Shutting white lights to starve Green Hair Algae?

[JeremyAN7]

Question: will green hair algae die if starved from main 10k lights and tank is only given actinic blue for a number of days?
Will that harm other corals? how many days would be good to reduce algae but not enough to cause reef damage?

Also dosing with Marine SAT (bacteria that eat what would otherwise be the nutrients for the GHA)

My hope is to hit it from both ends...

thoughts?

 

[wolffman1992]

Starving the algae by turning the lights off kill of the algae but with not cure the underlying problem. Algae needs light and nutrients to thrive. Killing the algae will cause all the nutrients locked up in the algae itself to be released back into the water. So running gfo, increasing water changes, and other methods of nutrient export will help cure the problem after the algae has died off.

 

[CC Reefer]

Get a tail spot blenny. Mine eats it up like crazy. I need to start growing it in a second tank to feed him cause he cleared it all out of the display tank.


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[JeremyAN7]

I have had many different blenny fish and none seemed to eat THIS green hair algae. Anything but.. is tailspot unique? I had a starry, and a lawnmower to no avail.

 

[reefstarter]

I have a starry the chows it

 

[cilyjr]

Are we sure we are talking about green hair algae? The sailfin (lawnmower,or algae) blenny is great at many algae but most report they do not eat bryopsis.

As mentioned before if the nutrient excess isn't controlled then there will always be algae.

 

[STiTCH87]

Killing off algae too quickly will also spike nutrient levels in the tank as well. Manual removal and heavy skimming can help with that, but the best solution as stated is manual removal and then removal of the underlying cause.

 

[wolffman1992]

Plus one on what stitch87 said. Also adding a herbivore to the tank as a method of removal can be beneficial however while the fish may eat the algae it will excrete the nutrients locked up in the algae back into the water column. Other methods of nutrient export are still necessary even when attempting to cure the problem naturally. I suggest GFO in a reactor in conjunction with an increase in water changes and decrease in the amount you feed. Reactors are an inexpensive piece of equiptment that can be used to cure nutrient problems and act as a preventative measure as well.

 

[JohnK]

Also dosing with Marine SAT (bacteria that eat what would otherwise be the nutrients for the GHA)

I'm curious about this additive? Reef tanks have plenty of all sorts of bacteria, and it you dose bacteria and the conditions support it that bacteria will grow and thrive. It sounds like this Marine SAT is a product being marketed as doing what organic carbon dosing does, but if it needs ongoing dosing then it's not working. In other words, if you have the right balance of available nutrients then bacteria that feeds on those nutrients will grow naturally. If you don't have the right balance of nutrients, then the bacteria won't thrive (thus in some theory you would need to dose it, but then you're just dosing bacteria that will die, which in turn is essentially dosing nutrients to try to fight a nutrient problem). With organic carbon dosing, we assume that there is a limiting factor (organic carbon) so we dose the limiting factor allowing the bacteria to thrive, in turn taking up nutrients, in turn lowering the level of nutrients in the water column.

^ that was a lot of words.... I'm just asking if organic carbon dosing might be a better way to acheive the result you are seeking?



As for lights out, most nuisance algae is pretty darn resilient. I doubt that running actinic lights only will ever kill off any nuisance algae. Enough time in total darkness would probably kill some or all undesirable algae, but as has already been said you would still have the same nutrient issues that led to the problem in the first place.

 

[STiTCH87]

I'm curious about this additive? Reef tanks have plenty of all sorts of bacteria, and it you dose bacteria and the conditions support it that bacteria will grow and thrive. It sounds like this Marine SAT is a product being marketed as doing what organic carbon dosing does, but if it needs ongoing dosing then it's not working. In other words, if you have the right balance of available nutrients then bacteria that feeds on those nutrients will grow naturally. If you don't have the right balance of nutrients, then the bacteria won't thrive (thus in some theory you would need to dose it, but then you're just dosing bacteria that will die, which in turn is essentially dosing nutrients to try to fight a nutrient problem). With organic carbon dosing, we assume that there is a limiting factor (organic carbon) so we dose the limiting factor allowing the bacteria to thrive, in turn taking up nutrients, in turn lowering the level of nutrients in the water column.

^ that was a lot of words.... I'm just asking if organic carbon dosing might be a better way to acheive the result you are seeking?



As for lights out, most nuisance algae is pretty darn resilient. I doubt that running actinic lights only will ever kill off any nuisance algae. Enough time in total darkness would probably kill some or all undesirable algae, but as has already been said you would still have the same nutrient issues that led to the problem in the first place.

Kind of sounds like an equivalent to Brightwell MicroBacter. I use that and it works, but it's not really necessary. I just like how it makes the water crystal clear and seems to increase skimmer performance, but again I think it's really carbon dosing basically.

 

[JohnK]

Kind of sounds like an equivalent to Brightwell MicroBacter. I use that and it works, but it's not really necessary. I just like how it makes the water crystal clear and seems to increase skimmer performance, but again I think it's really carbon dosing basically.

Or snake oil / placebo

 

[G.T]

What capacity is your tank? How many Gallons, and how often do you perform water changes? Instead of putting a band aid on the issue just fix it. Hair algy is cause from Excess/high nutrients. Simple question? do you use Good Quality RO/DI?

 

[STiTCH87]

Or snake oil / placebo

Lol that may very well be the case. I can say for certain that it absolutely 100% does increase water clarity however. Beyond that, I can't say what it is or isn't doing for sure.

 

[JohnK]

Right, that's what I meant (I hope it didn't come off as me being snarky).

I am curious about the water clarity part, how and why?

 

[Coalminer]

I have had many different blenny fish and none seemed to eat THIS green hair algae. Anything but.. is tailspot unique? I had a starry, and a lawnmower to no avail.

I think this might be the case. I've bought all kinds of "algae eaters" since last October, but none really seems to touch the algae that is infesting my tank. There are certain types of algae that the blennies, crabs, and snails will absolutely bulldoze; the majority they won't touch.

My tailspot keeps HIS rock clean of algae, but the rest of the rock work is a wispy green forest... Of course, he eats brine, mysis, and NLS pellets too, so he's not the hungriest.

Low phosphates, low nitrate, almost weekly 20% water change, reduced feeding, new skimmer....nothing seems to help. I just do some manual removal every now and then so I can see my coral,

 

[wolffman1992]

I think this might be the case. I've bought all kinds of "algae eaters" since last October, but none really seems to touch the algae that is infesting my tank. There are certain types of algae that the blennies, crabs, and snails will absolutely bulldoze; the majority they won't touch.

My tailspot keeps HIS rock clean of algae, but the rest of the rock work is a wispy green forest... Of course, he eats brine, mysis, and NLS pellets too, so he's not the hungriest.

Low phosphates, low nitrate, almost weekly 20% water change, reduced feeding, new skimmer....nothing seems to help. I just do some manual removal every now and then so I can see my coral,

You are getting low readings of phosphates and nitrates because they are locked up in the tissue of the algae growing on your rocks. Algae are extremely effective at exporting nutrients from the water even faster than most options available to us. So while you are getting low readings of nutrient levels you do in fact have high levels they are just being absorbed by the algae. Again effective nutrient export is the only way to beat algae. Adding algaecides to your tank will do nothing besides release the nutrient back into the water for new algae to feed on. At the point you guys are at with algae on the rock even water changes will not be very effective.

 

[wolffman1992]

The only fast option is in my mind and as I've said before is to run GFO in a reactor maybe in conjunction with an algaecid Followed by several water changes once algae starts dying.

 

[STiTCH87]

Right, that's what I meant (I hope it didn't come off as me being snarky).

I am curious about the water clarity part, how and why?

Not in the least, knew exactly what you meant ☺ I honestly have absolutely no idea what in it makes the water clear. You turn off the skimmer, add this, and leave it off for 4 hours and within 30 minutes it gets crazy clear. No clue why. It's advertised as doing so though.

 

[STiTCH87]

The only fast option is in my mind and as I've said before is to run GFO in a reactor maybe in conjunction with an algaecid Followed by several water changes once algae starts dying.

GFO can do serious damage, especially to SPS if not used properly however. Have to lower PO4 levels very slowly and even then. I'd avoid algaecide like the plague also. The release of high nutrients at such a rapid rate can degrade corals. I've used algaecide in my past and it was an all out nightmare. Never again. As stated by many the simple, safe, and proper way is manual removal of as much as you can, then feeding less, straining the water from your frozen foods, don't feed flakes, beef up your skimmer, increase your water changes, and increase your flow. You can also increase available surface area for beneficial bacteria with things like more live rock, or with something like MarinePure Ceramic Blocks

 

[wolffman1992]

While some are hesitant to use gfo I am a firm believer in it. I have yet to see any ill effects from its use. I have 30 plus SPS colonies in my tank and have never seen any negative effects from its use. There are different types of gfo with different absorption rates. Gfo will up take phosphate slowly. While I suggest starting out using half the recomended dose when using your Standard grade gfo. Gfo is safe. Now there are fast absorbing medias like Phosgaurd which is aluminum oxide. This will absorb phosphate extremely fast and should only be used in extreme cases. Another fast media is Phosphate sponge which will absorbs fast. Gfo is meant to bring down levels slowly.