another test kit but way more water changes for now. also you didn't say if you were using RO
Overgrown hair algae
- Thread starter biggyal66
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MrSculpin
Well-known member
I have a similar problem.
I did water tests on the tank, and the water I use before mixing and then after as well and took water in to the LFS to have them test things too
thinking it was phosphates.
I have been told, do more water changes, get an urchin, get a blenny and those things do help some.
The blennie I got eats a little, but like someone else said its mainly off the glass or from around his favorite barnacle rock.
Both lights I have are hand me downs from other reefers. My bulbs are probably about almost two years old on the one light. I think that is a lot of my troubles.
I just got a foxface and it is making a big difference. It likes the Grape Calpura that has popped up, but likes the hair algae too it seems.
I did water tests on the tank, and the water I use before mixing and then after as well and took water in to the LFS to have them test things too
thinking it was phosphates.
I have been told, do more water changes, get an urchin, get a blenny and those things do help some.
The blennie I got eats a little, but like someone else said its mainly off the glass or from around his favorite barnacle rock.
Both lights I have are hand me downs from other reefers. My bulbs are probably about almost two years old on the one light. I think that is a lot of my troubles.
I just got a foxface and it is making a big difference. It likes the Grape Calpura that has popped up, but likes the hair algae too it seems.
Here is a thread that discusses all areas of marine algae. It was one of the first ones I read when joining this forum. http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9607
mcoomer
Who's your daddy?!?
As I said in my first post, I'd start doing frequent water changes. 10 gallons every other week obviously isn't getting it done. I would do at least 10 gallons each week and if you have enough water every few days until you see this stuff receding. Get rid of the nutrients and the algae will follow.
pufferdady
Well-known member
Try picking it off with your fingers the best you can and then blowing off the rocks with a powerhead or turkey baster. I've noticed that when it gets that long there will tend to be detritus that the algae has kind of grown over or gotten trapped. I think it is acting like fertilizer. Also, keep up on water changes and hopefully the cheato will take over. Some other things I would think about are making sure the RO unit is not in need of filters, sunlight, and get some of the big turbo snails. They are good with HA imo. Don't give up, it takes time to go away. It might not be what you want to see or hear but, there are 4 months of a very unhappy me between these two pics. Hang in there.
f2titan
Well-known member
I would recommend upgrading the skimmer. But until then read up on GFO for phosphate removal and carbon too. You can get a two little fishies type reactor or just get the bigger pellets and a filter bag. I would also remove the filter material, it is catching organic material and it is becoming a nitrate factory. The other thing is I would update your water changes to weekly until you get this under control. I hope that helps. I've been there and it sucks but a few small changes it will go away.
-chris
-chris
Mopar Reefer
I need a cheaper hobby!
Start running a reactor with GFO that and frequent H20 changes is how I beat my GHA problem, wasn't as bad as yours but close.
Thanks for all of the reply's. As far as my bioload goes I only have 2 clowns lawnmower blennie and a clown gobie. A few snails and a few tiny crabs. I guess I need to take out the rocks again and do a good scrub on them. After that I will start weekend water changes and I have been starting to blow the rocks off with a turkey baster everyday to limit the debris from settleing. Also I added another powerhead to my tank about 2 weeks ago. Now I have 2 Koralia 3 in the tank. One on each side of the tank and one is facing the front of the tank and the other is faced towards the back. Causing a nice swirl effect that took my clowns a little while to get used to. But now they love to play in the current and they sleep right under the new powerhead. Thanks for all of the help and I am going to be looking for a new test kit this weekend. Something a little bit more precise than API. Thanks again.
I have used mexican turbo snails. They do a good job but they get large and can knock over small frags. They also don't seem to live long 4-6months in my tank. They do most of their work in the night so you might not see them to often in the day time. they also do a good job on red hair algae.
I am looking this weekend to build a fuge/sump with a rubbermaid tank for it. the sump I have now is not cutting it. Plus it would take more work than I want to modify it to have an actual fuge part. I looking for a rubbermaid tank as we speak. The first is going to be the inlet then to the fuge then to the skimmer/return pump area.
I took all of my rock out and scrubbed it clean with a tooth brush. Plus I took all of the stuff out of the sump and scrubbed it clean as well. Now this is what it looks like now. Alot better and I did some landscaping and now I have an island in the middle of my tank with a 1 powerhead facing the back and 1 facing the front of the tank. It creates a whirlpool effect. I like it and the clowns love it. I attached some pics of my new design and my sump after I cleaned it.
Make sure your PH stay high in the 8.4. Low PH will leach cal/phospate and other material from your rock and sand.
Since you clean this much and it still grow algae. Remember when the algae grow on the rock it will lower the PH on and around the area and release the require chemical from the rock so it can grow.
I recommend dosing ALK to raise PH. remember dying coraline aglae will also release phospate into the water and on the rock when the PH is low.
I just finished correcting my new client 150 gal tank after it was taken over by algae due to neglect for a year.
I now Check their top off RO/DI for output less 5 ppm. The top off RO/ID system out put was over 200 PPM. I replaced all filter components and now the out put is 2 PPM. I also added Hiatt filter system to the setup. It keep the PH at 8.4 +. Also did a total system clean like you did.
I do 20% water change every two months.
I also recommend my client full cleaning of gravel under the rocks every 12 months. The Hiatt system generate lot of fine particle where the bacteria change nitrate into gas and use phospate for their growth and they do shead some phospate but in non useable form that algae can not use, but leave in the system for long term like a year other bateria can break it down.
If you want to use the Hiatt system. Do not buy the stuff they call PH rock. It is just Calcite (White Soft Marble) Pure crystaline Calcium carbonate. You can get that stuff from your land scaping store for a fraction of the price.
Good system, but carefull what you buy from them.
