What Can I Do About Hair Algea?

[heavenly_d3vi1]

Well, I did have one piece of LR that came with a lil clmp of hair algea attached.. but now, my rocks are becomming over run with the stuff!!! Is there anything I can do to combat it? I cant get anything to eat it as my tank is still awaiting more LR before I start stocking.

 

[seffieuk]

Take it out and give it a scrub, but main thing is getting control of nitrate and phosphate - what are your stats?

 

[heavenly_d3vi1]

Tbh, Ive been very slack for various readons and havn't tested my stats for a week or 2 I'll get it tested once ive got the lil uns in bed this evening! I dont have a phosphate test tho!

 

[Tony_essex]

 

[SchottayB]

You can just brush if off, test the water and post results

 

[PSeev]

I had a green algae problem in my tank. The recommendations that were made to me, were to turn off the light, limit sunlight or both. In addition, I was told to add poly filter media. Website is http/www.poly-bio-marine.com/polyfilter.html. It removes all trace elements, including phosphate. It cleared my algae in 1 week, with no light. You cut it into pieces and place it anywhere in your filter preferrably before the cartridges, if you have them. You want the poly fiber to have as much contact with the filtered water as possible.

 

[fishy55599]

MEXICAN TURBOS!!! i had some come on my rock and they were like a lawnmower with it

 

[heavenly_d3vi1]

Stats are..

Temp 27c
Ph 8.2
Ammonia 0
trIte 0
trAte somewhere between 0-5

still using API tests atm tho!

 

[weezawoo]

Talk to Woody, hes the hair algae master

 

[heavenly_d3vi1]

I dont really fancy doing too much handling of the rock atm, what with being pregnant, if something gets me, I cant take anything!

MEXICAN TURBOS!!! i had some come on my rock and they were like a lawnmower with it

That must have been messy fishy!!

Woody, Oh Woody, where art thou!!!

 

[seffieuk]

With those test results you shouldn't have nay hair algae - although I suspect that if you tested for phosphates you would get a reading - your lfs will do it for you, also get them to check the nitrate whilst you are there

There is another conclusion, you are getting a low nitrate figure as the hair algae is using it to grow

My plan would be:
get the stats checked

Are you running a nitrate or phosphate remover?

 

[heavenly_d3vi1]

No I'm not, Ive not done/added anything to the tank apart from put saltwater and LR in it! Ive not even done a water change yet! I thin I'll go and buy some salifert tests tomorrow rsther than ask them to test it for me, coz i'm pretty sure all Id get from them would be 'yeah its fine' lol. I popped in yesrterday just coz I was passing, to ask about this problem, and all they could come up with was trying to get me to buy urchins and crabs even tho I told them I wasn't ready to stock yet!

 

[woody88]

I dont really fancy doing too much handling of the rock atm, what with being pregnant, if something gets me, I cant take anything!

MEXICAN TURBOS!!! i had some come on my rock and they were like a lawnmower with it

That must have been messy fishy!!

Woody, Oh Woody, where art thou!!!

Chill, chill! Mr GHA is here! Lol

Green hairy algae is a sod to get rid of!

First things first don't waste your time testing for phos and nitrate readings as they won't be accurate. GHA locks them in and if disturbed can release them back into the tank very quickly. GHA is a potential ticking timebomb.

Firstly I would make sure I'm running a phosphate AND nitrate remover.
Secondly, remove the rock piece by piece and scrub the crap out of it with a toothbrush or any kind of hard bristle brush in some used tank water. (I used a bog brush! Lol) try and get every last bit off if you can.
Thirdly, put the LR back in the tank and wait to see how much GHA youve missed and repeat the process.
Fourthly, reduce lighting period, remove any sponge, LR rubble etc that can act as a nitrate trap and rinse out thoroughly in plain RO water. If you have livestock then reduce feeding also.
Buy or increase your CUC. Get a couple of mithrax/emerald crabs as they love the stuff.

Note: this is not a quick fix HD, it takes time and patience. It took me nearly 3 months to shift it completely and thanks to the methods above plus regular wc I haven't had a single strand of it since.
Also note that when scrubbing the LR you may well be killing some of the organisms on it which can possibly throw your tank into a
Mini cycle depending on how much rock has been scrubbed.

Lastly, don't do it yourself if your preggers HD just in case and if you have to then wear gloves and wash your hands before and after.

The above steps should remove the GHA visually almost immediately and should also help with the source if the problem which is what we need to fund out!

Any probs then just pm me if you like!

 

[heavenly_d3vi1]

Thanks woody.. I'll have to see if I can talk someone into being a scrubber for me!! One of the rocks thats covered in it is the rock with the yellow polyps on it, will it harm them? I really like them!
Is it safe to add crabs and things before all my rock is added? I still need a 20kg of the stuff yet! I suppose I could put any new rock in a tub for a while before adding it to the tank if ive got CUC in there? Ive got about 3 or 4 hermit crabs and a mystery crab that ive not yet seen enough of to ID in there atm which have climbed out of LR, but they dont seem to go near the stuff!
And, how do I go about running phosphate nad nitrate remover, is it just something I add tot he tank, or do I need a skimmer or something to put it in?

 

[woody88]

If your not running any type of external or internal filter then for now just put some phos remover and nitrate remover in separate media bags and hang them in front of your powerheads or better if you have a sump then put them in there either at the end of the inlet pipe or near the return pump.

GHA will cover coral and potentially harm it but don't panic HD like I said it's not a quick fix and as long as it's not disturbed whilst being in the tank then it won't cause any major probs. In fact it's actually helping your tank as it's removing phos and trate from your system.

I think I need to re read your journel to familiarise myself with your tank again! Lol

Regarding adding CUC in-between adding LR then you should be ok to add CUC as long as you DON'T add UNCURED LR and any cured LR to remain wet or at least moist.