seriously- will this die off?

[twilliard]

Now I know I have read and read about algea on what makes it grow. What it needs to survive and how to keep it from comming back.

But look, this is bugging the crap out of me. Will this stuff ever DIE!

I just cant seem to get rid of it.

 

[Dr. Dee]

Sorry but thats a good nuclear war,Yes it will die off in time have you put some turbo snails in the tank yet? try them first but get some small ones.

 

[class clown]

Yuck. yeah, i have the same problem in my sump. I have 2 anthias that require me to feed them a couple times a day, so cutting down on my feeding is not much of a question. i just got a Phosban reactor yesterday to see if that will help. I'll keep ya posted, but i feel your pain.

the good news for me is that there is a lot of this stuff in the sump, but not much in the display. it's nice when it works out that way, but man.. the hair algae in my sump is even out competing my chaeto.. crazy.

 

[matts125]

THe best thing you can do here is: remove as much of this as you can by hand (which is most of it) and then add turbo snails I would say about 1 per 5 lbs of rock, and most importan watch how much you are feeding!! once the algae is gone you will need to remove some of the snails or they will die of starvation..


Matt

 

[Dr. Dee]

Ok you can also get a urchin a tuxedo they work real good.Check this out i have heard that ozone kills hair algae too,you might go over and ask Dr.Boomer about that he can help on doseing zone.
Reef Chemisty
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=72

 

[twilliard]

Hey thanks guys
I did have a tux urchin in my previous tank but dang I hate white rock. He ate every bit of coraline off the rocks.
Thanks Matt I will try some turbos and see how that goes. I will be starting to pull the algea off the rock one at a time and make a trip to blue seirra this weekend to see if they can set me up with some snails.

Is it not a good idea to give instant death to the rock like as in boiling it?
I am paying the price of poor water qualitly. I am on the road to solving that problem after seeing what it will do to my tank.

Oh and can I use a stiff brush or something to get it off. Its fine hair and hard to get ahold of.

 

[matts125]

boiling your rock is not a good Idea, just have patience, if you boil the rock you might as well go buy some dry lava rock from petsmart and re-start that way, it litterally kills everything....

Matt

 

[matts125]

I see a lot of aptasia on those rocks as well, I think your prob is over feeding/high nutirent levels in the water...

 

[twilliard]

Thanks Matt im trying to be calm about it. Im going to start plucking tomorrow after work. Only 150 pounds to go.
Actualy those are green/pink tip anemones. (multiply like mad) I am in the process of "juicing" the aptasia. The rest of my rock is in a 90G tank.

 

[Ed Hahn]

Do you have your PH monitor going? How about dripping Kalk slowly and bumping up the PH so your phosphates percipitate faster. You could also go with out lights for a bit and watch it deminish. Any animals inside the tank right now?

 

[aquarookie]

Todd, my rock used to look identical to that. After a three-day temperature drop (in the 50's), a low-light period and absolutely no feeding, I had NO algae and NO aiptasia left. I do not suggest that you do that of course...

If I could clone my blue tuxedo urchin, I would be a millionaire. The guy eats hair algae 24/7 and BARELY touches coralline (I mean, I see some tooth marks on it about once a month and then he's back to cleaning the green hair). You might want to try getting another blue tuxedo, apparently each one has a taste for different things. Maybe I can trade some rock with you (give you some non-algae covered, pound per pound). I can use a little algae for critter testing

Good luck

 

[matts125]

the bad thing about getting an urchin to control hair algae is the fact that the algae is just a (phase) and will soon be done and gone then the urchin will resort to eating the coraline or starve...
I Know from experience how much rock a tuxedo urchin can eat!! they can turn the purplest rock white in no time!!!

Matt

 

[Slickdonkey]

I have two tuxedo urchins and have never seen them touch hair algae, although I don't have a lot of it in my display. It's all over my fuge though.

Some people suggest a sea hare. That might get the algae off your rocks but won't stop it from coming back. Also he won't have anything to eat if you do get it under control.

 

[morgan]

hey is it only in ur sump because if it is i wouldnt even worry about it
i have been told that hair algea never dies u can stop it growning but it will just stay the same

 

[Krish]

Bummer...Sorry to hear about your frustrations:doubt: I've been there myself. Once the excess nutrient levels get down, it will subside. Take a look at post#70 here... http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14857&page=5&highlight=dragonfly Anthony had the same problem and look what happened

 

[twilliard]

Hey Ed no there is nothing in this tank yet. I want to get rid of the algea and aptasia first.
A lot of this is from using well water for 6 weeks. Well I should say the algea just bloomed once I moved. I did have it in the tank in the previous home but that was from me never changing water I like a little algea but this is WAY too much.
My RO is supposed to be here today and a guy from Idaho is supposed to be by with more salt for me. then I will be doing MASSIVE water changes.
Right now my nitrates look to be inbetween 50 and 100 PPm and Phos. at 5 PPM (well water)

 

[twilliard]

Thanks for the thread Krish!

 

[spongebob lover]

i used to have the same problem, and right now i'm having a little bit of it :doubt: .
One thing that helped me the first time was my tooth brush (i know probably you heard it by now ) when you do a water change just save some water and put your rocks in bucket, then brush them good and put them back and get some snails.... the turbos seem to be the famous ones and if you don't feel like flipping snails :lol: then go with those ones .
Today i'm gonna install my phosban reactor and i'll see how it goes from there for me .
also i don't know if this was already said but may be increasing your water changes could help too .... just a few ideas dood.

 

[aquarookie]

the bad thing about getting an urchin to control hair algae is the fact that the algae is just a (phase) and will soon be done and gone then the urchin will resort to eating the coraline or starve...
I Know from experience how much rock a tuxedo urchin can eat!! they can turn the purplest rock white in no time!!!

Matt

I strongly disagree! You get the urchin to control the algae, and when he is done you give the urchin to me... problem solved :lol:

 

[Herefishyfishy]

I had good luck with green emerald crabs as part of a cleaner crew to clean up hair and bubble algae. The crabs ate the hair and the bubble that was not picked off, died out as the nutrient levels dropped. Not a spec anymore, even gone on new purchased rocks that were covered. Make sure your skimmer is doing a good job too.