Battling Hair Algae for Over a Year- At a Loss!

[mikedb]

My 140G tank is nearly two years old now, and in some ways it is coming along great! I have good SPS and LPS coloration and growth, healthy livestock, and excellent parameter stability.

Unfortunately, there is one problem- LOTS Hair algae.

When I started the system (with CaribSea 'dead' rock), nutrients stayed at zero for the first several months- so low that corals struggled to grow, and the inevitable happened- dinoflagellates amphidinium. Dosing silicates solved that pretty easily, and to prevent it from happening again, I started dosing NO3 and PO4 and bought a ReefBot to monitor levels closely. Dosing a LOT of both NO3 and PO4, I got my nutrients up to detectable levels and all seemed good, for a few weeks. (This was almost exactly a year ago). Nutrients have NEVER exceeded 5ppm NO3 or 0.5ppm PO4

But then, the algae arrived- lots of it (click for higher res):

These photos were taken today, but pretty much represent how the tank has looked for the past year. I have tried the following since then:

• At first, I tried increasing my clean-up crew. I already had a One-spot foxface and Purple Tang, who don't seem very interested in eating algae off the rocks. I added 6 urchins who do a great job, but don't seem to keep up and cant get to all areas of the rock. 100+ astrea snails added over the last year (in batches of 20), who seem to slowly die and rarely spend time on the rocks. 300+ hermit crabs (added in batches of 50), which seem to slowly become food for my melanurus wrasse (although some crabs seem to be long lived- I recognize some I added many months ago). 250 cerith snails, which seem to be doing well but prefer the glass.
• I also tried a heavy dose of vibrant (their 'hair algae recipe'), which had no effect after several bottles and several months.
• Near the end of my vibrant dosing, I resorted to fluconazole, which immediately killed the byropsis and slowly killed off the hair algae. But once the treatment was over, the hair algae came right back. My corals were NOT happy with the combination of Fluconazole and Vibrant, with my SPS losing color and my Torch collection getting decimated- I lost over $1000 in euphyllia. This was a real low point, but fortunately I was able to save a few heads, which recovered after I added carbon, restarted UV, and did some large water changes.
• About a month later I tried the 'Dr Tims Hair Algae Recipe'. My tank tolerated it well and there was a minor reduction in algae, but it seemed to come right back after I stopped dosing after two months.
• For most of the spring and summer, I tried a 'let it be' approach... hoping that time would solve the problem. I stopped dosing nutrients- weirdly, my test results didn't change much.
• Later in the summer up to now, I tired regular manual removals and another addition of clean up crew. The algae just keeps growing back, even as a I remove at least a cereal bowl full every two weeks (in addition to what I remove from the fuge!)

I am now really at a loss. I am back to square one- with a combination of hair algae, bryopsis, dinos starting to grow again. Nutrients today are 0.1ppm PO4, 1ppm NO3... and yet the algae keeps growing. My corals don't seem to mind, but are getting absolutely covered.

Here is my latest Triron ICP Result: https://www.triton-lab.de/en/showroom/icp-oes/88756
And here is my latest Triton N-DOC result: https://www.triton-lab.de/en/showroom/n-doc/7049

Where do I go from here?

 

[Subsea]

My 140G tank is nearly two years old now, and in some ways it is coming along great! I have good SPS and LPS coloration and growth, healthy livestock, and excellent parameter stability.

Unfortunately, there is one problem- LOTS Hair algae.

When I started the system (with CaribSea 'dead' rock), nutrients stayed at zero for the first several months- so low that corals struggled to grow, and the inevitable happened- dinoflagellates amphidinium. Dosing silicates solved that pretty easily, and to prevent it from happening again, I started dosing NO3 and PO4 and bought a ReefBot to monitor levels closely. Dosing a LOT of both NO3 and PO4, I got my nutrients up to detectable levels and all seemed good, for a few weeks. (This was almost exactly a year ago). Nutrients have NEVER exceeded 5ppm NO3 or 0.5ppm PO4

But then, the algae arrived- lots of it (click for higher res):

These photos were taken today, but pretty much represent how the tank has looked for the past year. I have tried the following since then:

• At first, I tried increasing my clean-up crew. I already had a One-spot foxface and Purple Tang, who don't seem very interested in eating algae off the rocks. I added 6 urchins who do a great job, but don't seem to keep up and cant get to all areas of the rock. 100+ astrea snails added over the last year (in batches of 20), who seem to slowly die and rarely spend time on the rocks. 300+ hermit crabs (added in batches of 50), which seem to slowly become food for my melanurus wrasse (although some crabs seem to be long lived- I recognize some I added many months ago). 250 cerith snails, which seem to be doing well but prefer the glass.
• I also tried a heavy dose of vibrant (their 'hair algae recipe'), which had no effect after several bottles and several months.
• Near the end of my vibrant dosing, I resorted to fluconazole, which immediately killed the byropsis and slowly killed off the hair algae. But once the treatment was over, the hair algae came right back. My corals were NOT happy with the combination of Fluconazole and Vibrant, with my SPS losing color and my Torch collection getting decimated- I lost over $1000 in euphyllia. This was a real low point, but fortunately I was able to save a few heads, which recovered after I added carbon, restarted UV, and did some large water changes.
• About a month later I tried the 'Dr Tims Hair Algae Recipe'. My tank tolerated it well and there was a minor reduction in algae, but it seemed to come right back after I stopped dosing after two months.
• For most of the spring and summer, I tried a 'let it be' approach... hoping that time would solve the problem. I stopped dosing nutrients- weirdly, my test results didn't change much.
• Later in the summer up to now, I tired regular manual removals and another addition of clean up crew. The algae just keeps growing back, even as a I remove at least a cereal bowl full every two weeks (in addition to what I remove from the fuge!)

I am now really at a loss. I am back to square one- with a combination of hair algae, bryopsis, dinos starting to grow again. Nutrients today are 0.1ppm PO4, 1ppm NO3... and yet the algae keeps growing. My corals don't seem to mind, but are getting absolutely covered.

Here is my latest Triron ICP Result: https://www.triton-lab.de/en/showroom/icp-oes/88756
And here is my latest Triton N-DOC result: https://www.triton-lab.de/en/showroom/n-doc/7049

Where do I go from here?

Your variety of corals is outstanding and reflects much work. I feel your pain.

After reading your detailed write up, you have exhausted many hours & dollars on battling GHA using nutrient export, predetation by numerous types of herbivores.

Tell me about your sandbed: grainsize, depth. Is your sand alive with micro fauna & fana? What sandbed maintenance do you perform, like gravel vac during water change.

GHA is a generalized classification. Your GHA may require a RIP clean of substrate. With 140G tank, depending on many variables 4-8 hours.

 

[GeoSquid]

I would install an Algae Turf scrubber. They are easy to DIY and not very expensive. If your going to have hair algae, mine as well give it a place to grow that is easier to remove and away from the display. Also, add some turbo snails. They will graze on GHA even if it's long. They are cows of the sea.

 

[Arabyps]

I had a similar problem. I tried Vibrant and H2O2 with limited success. I added a Magnificent Foxface and within a couple of weeks all gone. Now I have to feed him sheets of nori. Awesome beautiful fish. I see you have a foxface so not sure about the difference between yours and the Magnificent.

 

[John08007]

No emerald crabs? What's your plan for nitrate control? Refugium?

 

[Timmtom49]

you sand is so clean that crazy i would manually remove it

 

[mikedb]

Your variety of corals is outstanding and reflects much work. I feel your pain.

After reading your detailed write up, you have exhausted many hours & dollars on battling GHA using nutrient export, predetation by numerous types of herbivores.

Tell me about your sandbed: grainsize, depth. Is your sand alive with micro fauna & fana? What sandbed maintenance do you perform, like gravel vac during water change.

GHA is a generalized classification. Your GHA may require a RIP clean of substrate. With 140G tank, depending on many variables 4-8 hours.

My sand is fine grained- Tropic Eden miniflakes, which is about a 2mm grain size. Similar to the popular 'fiji pink' that Caribsea sells, but whiter. Depth is around 1" overall, but more or less in places thanks to my pistol shrimp. The only maintenance I preform is an monthly mixing with my Tunze grabbers- although I have been doing less of that lately.

I'm not sure how 'alive' the bed is- I wouldn't see much, since my Melanurus wrasse keeps any bugs at bay. I do have 6 happy strawberry conchs (18 months old) and a very fat sea cucumber (8 months old, ~8" now), though!

A 'rip clean' really isn't possible with this tank... the rock is all cemented together and I can't see it coming out easily. Not to mention the damage that would happen to my SPS collection, most of which is glued directly to the substrate.

I would install an Algae Turf scrubber. They are easy to DIY and not very expensive. If your going to have hair algae, mine as well give it a place to grow that is easier to remove and away from the display. Also, add some turbo snails. They will graze on GHA even if it's long. They are cows of the sea.

I have been tempted by this, and allowed hair algae to grow unabated in my fuge for several months recently- enough that it covered the bottom and walls of the fuge in a thick mat and made what appeared to be a pretty good analog of a scrubber. It didn't seem to help a whole lot, so I am not optimistic that a scrubber would make much of an improvement. Would you agree?

I had a similar problem. I tried Vibrant and H2O2 with limited success. I added a Magnificent Foxface and within a couple of weeks all gone. Now I have to feed him sheets of nori. Awesome beautiful fish. I see you have a foxface so not sure about the difference between yours and the Magnificent.

The foxface's (and Tang's) main purpose was to keep algae down, so I am indeed pretty bummed that it doesn't seem to be the case. And they do go crazy for some algae- like what grows on the back wall. But they seem to like mysis and brine shrimp a whole lot more, and I can really reduce feedings for fear of starving there other fish that are totally dependent upon that source of food.

No emerald crabs? What's your plan for nitrate control? Refugium?

I purchased an emerald crab on two occasions, and they both disappeared after several months (or are so well fed that they are just in permanent hiding). I suspect my melanurus wrasse got to them.

Frankly, keeping nitrates UP has been the biggest challenge for my setup. For the longest time chaeto would just die in my fuge due to low nitrate levels. Chaeto now lives in my fuge and grows, but with no discernible effect on the hair algae in the tank.

Thanks to everyone who has replied so far for their suggestions and inquiries!

 

[jeffchapok]

I also battled GHA for more than a year. A long spine urchin finally eliminated it. The only problem is that now it's under control, he's begun eating some of my corals as well, namely montipora, sympodium, GSP and clove polyps. At present I'm trying to spread the colonies around enough that he can't wipe them all out at the same time.

If I can't keep ahead of him, he may need to go into timeout (the sump) until everything recovers. I hesitate to do so though, because this is the first urchin I've had that survived any length of time. None of the others, pincushion and long spine, lasted more than a couple of weeks.

 

[GeoSquid]

I have been tempted by this, and allowed hair algae to grow unabated in my fuge for several months recently- enough that it covered the bottom and walls of the fuge in a thick mat and made what appeared to be a pretty good analog of a scrubber. It didn't seem to help a whole lot, so I am not optimistic that a scrubber would make much of an improvement. Would you agree?

A properly built and sized ATS "WILL" work much better than your fuge. The combination of very strong light and turbulent water over a rough screen provides a much happier place for turf algae to grow. It will take some time but eventually it works. And again...Turbo snails. A lot of fish and animals won't eat turf algae that is long. I have a hippo tang that will only eat turf algae when it's very short. Turbo's will mow it down. If you use turbo's with an ATS I know it would work.

 

[Andreas' Reef]

Your reef is right next to a ton of windows which can't be good.

 

[nanchil]

I would turn the lights off for 5 days and add 10 ~ 15 Mexican turbo snails. You are welcome ...

 

[mikedb]

A properly built and sized ATS "WILL" work much better than your fuge. The combination of very strong light and turbulent water over a rough screen provides a much happier place for turf algae to grow. It will take some time but eventually it works. And again...Turbo snails. A lot of fish and animals won't eat turf algae that is long. I have a hippo tang that will only eat turf algae when it's very short. Turbo's will mow it down. If you use turbo's with an ATS I know it would work.

Thanks for the follow-up, @GeoSquid. After thinking about what you are saying, and reflecting on some of my current frustrations with my sump/fuge over the weekend, I have decided to order a turf scrubber and repurpose my current fuge into a small frag area. Just waiting on @Turbo's Aquatics to get back to me about whether or not he has stock... otherwise I will order a competitive for delivery this week.

I have also placed an order for 15 mexican turbo snails from ReefCleaners, which will arrive sometime next week. Do you think that number is sufficient?

Your reef is right next to a ton of windows which can't be good.

It is in a bright room, but all shades are on an automated controller that closes them when direct sunlight hits the tank.

I would turn the lights off for 5 days and add 10 ~ 15 Mexican turbo snails. You are welcome ...

I am very reluctant to turn off the lights for that long and risk hurting the corals, but the mexican turbos are on order!


Thanks to everyone who replied so far- I will report back with results in a few weeks!

 

[GeoSquid]

Thanks for the follow-up, @GeoSquid. After thinking about what you are saying, and reflecting on some of my current frustrations with my sump, I have decided to order a turf scrubber and repurpose my current fuge into a small frag area. Just waiting on @Turbo's Aquatics to get back to me about whether or not he has stock... otherwise I will order a competitive for delivery this week.

I have also placed an order for 15 mexican turbo snails from ReefCleaners, which will arrive sometime next week. Do you think that number is sufficient?

That should be plenty of snails. One thing with turbo's is that if they fall off the rocks upside down, they can't right themselves. Keep an eye on them and flip them over if they fall. I pick them up and place them right on the worst areas and watch them mow! I've always DIY'd my ATS's, but have looked at Turbo's and Santa Monica's products and they look well built. I tried to DIY a SM Surf4 model and didn't have much luck. The waterfall and horizontal I've the best luck with.

 

[John08007]

That should be plenty of snails. One thing with turbo's is that if they fall off the rocks upside down, they can't right themselves. Keep an eye on them and flip them over if they fall. I pick them up and place them right on the worst areas and watch them mow! I've always DIY'd my ATS's, but have looked at Turbo's and Santa Monica's products and they look well built. I tried to DIY a SM Surf4 model and didn't have much luck. The waterfall and horizontal I've the best luck with.

How about some diy pics? How often do you need to clean it out?

 

[uhgster1]

I was in your exact situation. The only thing that has worked for me has been Continuum Microbacter-m. Buy it off Amazon. Dose the max amount daily for about a week. Then, I know it sounds counter-intuitive, but manually remove what you can and scrub the rocks clean with a toothbrush or whatever you have to scrub. I promise that wherever you scrub will not grow anymore algae and the coralline will take hold. The rock looks sterile afterwards. It’s extremely satisfying. There’s a bacteria strain in there that consumes the free floating algae when you scrub. It’s the only thing I’ve ever used that actually worked for me. And unlike Vibrant I didn’t lose any corals. Afterwards just do a maintenance dose at the end of the week. And most importantly follow the directions on the bottle as far as pouring the bacteria in aquarium water in a cup first and letting it sit for 5-10 minutes. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

There’s a video on YouTube from Eat Sleep Reef on this product which is where I got it from.

 

[01xp]

A sea hare would destroy it but if it dies or gets stressed could be problems

 

[GeoSquid]

How about some diy pics? How often do you need to clean it out?

The camera on my phone isn't functioning, so I can't take pics. I've posted some pics on this forum in the past. I like the horizontal style scrubbers. They are considered less efficient, but they are easier to maintain. If I don't feel like cleaning the screen for a couple weeks they are fine. The waterfall type tend to clog and spray if you don't clean the screen at least once a week. I actually have 3 scrubbers running. I don't have a sump, but I have 2 Borneman style low profile surge tanks each 3'x2'x9" deep about 2' above my DT. I have a DIY 4-4' T5 HO lights above the surge tanks and the water being pumped up from the display runs over horizontal screens in the tanks. I also have a Paul B inspired fence post scrubber, cut in half in the back above the display 5'x4" with more T5HO lights above it.
This site is where I got my ideas from.

Algae Scrubbers

Discussion forum about Algae Scrubbers and how to use them to filter water, and cultivate seaweed

www.algaescrubber.net

 

[Jman76]

Im surprised the fluconazole didnt work. It has worked for me every time, but have to double dose to kill it all, and give it time to work. Never affected my corals. Ive never used Vibrant, so maybe combining the 2 is not good?

 

[OrangeCountyReefer]

Sorry I seen you already did my suggestion.

 

[mikedb]

Alright- here is my plan- thanks for all the help and suggestions so far!

1. Over the weekend while removing some algae, noticed it felt different (more 'crunchy' and harder to remove) and realized that the type of algae has almost completely switched to Bryopsis (purely bryopsis in a few places, and hair-algae-covered bryopsis in others). Tomorrow evening, I will be dosing the tank with fuconazole.
2. I didn't hear back from Turbo's Aquatics (in his defense, I only first reached out Friday afternoon), so I purchased a Clearwater 100 scrubber (15% off for black friday, at least!). I should have it up and running by Wednesday evening.
3. I ordered 15 mexican Turbo Snails (and 2 zebra turbo snails, for fun) from ReefCleaners. John is closed this week, so they will be introduced next Tuesday. I could probably find a source that ships quicker, but I have had such good experiences with John in the past (and have heard that these are routinely misidentified) that I am willing to wait.

And that is all for now. - I am going to give this strategy at least a month to show progress.

On a side note, two ~6"x6" patches of cyano have appeared in some lower-flow areas of the tank. However, I recently discovered that both of my Gyre XF350s appear to have failing rotor/bushing assemblies (after less than two years) and have therefore been working intermittently (mostly not working). I should have the repair parts by tomorrow night, so I am going to hold off on treatment until the pumps are up and running for awhile. Getting very close to replacing the Gyre's altogether.

I was in your exact situation. The only thing that has worked for me has been Continuum Microbacter-m. Buy it off Amazon. Dose the max amount daily for about a week. Then, I know it sounds counter-intuitive, but manually remove what you can and scrub the rocks clean with a toothbrush or whatever you have to scrub. I promise that wherever you scrub will not grow anymore algae and the coralline will take hold. The rock looks sterile afterwards. It’s extremely satisfying. There’s a bacteria strain in there that consumes the free floating algae when you scrub. It’s the only thing I’ve ever used that actually worked for me. And unlike Vibrant I didn’t lose any corals. Afterwards just do a maintenance dose at the end of the week. And most importantly follow the directions on the bottle as far as pouring the bacteria in aquarium water in a cup first and letting it sit for 5-10 minutes. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

There’s a video on YouTube from Eat Sleep Reef on this product which is where I got it from.

Thanks for the suggestion. At this point I am going to limit the number of variables and will plan to use Microbacter in the event the plan doesn't show results over the coming weeks. After little success with Vibrant and WasteAway, I can't help but be a little skeptical about the bottled bacteria solutions. But it might be worth a shot!

Im surprised the fluconazole didnt work. It has worked for me every time, but have to double dose to kill it all, and give it time to work. Never affected my corals. Ive never used Vibrant, so maybe combining the 2 is not good?

To be fair, the Fluconazole did work, almost immediately killing any bryopsis. But it worked quite slowly on the hair algae, and I decided to abandon the second dose as soon as I started losing heads of . I certainly won't combine it with Vibrant again, although I am not 100% sure this was the cause... only my torch euphyllia had issues (all 6 colonies, two of which were lost entirely) and the rest of my coral seemed fine. My SPS did lose color though, and my alk consumption dropped by more than half. I can't fully explain it, other than to say I won't try that combination again!