Please Help
- Thread starter angelspot
- Start date
byrself
Member
have you dealt with the phosphates issue? also, pulling the hair algae off by hand is always a help. if you haven't thought about the phosphates, maybe look into a phosphate sponge. your source water could be a source of the phosphates. also make sure your filters are clean and that you aren't overfeeding your tank. the hermits especially should have kept a handle on the hair algae. do you have enough of them? i think one for every two gallons is plenty.(if you have a live rock ratio of 1lb rock per gallon of tank capacity). just my suggestions. hth.
edit: you could also reduce your lighting time to help slow the algae down. maybe your hermits could catch up then. the snails will likely not be able to do much once the algae gets so long. they are good at keeping it in check once it is mowed down by hermits.
edit: you could also reduce your lighting time to help slow the algae down. maybe your hermits could catch up then. the snails will likely not be able to do much once the algae gets so long. they are good at keeping it in check once it is mowed down by hermits.
lionpicasso
Member
I had the same problem a while back, the way I got rid of it was to take a new toothbrush and scrub that stuff off. Then take a fish net and scoop it out.
just my 2cents
just my 2cents
bluemarlin
Member
This can be a big problem and one that is not so easily solved. I too have this problem with my 180 salt. I have about 220 hermit crabs in the tank and so far they have ignored the hair algae and then focus on the other algaes in the tank. I tried a commercial product that was supposed to remove red slime algae and hair algae. I was mislead into believing that it would not harm my mushroom corals. WRONG! It killed them all! Totally eliminated all the mushrooms from my tank. This is very bad! Worse yet, the red algae is still in the tank in a few spots.
I suggest water changes and reductions in light time. I have tried changing about 10% of the water per week for a while and it seems to be working. Don't over feed either. A few small feedings a day is much better than 1 big feast.
I suggest water changes and reductions in light time. I have tried changing about 10% of the water per week for a while and it seems to be working. Don't over feed either. A few small feedings a day is much better than 1 big feast.
jim672
Member
saltyrich,
In addition to the water changes and sponge, you can try syphoning the hair algea out. Some of the larger growths will be lose enough to flow out through the syphon tube. A soft tooth brush applied gently will also help loosen the algea.
Just to clarify.....hermits and snails will not touch hair algea.
Jim
In addition to the water changes and sponge, you can try syphoning the hair algea out. Some of the larger growths will be lose enough to flow out through the syphon tube. A soft tooth brush applied gently will also help loosen the algea.
Just to clarify.....hermits and snails will not touch hair algea.
Jim
byrself
Member
hey jim, i've never really had the green hair algae prob, but my hermits ate the crap out of the red hair. also, my hermits and snails eat the heck out of the green stuff i do get, but it never gets long. i have astrea snails and blue legged hermits. <img src="graemlins//confused.gif" border="0" alt="[confused]" />
jim672
Member
Wow! I have read that snails and crabs won't eat hair algea and I have about 30 blue and red leg hermits and 40 or so assorted snails and I know mine won't go near the hair algea!
Maybe it's the Pennsylvania crabs and snails that won't eat it?
Sorry...I should have expressed my comment as "in my experience". <img src="graemlins//confused.gif" border="0" alt="[confused]" />
Jim
Maybe it's the Pennsylvania crabs and snails that won't eat it?
Sorry...I should have expressed my comment as "in my experience". <img src="graemlins//confused.gif" border="0" alt="[confused]" />
Jim