I am noticing the beginning of a hair algae breakout. What is the best method of Hair algae removal? I have heard mixed opinions about may methods, from less/no actinics, blue leg hermits, turbos and crabs to different chemical treatments. I would be skeptical to use a chemical treatment. Has anyone ever tried one? What is your recommendation?
Hair Algae Preventatives
- Thread starter sdesi2005
- Start date
Jill & Brian
Reef Hiatus
The entire back of my tank was covered in hair algae. It looked better than my lawn. A crew of astrea snaila and an emerald crab cleared it all away. It has been gone and has not come back for moths now.
-Brian
-Brian
NateHanson
Non-member
I'm with Moe here. It's good to find something that eats the HA you've already got, but you'll never win the war unless you correct the conditions that are feeding the algae. Increase water changes, skim wet, feed less, add a fuge, reduce fish load if necessary, and you'll be happier in the end.
That said, I'm using a borrowed Sea Hare, that did a decent job of eating HA after I had a coral crash and subsequent nutrient spike.
Nate
That said, I'm using a borrowed Sea Hare, that did a decent job of eating HA after I had a coral crash and subsequent nutrient spike.
Nate
I recently (about 2 weeks ago) added a small hanh-on fuge full of Macro. Eventually I want to convert my sump into a Fuge as well. Look at my potential design below for my wet/dry.
Please comment. I am wondering if the algea will go below the divider and get caught in the pumps. I believe it generally floats, and the main purpose will be to remove nutrient from the water, so pods aren't even an issue.
Please note the Blue lines for water flow and level
Please comment. I am wondering if the algea will go below the divider and get caught in the pumps. I believe it generally floats, and the main purpose will be to remove nutrient from the water, so pods aren't even an issue.
Please note the Blue lines for water flow and level
Attachments
nemogonecrazy
Non-member
im reading a lot about a product called az-no3 from marine depot heard nothing but good things i ordered a bottle last night when i get it i will let u know how it worked
NateHanson
Non-member
sdesi, I think your macro will constantly go under the baffle. I'd add one more baffle to the right of the one you have drawn, that goes all the way to the bottom of the fuge, and extends above the waterlevel in the left part of your sump. The water goes over it before going under the next baffle into the return pump section.
Chuck Spyropulos
Non-member
I am still battling a big algae outbreak after treating my tank for the "Red Bugs". I am finally seeing the end of the tunnel and the algae is starting to lose the battle !
As stated above nutrient export is the best way of preventing algae. However, if you already have it what do you do?
1. Run carbon and or poly-filter to get phosphates and organics lower
2. Reduce lighting while running carbon. If you use carbon a lot, then the water tends to become "clearer" and lets more light through. Therefore, reduce your photo period and or the distance of the lights from the water when running carbon for an extended period.
3. Manually remove as much algae as you can. This can be done using a canister filter to vacum out the algae. I use a Magnum 350 that works really well for this purpose.
4. Change your bulbs. If the light spectrum shifts to a lower frequency band (old bulbs will do this), nuisance algae will abound.
5. Water changes will help get nutrient levels down
6. Adjust your skimmer to output at least 1 cup of skimmate per day, even if it is wet skimmate.
7. Ad herbivores
8. Increase water flow in your tank (Dilution is the solution to pollution - Martin Moe)
9. Replace RO/DI filter cartridges
10. If you are using a calcium reactor, control the amount of C02 that you are injecting and decrease it if need be. I was running my Calcoium reactor with a pH of 6.5 for the output water. I increased this to 6.7 without much of a drop in alkalinity or calcium levels.
11. Let algae grow like crazy in your refugium (already mentioned in the thread above)
12. Use an iron oxide based phosphate removal compound. I began running PhosBan but I am monitoring Ca, Alk, and P04 very closely. Also I am using 1/3 of the recommended portion of the product. Sometimes, conventional nutrient export is not effective, especially in overstocked tanks like mine. But I like lots of big fish so I have to pay the consequences and use every single resource available to ensure optimum water quality. Every system is different and may require more or less of the above water maintenance tasks.
As stated above nutrient export is the best way of preventing algae. However, if you already have it what do you do?
1. Run carbon and or poly-filter to get phosphates and organics lower
2. Reduce lighting while running carbon. If you use carbon a lot, then the water tends to become "clearer" and lets more light through. Therefore, reduce your photo period and or the distance of the lights from the water when running carbon for an extended period.
3. Manually remove as much algae as you can. This can be done using a canister filter to vacum out the algae. I use a Magnum 350 that works really well for this purpose.
4. Change your bulbs. If the light spectrum shifts to a lower frequency band (old bulbs will do this), nuisance algae will abound.
5. Water changes will help get nutrient levels down
6. Adjust your skimmer to output at least 1 cup of skimmate per day, even if it is wet skimmate.
7. Ad herbivores
8. Increase water flow in your tank (Dilution is the solution to pollution - Martin Moe)
9. Replace RO/DI filter cartridges
10. If you are using a calcium reactor, control the amount of C02 that you are injecting and decrease it if need be. I was running my Calcoium reactor with a pH of 6.5 for the output water. I increased this to 6.7 without much of a drop in alkalinity or calcium levels.
11. Let algae grow like crazy in your refugium (already mentioned in the thread above)
12. Use an iron oxide based phosphate removal compound. I began running PhosBan but I am monitoring Ca, Alk, and P04 very closely. Also I am using 1/3 of the recommended portion of the product. Sometimes, conventional nutrient export is not effective, especially in overstocked tanks like mine. But I like lots of big fish so I have to pay the consequences and use every single resource available to ensure optimum water quality. Every system is different and may require more or less of the above water maintenance tasks.
jango
Non-member
Chuck Spyropulos said:
Good point chuck..
Be careful when adding any iron oxide based materials to the tank. It can hurt a tank as quickly as it can help. I have seen some great tanks run with rust and I have also seen the damage it can do to others.
Moe_K said:
Good points Moe...
sdesi2005,
How long has the tank been set up?
What are the water parameters?
Do you test for PO4?
Just tested my water, PH 8.4, Nitrate 0, Nitrite 0, I did have a slight Ammonia spike about 0.25. Its usually 0. I have been pulling a lot of the hair algae off the rocks manually, that may have caused it to spike slightly by stirring up the tank a little. I'll test it again later. My tank has been set up for about 9 months now. I don't currently test for Phosphates but I guess I better start. I do run carbon and PhosX in my sump.
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Jill & Brian said:
All of my astrea snails are covered with hair algae.
