scott3569 August 10, 2014 Share August 10, 2014 OK my tank has been set up for aproximately 5 mos. now. I have a fairly good amount of hair algae.. 1. I know that eventually every tank will come across this. 2. I don't have a recent reading of my paramiters( I am planning on getting some different tests) what I would like to know.. I would rather try to control the hair algae by my nutrients since I think I read someplace that that is the most likely cause. which nutrients are the most common causes of hair algae?( I have read the phosphates and nitrates are the most common) If the above is true how do I control the phosohates? I understand nitrates is extracted mostly bt water changes. I have just done a water change and pulled as much of the algae off the rocks as I could.. I plan on trying to do a couple of water changes a week here and extract as much as I can by pulling it off the rock.. Since I have just done a water change, I am not sure I water to check my parameters as they may not be acurate(as far as the casue of the algae) PLEASE IF I AM WRONG WITH ANY OF THIS..DON'T BE AFRAID TO OFFER YOUR OPINION..that kinda why I am posting this.. I can say up untill about 2 weeks ago I was probably over feeding..although I never really had to many diatoms, and still really don't I have some but not much..But the diatoms really didn't start showing up untill the hair algae did.. Thanks all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbyatv August 10, 2014 Share August 10, 2014 If you have a refugium or sump, you want to grow and farm (ie pull some out each weekend for re-growth) macro algae. This algae will consume the nutrients you mentioned and starve out the other algae. It is very effective. You will need a light to grow the macro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallreef August 10, 2014 Share August 10, 2014 Yes...hair algae is mainly excess phosphates and nitrates...things that algae consume to grow with lighting,,, Water changes are the 2nd layer in fighting this, do more gallons more often when you have an algae problem and check your TDS of the makeup water too..., the first is usually feeding less... Also, an algae Blenny or sea hair can help...but keep in mind that when the algae is gone they will need supplemented algae sheets... And yes, your tests will say there is not any excess nitrate or phosphate because the algae is using it...keep pulling out what you can ... And just as Bruce mentioned, doing a macro algae like caulerpa in your fuge or a sectioned are of your sump with supplemental lighting can take away they hair algae problem in your tank..keep in mind though this will require diligence on your part...keeping up with the extra water changes and manually pulling the bad algae will help the good algae start to take off and be able to be trimmed and such as needed... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott3569 August 10, 2014 Author Share August 10, 2014 yeah i actually had cheato in the fuge, but it seemed like I got more hair algae with that in there, and also seemed like the hair algae grew fast, I have in fact took what I could out today.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom39 August 10, 2014 Share August 10, 2014 Do you use filter socks? How often do you change them out. I had the same issues even though everything tested 0ppm across the board. What I found to be the biggest contributed factor was waiting to long to change a sock out. I was waiting 7 days when I cut that in half I seen a noticeable change in gha growth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k August 10, 2014 Share August 10, 2014 time for a box of accurate test kits and some good books to read. Check out the WAMAS library Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallreef August 10, 2014 Share August 10, 2014 Also,,, having cheato while having hair algae is hard...that's why I was trying to make sure if you got some..knowing that you have some now ... you have a light for growing algae over the cheato and continually hand remove daily any hair algae you can...you have to help the cheato (or any other fast growing macro like leafy caulerpa) get a foothold and strip the nutrients...before getting them back t the tank for the hair algae to continue growing... Also consider doing a 3 day light out on the tank while doing a 12 hour cycle of light on for the cheato in your sump... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mling August 11, 2014 Share August 11, 2014 (edited) I got a Lawnmower Blenny to take care of my hair algae. It has also become one of my favorite fishes, very active. Edited August 11, 2014 by mling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sen5241b August 11, 2014 Share August 11, 2014 Yes...hair algae is mainly excess phosphates and nitrates... See situations where nitrates were zero but phosphates were rather high. Test for both. After 5 months I would get an LFS test too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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