green hair algae

[josborne1310]

Need a way to get rid of hair algae. I increased flow but that hasnt helped. It's in a 20g and it's taking over.

 

[kirru]

that was my problem. i was using regular tap water so that contributed to it.

I started using RO/DI water and cut back on lighting and feeding a little less and put in 5 astraea snails and its nearly gone now. snails really did help.
thats just my experience with my 10 gallon nano

 

[nickskains]

Some fish will also eat the hair algae as well as nudi's. But make sure if you get a nudi to get rid of it once the hair algae is gone or it will die due to lack of food and nuke your tank. Lawnmower Blenny and some tangs.. might be more fish that will eat it also but not sure about those. Best bet is to make sure your water is 0 tds as stated above and cut back on light and feedings. Usually there is too many nutrients in the water and its feeding off that. What are your nitrates and phosphates at?

 

[xyzpdq0121]

Sally light footed crab has always worked as my secret weapon for hair algae.

 

[kirru]

ah, good idea brandon, maybe that will totally annihlate the GHA for me. after it is gone what do i need to supplement for the crabs or will they be ok? reef safe? i have two firefish, a dragon sleeper goby, and a crabs a snails




sorry to hijack!

 

[stickx911]

I heard once that a sally can be opportunistic and eat small fish, but that may just be a rumor.

 

[ralph atl]

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 13px">You must export the same or more nutrients than you put in. Overfeeding, tap water, high phosphate foods, etc. </span></span>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 13px"> </span></span>
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<span style="font-size: 13px"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman">Phosphate reduction/ removal and high trates could be the answer. Wet skimming with a skimmer that is rated at least double your water volume. If you cannot get a fuge or sump (you can maybe make a "Rubbermaid sump with cheato in it for a few bucks) you can get a $35.00 hang on phosphate reactor for your tank and put some GFO in there. In the future, you'll most likely need a refugium with Macro algae. If you choose GFO, you’ll need to start VERY SLOWLY! Use 25% of the recommended media, slowly increasing every 2-4 weeks. You need to acclimate your tank inhabitants over at least a 2 month period especially is you have any stony corals. Once acclimated you’ll need to change your Iron based media in the phosphate reactor more often. Your media will get saturated in 2 weeks or so depending upon how much is bound up in your rocks, tank, algae, etc. Use less media, change every 2 weeks. Use a great test kit like DD Merck, Hack, or colormeter or send to AWT. If you already have a fuge & reactor, be aggressive & change the media every 2 weeks.</span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 13px">When you do your water change, take the end of the hose and suck all the algae down like a vacuum. It'll take a few water changes, but it works (especially after the phosphate remover kicks in)</span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 13px">Use a phosphate reactor with some phosar or ROWA or whatever, and something to lower nitrates like a fuge, AZNO3, Vodka, or other carbon source. </span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 13px">check out:</span></span>
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/rhf/index.php"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 13px"><span style="color: #0000ff">http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/rhf/index.php</span></span></span></a>
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[IMG]http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 13px"><span style="color: #0000ff">http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php</span></span></span></a>
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[IMG]http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-05/eb/index.php"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 13px"><span style="color: #0000ff">http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-05/eb/index.php</span></span></span></a>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 13px"> </span></span>
[IMG]http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/august2003/chem.htm"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 13px"><span style="color: #0000ff">http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/august2003/chem.htm</span></span></span></a>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 13px"> </span></span>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 13px">http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1349443</span></span>

 

[george]

stickx911;248384 wrote: I heard once that a sally can be opportunistic and eat small fish, but that may just be a rumor.

Just about all crabs from hermits on up offered in the hoby are oportunistic omnivores. However, some make their own oportunities. The key is to either move the crab or pass it on, if you can no longer sustain it without impacting other livestock. I'd think a Sally could scavenge just fine, unless it grows really big and you have smaller fish/inverts.

 

[thanh386]

rent-a-seahare

 

[josborne1310]

my husband is gonna re-check the parameters tomorrow for me. and as for water when doing water changes we use the premade since only have the 20g and 10g. It's what our LFS in FL had us using before we came here. i was getting ready to buy more snails so maybe that's the problem.

 

[hfleming]

I started using GFO in the manner mysterybox explained above. In addition I elevated my magnesium level to 1600. It has take several weeks but the hair algae growth has stopped and the existing population is reducing.

 

[xyzpdq0121]

George;248437 wrote: Just about all crabs from hermits on up offered in the hoby are oportunistic omnivores. However, some make their own oportunities. The key is to either move the crab or pass it on, if you can no longer sustain it without impacting other livestock. I'd think a Sally could scavenge just fine, unless it grows really big and you have smaller fish/inverts.

My Sally is about 7" big now in my 55gal. She has NEVER touched anything. I have Sexy Shrimp, Pom-Pom crabs, Clown Gobies, and other small critters.. Everything has been safe. Now, I feed quite well but she has never even made a move at anyone. She just sits there and grazes all day and night. But every crab is different.

 

[ralph atl]

hfleming;248508 wrote: I started using GFO in the manner mysterybox explained above. In addition I elevated my magnesium level to 1600. It has take several weeks but the hair algae growth has stopped and the existing population is reducing.

Thanks! this really does work folks!

Sally crabs are known to snatch sleeping fish depending upon the crab. That still doesn't fix the issue, only the symptom!