Help me KILL hair algae......

[game411]

Hi guys,

I'm new to this hobby and haven't had my tanks up for more than 2 months, anyway, I was using sunlight to keep my Live rock thriving since I've been having some trouble with business not going too well and money is short, any way, the sunlight worked and keeps them alive and well, but this also caused a HEAVY bloom of green Hair algae, can you guys tell me what is the most varacious feeder of hair algae?

I was told some snails, but forgot the name, but I'm hopping their is something that will devour the crap alot faster than that.

I bought the Live rock from a member here and he told me it's nice to have, and I thought it was a cool peice seeing it sway in the water in his tank, I just didn't know it could grow so dang fast.............

I did increase the flow in my tank using a power head and a powerful filter, but I need something to eat what's left, I pulled out as much with my hands as I could.

If you do know what can eat it and have one that can eat this stuff, I'd appreciate it, I can't afford much at the moment, but any suggestions and offers will be considered.

Thanks.

 

[flyingarmy]

Sea Hair would be the best choice for a mature tank. Do you have any other inhabitants? If you pick one up, just make sure you drip aclimate him for at least a hour. And once the ahir algae is gone make sure you either feed it with Nori or pass it on to a fellow reefer. If they expire in your tank, you might have a toxicity issue.

 

[stroid]

I posted this first in your other thread....

Mexican Turbo Snails work amazingly well!! Others will tell you that you need to find the source of the problem as it will come back (which is true somewhat)....get some snails let them eat. Sea Hares, Lettuce nudibranchs, reduced light cycle, water changes, lawnmower blenny will all work to some degree. My best solution from my experience has been Mexican turbo snails.

 

[game411]

I don't have any other inhabitants but I do use the tank to house my live rock, I have some Kenya Trees in there and some Zathos (I think that's what they are called, anyway, Dakota gave them to me yesterday).

 

[matlet]

I have personally fought this problem for quite a while and I have experimented with lots of solutions based on input from fellow reefers and LFS. I've tried Astrea snails, sally lightfoot crabs, emerald crabs, yellow coris wrasse, green coris wrasse, lawnmower blenny etc. I agree that the Mexican Turbo Snails do good work. Also, I have very recently had extremely good luck with a yellow tang.

Ultimately, you need a combo punch. Mixing fish along with crabs and snails is good. Also, attempting to identify the source that helps the algae grow and survive is important.

Regarding fish eating hair algae, I believe that a lot of times it depends on the individual specimen you purchase. With the yellow tang, I believe I got a good one.

Mark

 

[caldwellm]

i agree 100% --- I bought a yellow tang recently to help with my hair algae problem recently and also got very lucky I have a sally lightfoot on the way tomorrow as well- Its already starting to look better Just use a combo of all the methods- Thats whats working for me

 

[dakota9]

Game..... Do a really big water change, maybe 50%. Save the old water (or some of it) and take the live rock out one piece at a time and scrub it with a bottle brush and place it back in your tank.

Next, since you say you are using sunlight to light your tank, cover the tank with a sheet for 3 days....

Don't forget to clean your filters......

IMO that should take care of 95% of your current problem.

 

[megadeth]

hair algae needs no3/phosphates

eliminate them, and remove what you can, cleanup crew to maintain the clean tank

I've had natural light tanks a few times, the light itself does not cause any more algae than a halide does, but nutrients + light = algae

 

[game411]

I do remember being told that I have high nitrates in my tank (put a Damsel and his eyes swelled up), but what would cause this? I don't have any fish in there, the only thing that lives in this tank are tiny snails, Live rock and a Algae, which I was told would take car of the nitrates.

I've changed the water 3 times, mostly replacing about 25%................

Anyway, I'm going to pick up some Turbo Snails, I can't afford to get a yellow tang, and even if I did, I'd not put him in that tank in the fear he might die...........$49.00 is alot of cash......

I'm going to have my water tested today and see what's going on............

 

[game411]

Thanks ankur for the offer, I'll get my water tested first to make sure it's not toxic, and if the snails don't do a good job I'll take you up on that offer...............

 

[FutureInterest]

I've never heard of water having such high nitrates that a damsel's eyes swelled up... That's frightening.

Anyways, its a new tank. A large HA bloom is normal. So long as you have nutrient export available in the form a fuge/skimmer etc you should be just fine and can add a clean up crew to assist in keeping it under control if your ammonia/nitrites are 0 and your nitrates are not insane.


G'luck.

 

[caldwellm]

yup i wouldnt advise putting a yellow tang in a tank with nitrates that high either
For future reference tho! Petco carries them for 29.99 cheapest ive found so far, and they are almost always surprisingly large
Good luck! If you find any miracle fixes let me know, iv got a bit of the HA myself

 

[flyingarmy]

I spend 2 hours last night doing the ol' pull and scrub method on my frag tank. I used a toothbrush and it worked out quite well. Hoepfully it won't grow back in full force! Good luck!

 

[game411]

Yeah, I was telling another ARC member who's being helping me with advise the same thing, the only thing in that tank is Live rock and tiny snails, smaller than my pinky's nail, and live sand, I couldn't understand why they would be so high............unless there is another reason that would cause a damsels eyes to swell up, that's what I was told was would be the most likely cause.............anyway, he died, I returhim into the other tank where the other two KILLER DAMSELS live, they killed it in a matter of minutes, I had moved him out because they had killed the other two damsels..................... These little buggers are a aggressive as hell!!! What was worse about it, it's a yello and a blue damsel, they co-exist peacefully yet they attack their own kind.

Anyway, I'm going to move it away from the window, and block all light into it for a week, I'll also get some Turbo snails....