flow i do have some what of a clean up crew. i really don't think overfeeding is the problem.
I do agree with not wanting to add chem. in the tank. But i just thought the phosphate sponge thing might be worth a try.
The tank is a 90g.
and also has a skimmer on it.
I will upgrade the clean up crew. and probably a few other things if that doesn't work its the sponge time.

 

[birdy]

Actually I believe hair algae likes high water flow.
Do you have any corals in the the tank? IF you don't then turn your lights off, this will kill the algae. Then you can take the rocks out of the tank in a seperate tub of water and scrub the algae off with a toothbrush (do not do this in the display tank, it will just spread the stuff) after all the algae is gone, be sure you do not have phosphate in the water. Keep your water parameter good, the spectrum in your bulbs correct and replace them on time and keep a clean up crew and you should not have problems.

 

[bdhough]

Calvindo. Thats the thing i don't. Its those initial steps that you have to take to ensure it doesn't get out of hand in the first place. Those steps i listed at the beginning of the post but
1)always use RO
2)lights 8-10 hours
3)careful how much you feed. Very little gets to the bottom and sits there in my tank
and the final
4)buy a diverse cleanup crew. If you have those key features then you should rarely have a problem. I was starting to have hair algae BUT i bought a reef hermit and a Mexican turbo snail and now barely notice there's any at all...
These four steps need to be in place a month after the tank is set up or it will get out of control. I've also worked at 2 lfs and the problem was always traced to either water or no cleanup crew. Both are crucial in a reef if you don't want a messy algae tank.