Linguisa January 21, 2011 January 21, 2011 We are struggling with a longterm hair algae problem that has been an issue for over a year now and I am running out of ideas on how to manage it. While we have taken numerous steps to combat it and seem to have made some progress, nothing has solved this issue. Here are the facts: - 38 gallon reef - about 2.5 years old - T5 lighting, coralife protein skimmer (spits out good foam), wet/dry sump - hammer coral, leather coral, mushroom coral and some polyps - clown fish, goby and a coral beauty Water tests out good: pH - 8.2 Ammonia - 0.0 Nitrite - 0.0 Nitrate - 0.0 Phosphate - 0.02 (use multiple test kits, including hach colorimeter -- tests often give no reading at all) RO/DI water used and tests clean for Phosphate We've been through the all the obvious steps including: - replacing bulbs, cutting back on lighting - PO4 removal mediums - water changes, water changes and more water changes - reduced feedings - complete removal of live sand bed - lots or persistent cleaning, brushing rock etc. At this point the problem is not as bad as it has been at its peak but is still quite an eyesore and more than I can keep up with. It just won't go away. My only remaining theory is that the live rock might be acting as a reservoir for phosphates and is providing the hair algae a continuing source of phosphates. For some reason certain rocks have much less algae coverage than others despite being next to "problem rocks" with very similar lighting and water flow. I'm not ready to pull rock out if there are other options, especially since quite a bit of it has nice mushrooms all over it. While a refugium would be nice approach, it's just not a realistic option due to my layout (no space). I've got many years of aquarium and reef keeping experience under my belt and have battled algae many times before but this case has got me. I'm looking for any ideas or suggestions on what else I might look at. Thanks in advance for your comments.
Jan January 21, 2011 January 21, 2011 How's your magnesium? I got rid of my hair algae problem by raising the mag to 1500. I poured and squirted it directly onto the algae. I did not squirt any onto the algae that was attached to corals so I still have a few very small clumps on a few pieces of coral, but all the algae that was growing on my overflow is gone. I use Kent - Marine tech "M" magnesium. I started using it for bryopsis and then started getting hair algae and thought why not try it on that algae too and it worked. It wont hurt anything to try.
davelin315 January 21, 2011 January 21, 2011 Get yourself a sea hare. It may not eat it immediately, but it will start eating it at some point and then before you know it, you'll have nice clean rock. If you are good about removing the sea hare poop, you'll also reduce the nutrients in the tank through exporting it through the sea hare. Had a 72 at school that was completely covered in hair algae and it scrubbed it completely clean within 2 weeks. Not a single strand was left.
Vadim January 21, 2011 January 21, 2011 i didn't see anywhere that you've tried a refugium. it has worked for me. refugium is something i don't see that you've tried. i will tell you that it takes a couple weeks for the refugium to work. but it works.
Kingumar January 21, 2011 January 21, 2011 +1 on sea hare. Give it a shot.. I tried one for my old tank and it started eating the algae before I accidently injured him.. which resulted in its death. And then he inked my tank.. but nothing happened. Do you feel you have sufficient flow?
davelin315 January 21, 2011 January 21, 2011 Be wary of hair and other types of nuisance algae. The reason they are so successful is that they can leach out the smallest amounts of impurities and outcompete other algae for those nutrients. If you have room for a refugium, definitely add one, but get rid of the hair algae first so that you can be successful with whatever macroalgae you add.
Amuze January 21, 2011 January 21, 2011 Add a 'fuger duder... You can also try scrubbing the rocks with a toothbrush and manually removing the broken off algae with a mesh net. Turn all flow off when doing this. Also try increasing your flow pattern to your rock, glass, sand, etc. Nutrients are in the tank somehow for the algae, so I would check your test kits kits against some others. What are your Ca, alk and mag levels? You mentioned you're using a wet/dry. Do you still have the "bio balls" in there? Take them out and trash them. Try converting the wet/dry into a sump with some live rock in there and give it some time. Good luck.
Coral Hind January 21, 2011 January 21, 2011 You need to add a grazer to the tank like the sea hare that was mentioned or a bunch of emerald or hermit crabs.
John January 21, 2011 January 21, 2011 Turbo snails and biopellets seems to be working for me...The fuge is a good idea, but don't run a fuge and biopellets...pick one.
Linguisa January 21, 2011 Author January 21, 2011 Thanks for all the comments so far, there have been some interesting ideas. Honestly I've not monitored my Magnesium levels and will take a look into that approach. We've got a decent set of critters in there, including emerald crabs and they never seem to be able to keep up. The sea hare might be worth a shot so I'll look into that further. I knew I'd get a lot of suggestions for the refugium, but I don't see how I can do it in a reasonable manner. The tank has such a small foot print (36" x 12") that the area under the stand with the sump is already crammed to the max. The tank is also close enough to a wall on two sides that there isn't really room for hang on stuff in the back or side. What's the story with bio-pellets? I'm not familiar with them? Again thanks for all the feedback, it has been helpful.
paul b January 21, 2011 January 21, 2011 Yes simple problem, stop changing water. OK stop laughing. Read all the posts of hair algae and see how many people change vast quantities of water. Did it ever work? Hair algae is very good at eliminating nutrients which is why your tests show 0 nitrate. If you stop changing water, very shortly the algae will exhaust all the available nutrients. You can see there are none in the water, thats because it is all locked up in the algae. Soon the algae will start to die and then you will have to suck it out along with the nutrients it is holding. Algae is self limiting and can only grow as long as you fertilize it which you are doing with water changes. Changing water does reduce nutrients but there is none in your water as you can see with your tests, so why change it? You are constantly adding nutrients and trace elements that algae also need to live. Let it die, suck it out, then change the water. Don't let the algae rot or you will never get rid of it. There have been times that my reef looked like a spinach farm. It dies and I sucked it out. I have done this many times over many years. But I know everyone will tell you that the first thing to do is change water but what do I know? Good luck Paul
Jan January 21, 2011 January 21, 2011 (edited) I've got a HOB refugium that's well established and loaded with pods andall kinds of macro and that has not helped with algae. I also have emerald and red matrix and loads of other cleaners that are spoiled and will only eat left over food. I've never seen them go after the algae. I have a sea hare in my 35 gallon hex with my seahorses and it's yet to find the hair algae or the calerpra that it's suppose to like. I think it's really hit or miss with some of this stuff. I've had great success with the magnesium even though it wasn't suggested for the hair algae. I was told to use it on the bryopsis where it worked great. I thought it wouldn't hurt anything to try it on the hair algae....and it worked. Getting a seahare is also a good idea. Good luck and keep us posted. Thanks for all the comments so far, there have been some interesting ideas. Honestly I've not monitored my Magnesium levels and will take a look into that approach. We've got a decent set of critters in there, including emerald crabs and they never seem to be able to keep up. The sea hare might be worth a shot so I'll look into that further. I knew I'd get a lot of suggestions for the refugium, but I don't see how I can do it in a reasonable manner. The tank has such a small foot print (36" x 12") that the area under the stand with the sump is already crammed to the max. The tank is also close enough to a wall on two sides that there isn't really room for hang on stuff in the back or side. What's the story with bio-pellets? I'm not familiar with them? Again thanks for all the feedback, it has been helpful. Edited January 21, 2011 by Jan
zygote2k January 21, 2011 January 21, 2011 what is your calcium level? addition of calcium will precipitate po4 out of the water.
bluce January 21, 2011 January 21, 2011 You could try to build an algae scrubber - I have read interesting things about them. One person made a custom box that he then added a throw over right next to the tank - it didn't look bad at all.
lowsingle January 22, 2011 January 22, 2011 A two-lined rabbitfish is the best algae eater I have ever owned....way better than tangs, snails, crabs or sea hares......I have tried them all.....tangs tend to pick at what they like, snails are always dying or falling over, crabs eat my snails and only pick at left over food and sea hares always end up in my powerheads. A $40 fish was the best investment I ever had.....and no, mine is not for sale :-) Darren
paul b January 22, 2011 January 22, 2011 Fish, crabs, slugs and seahares will not eliminate hair algae permanently
sachabballi reef January 22, 2011 January 22, 2011 (edited) i have battled this for years and am finally clear of it (except the stuff that sticks in the birdsnest that is virtually impossible to remove) and the ONLY things that have worked tried and true and without fail is this combination and you have to do it all: turbo snails-big mexican ones Kents tech-M (no other brand and over 1500- around 1800) regardless of your level now...add kent...it has some kind of herbacide in it that kills briopsis and gha without fail GFO from BRS but the super duper one not their usual GFO...high capacity it might be called....and change it out every week for about 3 or 4 weeks, if your algae is super bad (pictures?) then I would change it twice a week until under control. and weekly water changes....scrubbing the rocks with a toothbrush while removing the floaters (flow off) with a net regardless if you are reading any phosphate levels it is there en mass but the algae is absorbing it for growth so you aren't going to be able to get a reading on it. I would be shocked if you did all these things above and didn't win your battle. Its tiresome and depressing but incredibly satisfying when the lights go on one day and poof! you have your tank back and enjoyable again. GL!! Edited January 22, 2011 by sachabballi reef
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