Hair algea drive me nuts.

South-African reef

South-African reef

New member
I have battled algae of all sorts for quite some time and it is at the point where I want to throw my tank in the trash. I have a bigger sump bigger skimmer do 5 gallon water change every 2 weeks and It keep growing, I test nitrates and phosphate and both show 0.

Im going to cut my lights out for 3 days. Im feeding every other day. I took out all of the sand. I use to think that was part of the problem. My light is 6 mounts old 8 hours a day photo period. My tank is about 2 years old.

That am I doing wrong?????


HELP PLEAS:help (2)::help (2)::help (2):
 
5 gallons WC every 2 weeks means nothing without saying how big your tank is.

what kind of water are you using? ro, ro/di, tap, distilled, rainwater? we can't read your mind here.

also, nitrates and phosphates tests low because the hair algae is absorbing them.

is it just a sump, or do you have a fuge with rock, chaeto with an opposite light cycle?
just a sump only adds water quantity, which can help stability but won't help water quality.
 
30 gallon cube

RO/DI water.

Why opposite light cycle.

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when i had my 30 i did 12 gallon bi weekly changes.
reverse light cycle balances pH and some other benefits i believe.
and i know its preference, but man you seem to be really skimming wet
 
Opposite light cycle assissts with your pH swing, which tends to drop at night, so it's healthier for your tank if your pH remains as constant as it can be. and also while the light is off in the main tank, micros aren't growing and using up all the phosphates/nitrates while your macro sucks it all up without competition. Get some crabs and snails to eat up the hair algae. mexican turbos will eat all that up in no time. I would also suggest tangs, but your tank is too small. maybe get a smaller herbivore fish.
 
ColaAddict said:
Opposite light cycle assissts with your pH swing, which tends to drop at night, so it's healthier for your tank if your pH remains as constant as it can be. and also while the light is off in the main tank, micros aren't growing and using up all the phosphates/nitrates while your macro sucks it all up without competition. Get some crabs and snails to eat up the hair algae. mexican turbos will eat all that up in no time. I would also suggest tangs, but your tank is too small. maybe get a smaller herbivore fish.
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What would you suggest for a small herbivore fish
 
How about a pin cushion urchin. I placed one in my old nano and that seemed to do the trick. They are like little lawn mowers. The minus side of them is that they don't care with what they walk on and can grab little pieces of coral to place on their heads
 
If it is growing, you have phosphates and nitrates. From what I understand, they don't show up on your test because the algae has them locked up. You have to reduce nutrients, phosphates and nitrates. I have been battling it too. I use a phosphate and nitrate sponge. Old bulbs will change spectrum, do yours need replacing?
Urchins, lawnmower blenny and sea hare would all help too. I am also stepping up my water changes, I do 30 gallons on my 120 weekly. I use a toothbrush to scrub the little tufts that will grow in my rockwork just before a water change w/pumps off and try to suction out as much as I can. It is very maddening, I usually swear (to myself as I scrub) It feels like a loosing battle but it can be won or at least managed if you keep on top of it.
I run my fuge light 24/7 to encourage my good algae to grow.
 
Lmecher said:
If it is growing, you have phosphates and nitrates. From what I understand, they don't show up on your test because the algae has them locked up. You have to reduce nutrients, phosphates and nitrates. I have been battling it too. I use a phosphate and nitrate sponge. Old bulbs will change spectrum, do yours need replacing?
Urchins, lawnmower blenny and sea hare would all help too. I am also stepping up my water changes, I do 30 gallons on my 120 weekly. I use a toothbrush to scrub the little tufts that will grow in my rockwork just before a water change w/pumps off and try to suction out as much as I can. It is very maddening, I usually swear (to myself as I scrub) It feels like a loosing battle but it can be won or at least managed if you keep on top of it.
I run my fuge light 24/7 to encourage my good algae to grow.
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+1
 
I would step up the wc and get yourself a sea hare or an abalone. I've used both and they do an outstanding job and imo the abalone is more hearty. Lawnmower blennies also do an excellent job and will eat whatever you feed normally if the algae does go away.
 
Stonefish13 said:
I would step up the wc and get yourself a sea hare or an abalone. I've used both and they do an outstanding job and imo the abalone is more hearty. Lawnmower blennies also do an excellent job and will eat whatever you feed normally if the algae does go away.
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I've never had a sea hare but aren't they difficult to care and can poison a tank?
 
Well thank you all for the good advice I have switched my fuge light to opposite from my tank light. and Im going to see where can i find a sea hare.
 
Scarlett778 said:
I've never had a sea hare but aren't they difficult to care and can poison a tank?
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They are difficult to keep as most of them won't take to prepared foods of any kind so I always brought them back to the lfs or gave them to someone who had hair algae. I've never heard of them poisoning a tank though but I could be wrong. I had one die on me behind some rock and while it turned into a slimy mess there were no adverse reactions in the tank.

I'm not sure where to get one up north but Aquatica in Tinley Park has them all the time along with the abalones. I think they're around $20. Good luck.
 
sea hares are not the way togo.

they ONLY eat hair algae, and when they eat it all, in your case a day, maybe 2 to a week, the thing goes and finds the most inopertune place to die, and will crash your tank.

the urchin route is promising, im telling you right now, i have all kinds of cyano and hair growing regularly, and with my turbo snails, and urchins, the hair algae doesn't last long.

everyone will tell you you will never completely will rid the algae, nor do you really want it to either, get the CUC up to par, and they will eat everything "bad"
 
Would it be possible for you to get your phosphates tested with an electronic meter? Some LFS's and even some hobbyists have the Hanna hand held ones. Chances are the you do have more phosphate than you think. Have you tried running GFO or some other phosphate reducing media?
 
I am a big fan of plain old hermit crabs. a bunch of red or blue legs should be any easy addition to a small tank and very effective
 
Scarlett778 said:
How about a pin cushion urchin. I placed one in my old nano and that seemed to do the trick. They are like little lawn mowers. The minus side of them is that they don't care with what they walk on and can grab little pieces of coral to place on their heads
Click to expand...

you got that right. Our pink pincushion is like a **** bulldozer. He eats algae, coraline, and whatever he can get... not to mention he has been carrying around shells and a patch of green star polyps for 3 weeks now. He is lucky that my wife adores him.
 
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