Any solutions to hair algae that won't go away?

[jhadaway]

Was considering that to avoid spill light on me but my HOB too small with the basket in it although I might try it with the basket out. For my next larger test project. That's an option with either above and below lighting or side to side depending on compartment.

Did you get the pot like illuminating Blurpish version or the higher submerged wattage white light. Jake Adams went the white light route. More expensive but I believe outputs 22w submerged and if memory works had two on opposite ends with Chaeto rotating.

I have the pink version 9w, 10 submerged. I know exactly what you are talking about. My cheato never spun like that.

 

[jhadaway]

is it that much of a deal breaker, because I am hesitant to try again after 2-3 times the dosage and no results.

even if it looks like it's gone. If you bail on the treatment early, it comes back! If you do have to do a water change make sure to replace the right amount of Flux Rx.

 

[GARRIGA]

I have the pink version 9w, 10 submerged. I know exactly what you are talking about. My cheato never spun like that.

Plus did you notice how small overall the amount of Chaeto it was relative to the volume of life it supported and he was literally giving it away in buckets. Jake will be missed. No nonsense reefer that often went against the grain although did recall him fighting Julian at MACNA on why one shouldn't use a Fuge

Was also not one to use RODI

 

[Dburr1014]

is it that much of a deal breaker, because I am hesitant to try again after 2-3 times the dosage and no results.

TBH, it's a time thing not a quantity.
I'm willing to bet a 1/3 dose will do the same as a full dose as long as it's in long enough.
Also, I have not seen any I'll effects to livestock. That includes clam, shrimp, cheato, coral(sps, gargonian, LPS)

 

[Midasblen]

I was joking bro. Get that DIY Scrubber built and give it 2 months. Dinos is the only thing worth starting over for.

lol, I know just really frustrating.

 

[Midasblen]

Made the DIY scrubber:

 

[Mikeltee]

Great job. How much are you all in for? Let's hope its the solution. It will take a few weeks to get going but after it's seeded you will hopefully be set. Keep us posted.

 

[Midasblen]

Great job. How much are you all in for? Let's hope its the solution. It will take a few weeks to get going but after it's seeded you will hopefully be set. Keep us posted.

it cost like $15, but I already had a light and air pump

 

[ScubaSkeets]

it cost like $15, but I already had a light and air pump

I hope it works for you. However, are you only using an air pump, or is there also a water pump for flow and I just can't tell from the picture? @VintageReefer may be able to confirm but I think you need water flow over the mesh but maybe just an air pump would suffice.
If it does indeed need water flow, here are a couple pics of another one that I'm in the middle of building to give you an idea on how did I did it. Note that I melted part of the container with an old soldering tip in order for water to cascade out of the container rather than just overflowing all four sides

 

[VintageReefer]

Made the DIY scrubber:

Is this mounted submerged and vertically ?

 

[ScubaSkeets]

I hope it works for you. However, are you only using an air pump, or is there also a water pump for flow and I just can't tell from the picture? @VintageReefer may be able to confirm but I think you need water flow over the mesh but maybe just an air pump would suffice.
If it does indeed need water flow, here are a couple pics of another one that I'm in the middle of building to give you an idea on how did I did it. Note that I melted part of the container with an old soldering tip in order for water to cascade out of the container rather than just overflowing all four sides

Sorry...I didn't realize it was vertical until I just noticed the bubbles on top. Good luck

 

[Midasblen]

Is this mounted submerged and vertically ?

its mounted vertically and mostly submerged, the top is a bit tall.

 

[VintageReefer]

its mounted vertically and mostly submerged, the top is a bit tall.

That could work. Give us an update in a week and let us know how it’s going

 

[Midasblen]

That could work. Give us an update in a week and let us know how it’s going

Well it’s been a while but the scrubber has been up and I feel like it has helped slightly but there is still significant growth of hair algae. I have been doing water changes and will do one this weekend with some testing. Last weekend i bought two more turbos and 4 astraea snails. Here is a pic of the scrubber:

 

[Garf]

Well it’s been a while but the scrubber has been up and I feel like it has helped slightly but there is still significant growth of hair algae. I have been doing water changes and will do one this weekend with some testing. Last weekend i bought two more turbos and 4 astraea snails. Here is a pic of the scrubber:

I'll add a vid here to look at. About 32 minutes in he describes a little test he did, which was similar to the one I did;

Quantifying Biomass - Page 3

Thought it was about time we did some comparisons of biomass per surface area of screen. Maybe some of the myths can be dispelled and get the most efficient usage data for scrubbers. I'll kick it off; (I know you need to do dry mass for it to be accurate, but wet mass will suffice for now)...

algaescrubber.net

 

[Mikeltee]

I'll add a vid here to look at. About 32 minutes in he describes a little test he did, which was similar to the one I did;

Quantifying Biomass - Page 3

Thought it was about time we did some comparisons of biomass per surface area of screen. Maybe some of the myths can be dispelled and get the most efficient usage data for scrubbers. I'll kick it off; (I know you need to do dry mass for it to be accurate, but wet mass will suffice for now)...

algaescrubber.net

This is interesting, but not entirely sure applies to the OP. This video deals with reducing Nitrates. I am under the impression that an ATS provides an environment that is much easier for Algae to grow so instead of growing on the rocks, it grows in the scrubber. Maybe this was a snake oil pitch. It's obvious to me that seeing pics of outbreaks in tanks go away once an ATS is installed doesn't support the snake oil statement.

 

[Mikeltee]

Well it’s been a while but the scrubber has been up and I feel like it has helped slightly but there is still significant growth of hair algae. I have been doing water changes and will do one this weekend with some testing. Last weekend i bought two more turbos and 4 astraea snails. Here is a pic of the scrubber:

You have more growth on your Scrubber than my $500 setup. Lol
I don't have an Algae issue though. I'm using it as PM.

 

[Garf]

This is interesting, but not entirely sure applies to the OP. This video deals with reducing Nitrates. I am under the impression that an ATS provides an environment that is much easier for Algae to grow so instead of growing on the rocks, it grows in the scrubber. Maybe this was a snake oil pitch. It's obvious to me that seeing pics of outbreaks in tanks go away once an ATS is installed doesn't support the snake oil statement.

If these things were just about the OP they would be short, generally. I like the tangents, at work some of our greatest advancements are through tangents.

 

[Angel_V_the_reefer]

I had same issue in a tank that was 2 years old as. It was a nano, so maybe slightly different story.

I also added a lot of stuff to manage levels. Which I think probably caused rebound effects.

What ‘stuff’ did you add to manage levels?

I’ve heard algae will consume N and P which will give you lower readings, I wonder if anyone has tried to ‘zero’ out their nutrients in an attempt to starve algae out

I am starting up a new tank and in the process of transferring livestock over. The plan is to rely on a strong CuC, some utilitarian fish and diverse refugium to keep it at bay. Then layer in NOPOX, GFO and Zeo as additional preventative measures if required

How is your new tank doing now with the algal issue

 

[Angel_V_the_reefer]

There are more forms of phosphate than the orthophosphate that we can test for.

What is an orthophosphate ?

We all have some form of nutrients in our waters, you can‘t starve your tank to limit algae because corals will suffer. You need to find something to eat it OR you become the herbivore and manually remove it.

No one wants to be a human Tang ! It adds more stress to our already stressful lives!

Also, if let’s say I set up a fuge, and I have 10 N and .1 detectable P, with GHA present, would theoretically my levels eventually ‘drop’ and possibly bottom out?

My question is - How does one algae outcompete the other without bottoming out and damaging coral in a reef ?