Hair Algea

[m and m]

So this has to be the most annoying thing ever. I have undetectable Po4 and no3 for about a little over a month and the hair algea is still here, i even decreased my light time by 2 hours. The weird thing is there is one piece of rock that has the long hair algea and its covered. Then all my other rock is small "moss" like no length to it at all. Does any one have any ideas on what else i can do? taking the rock out and scrubbing it is not doable.

 

[TopNotchCorals]

So this has to be the most annoying thing ever. I have undetectable Po4 and no3 for about a little over a month and the hair algea is still here, i even decreased my light time by 2 hours. The weird thing is there is one piece of rock that has the long hair algea and its covered. Then all my other rock is small "moss" like no length to it at all. Does any one have any ideas on what else i can do? taking the rock out and scrubbing it is not doable.

I have the same kinda clear looking moss stuff too with 0 parameters all the way around also,will be following this one:)

 

[CoralQueen]

well i am not completely sure about this but i have heard that the algae will eat up all the phosphates making it seem like you dont have any. By the time you test for it your phosphates have already been eaten up by the algae and it is only undetected for that reason. If you still have the algae then you probably still have at least the phosphates, maybe more... at least i think this is the case but just a thought

 

[m and m]

I run GFO and i also dose vodka/MB7, it's just aggravating because i just can't get it to go away.

 

[TopNotchCorals]

My PO4 has always been at 0ppm even before the algae though

 

[m and m]

Doesn't a yellow tang eat hair algea, because mine only came after i added a new piece of rock, and got rid of my yellow tang.

 

[CoralQueen]

what i am saying is that maybe you started getting phosphates that the algae is feeding on and even though testing says you have 0ppm now you could actually have them. before you most likely had 0ppm but levels can change... like i said just a thought

 

[BlazinNano]

I have a better problem. I only have one tonga branch that the bottom leg of it grows hiar algae. Always the same spot and only that rock. Run some Phosphate remover or borrow a SeaHare.

 

[Paul_N]

what i am saying is that maybe you started getting phosphates that the algae is feeding on and even though testing says you have 0ppm now you could actually have them. before you most likely had 0ppm but levels can change... like i said just a thought

+1
You have phosphates but the algae is absorbing them. Also what are you using to test. I used test kits that said I had zero when I had hair algae a couple years back. I got a used Hanna meter and found out otherwise. Unless you are using one of the expensive test kits they will show zero.

*edit* Also switch out the GFO sooner and do water changes. Manual removal in the meantime. I used my fingers and just pulled big gobs off while I was dealing with the phosphate problem.

 

[CoralQueen]

tangs do eat hair algae but not red hair algae but in any case thats the root of the problem... what kind of lighting do you have and whats your flow like? Is that rock porous because if its porous it will trap deterious that releases phosphates. you should try to use a turkey baster to blow onto the rock and see if it lifts deterious particles and if it does you may have found your source. Maybe get rid of that rock. Then in the future when you do water changes make sure you use a turkey baster on your rocks to lift the deterious so it can removed during your water change or fall to the sand bed where it can be broken down by your sandbed. GFO usually prevents algae from coming back but it usually doesnt kill current algae.

 

[Junkie]

well i am not completely sure about this but i have heard that the algae will eat up all the phosphates making it seem like you dont have any. By the time you test for it your phosphates have already been eaten up by the algae and it is only undetected for that reason. If you still have the algae then you probably still have at least the phosphates, maybe more... at least i think this is the case but just a thought

exactly why your getting 0 po4 reading. There are a couple tricks to remedy the problem, raise your mg levels, lights out for 2 or three days, scrubbing the rock. What worked best for me was bi weekly 20% water changes and a foxface rabbitfish. To Mack on it when I wasn't picking it off myself. Get a small one they have a higher metabolism and consume more. Also bump up your flow so as it gets picked off durring waterchanges it dosent have a chance to settle in again and start growing again.

 

[TopNotchCorals]

+1
You have phosphates but the algae is absorbing them. Also what are you using to test. I used test kits that said I had zero when I had hair algae a couple years back. I got a used Hanna meter and found out otherwise. Unless you are using one of the expensive test kits they will show zero.

*edit* Also switch out the GFO sooner and do water changes. Manual removal in the meantime. I used my fingers and just pulled big gobs off while I was dealing with the phosphate problem.

My algae is a clear,mossy,very short not even half inch.I test my po4 with a hanna checker,and I know parameters will change I was just trying to give you some more knowledge of my system.

 

[BlazinNano]

tangs do eat hair algae but not red hair algae but in any case thats the root of the problem... what kind of lighting do you have and whats your flow like? Is that rock porous because if its porous it will trap deterious that releases phosphates. you should try to use a turkey baster to blow onto the rock and see if it lifts deterious particles and if it does you may have found your source. Maybe get rid of that rock. Then in the future when you do water changes make sure you use a turkey baster on your rocks to lift the deterious so it can removed during your water change or fall to the sand bed where it can be broken down by your sandbed. GFO usually prevents algae from coming back but it usually doesnt kill current algae.

+1 on the turkey baster. I do it every other day just to stir stuff up. But I only have a 29 Gallon so it takes me a whole 5 mins to do it.

 

[CoralQueen]

My algae is a clear,mossy,very short not even half inch.I test my po4 with a hanna checker,and I know parameters will change I was just trying to give you some more knowledge of my system.

when you say clear, what exactly do you mean? Most of the mossy algae is green... is it see thru is it white is it transparent.... what is your flow like and what lighting do you use? If you want to let us know what your system is like tell us everything. And you could do what BlayzinNano said about the sea hare but they tend to release toxins into the water when theres no more algae left and they starve... at least what i have heard

 

[Paul_N]

when you say clear, what exactly do you mean? Most of the mossy algae is green... is it see thru is it white is it transparent.... what is your flow like and what lighting do you use? If you want to let us know what your system is like tell us everything. And you could do what BlayzinNano said about the sea hare but they tend to release toxins into the water when theres no more algae left and they starve... at least what i have heard

My HA turned pale/clear when it was dying off. It was dark green and waving in the current in the beginning. pics would be nice. FWIW I tried 2 sea hares in my 75 and both died. I never found them and never had any issues with them releasing toxins in my tank. I never even had a spike in N or P. The hare are clumsy so if you have a lot of flow in your tank they will get blown around.

 

[ladyreefer1983]

yellow tang eats red turf algae...

 

[TopNotchCorals]

My HA turned pale/clear when it was dying off. It was dark green and waving in the current in the beginning. pics would be nice. FWIW I tried 2 sea hares in my 75 and both died. I never found them and never had any issues with them releasing toxins in my tank. I never even had a spike in N or P. The hare are clumsy so if you have a lot of flow in your tank they will get blown around.

Sorry Paul lights just went out so no pics available at the moment,but it is a clear algae and has always been clear.As for flow I have 2x mp10 and the tank specs are 24x24x20 I really doubt flow is the issue here.Lighting for now is a ATI Powermodule 6x24w.

 

[nissanrs]

i never could get my tank running because hair algae would consume the tank. rodi water is first. i have a spectrapur 4 chamber. works like a charm. get a sea hare. nonstop muncher. be carfull with intakes. phosphate reactor which i dont use anymore. i belive if you have a young tank it cycles and that is the reason for the out break mine always start off as diatom then they grow. sea hare deff will do the trick until it gets under control. then you will have to find the little guy a new home.
hope this helps