Started an attack on hair algae, does anyone have anything to add?

[troublemaker]

All the tanks in the system have been infected so I can at least rule old lights out of the equation.

Our skimmer had basically been shut down by a fuge that semi crashed and dumped algae into the sump that got sucked in the skimmer pump which all but rendered the skimmer useless. That has now been corrected but the damage is done.

I have been doing 30g water changes a day, started using GFO and purchased a Sea Hare and Abalone which are both supposed to eat this stuff.

Am I missing anything?

 

[ultimatemj]

Manual removal...its the body blow to support all those jabs

If running LEDs, cut red and green out for a couple of weeks.

BTW, numbers? N03 & P04?

 

[wrasse]

Algaefix check it out works great. I think there is a big write up on RC. If you run an algae turf scrubber you may have trouble growing.

 

[wrasse]

Read the thread and see if it's right for you.

 

[trackfast]

Pull out as much by hand as possible; scrub rock with toothbrush and siphon out the water as you go. Emerald crabs, Lettuce Nudibranchs and Urchins will eat HA too.

 

[madjoe]

If the seahare stays alive u will be amazed how fast he will clean that tank

 

[jrwoltman]

I have been having some luck with my lawnmower blenny. I actually see him/her ripping off tufts of the damned weed.

 

[ninjamyst]

Heard Vibrant will get rid of GHA fast

 

[troublemaker]

Manual removal...its the body blow to support all those jabs

If running LEDs, cut red and green out for a couple of weeks.

BTW, numbers? N03 & P04?

Manual removal has been the game the last two weeks. We actually came up with a crude contraption with a small hose, stick and Exacto blade which rips through it pretty quickly during a water change.

The numbers.
Nitrate 5-10 Redsea
Phospante 0 Salifert

The numbers aren't even realistic considering the amount of algae we are growing.

If the seahare stays alive u will be amazed how fast he will clean that tank

I haven't seen him since he dropped in the tank, but hopefully he is still alive and well.

Thanks for the advice, hopefully a multi fronted attack is enough to at least see the Algae start to recede. I'm hoping getting the skimmer back online is the key to this. It's my own fault for never checking the pinwheel on the pump.

 

[ultimatemj]

Nice. Then patience is next...it will go through a cycle of aggressive growth and if you keep up the harvest you'll break through.

The other topic is feeding and flow. A lot of time gha anchors onto places that collect food/detritus....and the gha collects more.

Lastly, I'd only consider the chemical approach (algaefix, vibrant, etc) as a last nuke option...getting either chaeto or an ATS going in the sump will take up the nutrients the gha is feeding on without risk of nuking other things.


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[gonebad395]

Wow how bad is this problem any pics to share

 

[troublemaker]

Wow how bad is this problem any pics to share

Probably as bad as it gets, the only rock that shows is where the Urchins have been the day before. I'll get some pictures tonight.

 

[gonebad395]

Probably as bad as it gets, the only rock that shows is where the Urchins have been the day before. I'll get some pictures tonight.

Wow ok would like to see them sounds like its super bad hope all goes good killing it

 

[troublemaker]

 

[Danieldv6]

Oh man thats a lot!!!!

 

[gonebad395]

Oh wow man that's crazy good luck man keep us posted

- - - Updated - - -

Were you guys gone for a bit just asking cause that's not a over night thing? It had to start out small then build up right ?

 

[troublemaker]

Things started to go bad when we were on vacation. I didnt think too much of it, but I was the beginning. I have been recovering from surgery for the last 3 weeks and things have steadily gone downhill. My 12 year old has been doing his best, but it became time to throw some money at it amd try a different approach. Unfotunately I didn't keep up on the skimmer maintenance and it slowly got away from me. I have no idea how much Phosphate has been absorbed by everything, but it isn't going to be an overnight fix for it to leach out.

 

[gonebad395]

Yeah man that's crazy at least you are attacking it. Don't quit you can beat this with hard work and it's worth it. Let us know if ya need anything

 

[superchargedgp]

Lawnmower blemmy will take care of it


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[troublemaker]

I have a Dragon Goby in there who has been eating it, but there is so much and grows so fast I don't think one fish would have a prayer of keeping up.

There Is something I have noticed with this tank, I have never spotted any Bristol worms, not even small ones. I'm wondering if some of the forgotten heros in the clean up crew are missing from this tank.