Green hair algae

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wa1980

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Joined
Jun 4, 2008
Messages
14
Location
oak harbor,wa
Green hair algae is taking over my tank. I set it up 2 weeks ago "after i bought rock from somebody" I dont want to add anything in the tank until i get rid of this crap.

how do i make it go away !!!! anyhelp would be good
Dustin
 
Green hair algae is taking over my tank. I set it up 2 weeks ago
how do i make it go away !!!
Dustin

Patience! It is pretty typical to get an algea bloom during cycling of a new tank. Some type of algea will grow as a result of the nutrients released by die off of organisms in the live rock/sand.

If you kept these rocks wet during the move between the tank you got them from and your tank the die off should be minimal and the resulting algae bloom should also be minimal. At this point since you are in the midst of the cycling process I would just leave things alone and let that algea use up all the excess nutrients and then it should begin to die off.
 
Here are some things to minimize food for your algae.

Monitor your temperatures. You want very little swing.
Ask your self how long it has been since you changed bulbs.
Feed your animals only what they eat.
Cycle your photo period with timer.
Do a proper water change with filtered water with low TDS (Total Disolved Solids). You mix your salt externally in bucket and let it aireate to allow PH to come up matching your tank temperature before adding.

Any change you make too fast can create waste. I am saying that if you add too much light at once for example. You coraline algae can die off creating waste.

Ok, here are some tools you can use to fight Algae.
You could add Algae to your refugeum. Algae competes for territory. This was introduced to by Bob Fenner as method of controlling algae.
You could use Charcoal. One pound for every 50 gallons of water and rotate it out when Ph drops.
You could use Rowaphos or Warner Marine Phosphate remover media to remove Phosphates.
Phosphates are food source for algae.
You could introduce Ozone or a UV sterilizer to kill single cell algae as it passes through system.
Make sure your Protien skimmer is dialed in for your system.
Clean your prefilter boxes, overflows, sump to remove build up of waste.
Keep things suspended in water column so filters work properly with good water flow.

Keep PH and again Temperature as stable as possible.
Do not allow fast salinity swings. If your salinity is off your calcium, Alk, Mag is not properly mixed. This may cause more die off of algae good and bad.

these are things that I look for off the top of my head.

Wow, Like Kris just said. Two weeks in you are going to have a lot of cycling for first two months. So patience is very important. I jumped the gun on you thinking it was after 8 weeks.
 
Last edited:
Patience! It is pretty typical to get an algea bloom during cycling of a new tank. Some type of algea will grow as a result of the nutrients released by die off of organisms in the live rock/sand.

If you kept these rocks wet during the move between the tank you got them from and your tank the die off should be minimal and the resulting algae bloom should also be minimal. At this point since you are in the midst of the cycling process I would just leave things alone and let that algea use up all the excess nutrients and then it should begin to die off.


that makes sence. I did keep it in water while moving it. i did notice a little hair algae on it when i got it but i didnt really know any better
 
Always make sure your rock purchases are clean of HA as you now know. Sounds more like re-growth than a bloom. Make sure your water is pristine and it may die off and follow the instructions already given, you might be OK. Good luck..
 
Algea will always be present and ready to cause havoc. But so much in a new tank then it came with the rock.

Also if your light is of better quality then useing them full time upfront could help.

Then low flow and or your water source could be playing a part.

I dont think its from 1 source. Dont add any suppliment or additive that you cant test for first. And if its a new tank then the only readings you test are nitrate , ammonia , nitrite and MB phosphate. I wouldnt trust any other reading in a cycling tank.

So reduce light time and recheck your flow and water source to beggin with.
 

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