[doctor T]

Does anyone know of a good way to get rid of hair algae? It's not the water quality or overfeeding or the lights. I am getting sick of the stuff and it is taking all of the fun out of the hobby.
Tried sea hares but they all died. Too delicate for shipping I think as I was extra careful with drip aclimation. Trying emerald crabs now but they a a bunch of lazy buggers. I have a koles tang and a fox face but they don't touch it. ANY IDEAS?????

[ljv]

I'm sure there is more than one type of hair algae. Whatever type I had a few years ago covered the back glass of my aquarium until it looked like a carpet. I added a few large Mexican Turbo Snails. They ran through it like little lawnmowers. After 24 hours there were clean trails cut through it. Within a few days it was pretty much gone. I can't guarantee that they would work for your algae, but they did the trick on mine.

[unclejed]

Hi doc, From my horrendous experience with hair algae here is what worked. I have a 55 gal. with a built in corner over flow and sump. I could not make a refugium in my sump but if you have a sump (nothing in your profile) you should consider that. I ended up adding a Macro algae called Halimeda which is non invasive and uses up Nitrates and other "bad" nutrients. At the urging from my Lfs buddy I also added a phosphate reactor and used Pura Phoslock as the media. In about 3 weeks time all algae growth stopped and died of with the exception of a few little patches which subsequently died off with in the next couple of weeks. Hope this helps you Shirl. Here is a site for Halimeda; Saltwater Aquarium Plants for Marine Reef Aquariums: Halimeda Plant (Algae)

[doctor T]

Thanks for the reply. I do have quite a crab and snail collection. Right now, I am trying a 10 hour light cycle instead of the 12 hour I have been running. My lamps are 400 watts, CF combination od daylight and actinic and with life span. The hair algae grows on the LR and not on the glass at all. I hate to have to tear down the tank and scub all the 120 lbs of live rock as I have a really great establishment of sponges, and criters that came as hich hikers.

[doctor T]

I have a 75 G reef tank with an oversized W-D filter and an oversized skimmer. Do you think it want fuge or the reactor?

[unclejed]

Both! But if your Nitrates are under 20 and you don't want to invest a lot of money, the reactor would be your first step. ViaAqua Poly-Reactor Multi-Media Reactor

[plecosword]

I have been trying to batle Hair algae for a while also and I would say the best solution would be a sea hare. They eat a large amount of macro algae so they will quicky starve when they run out of algae. I think they will eat dried sea weed, not sure.

[unclejed]

I twice employed sea hares and each only lived for about 3 weeks even though there was plenty to eat. I have read on other forums the same thing while others say they "rent" the hare, eats all the algae and they return them. The caution is if it dies where you can't get to or find, it will pollute the tank tremendously. Another branch of the hare idea is that you are not eliminating the reason for the algae in the first place. The reactor is the proper beginning.

[jimw369]

Id like to see a pic of the algae up close if possible.

[unclejed]

Great idea Jim! How could we have not thought about that till now....

[doctor T]

Ok Jed and Jim!
I will post a picture (if a 50 year old fart like me can figure out how to do it). I tried to add a picture to my profile but it didn't work. You would think an electrical engineer could slap up a picture on the net faster than an anemone could give you the finger. I just bought a phosban reactor (yet to arrive) and cut my lights to 10 hrs. Phosphates are unmeasureable but I have read that means nothing as the algae consume it so fast that tests never get above the measurable level. Ya think so? Thinking about a fuge but some other have given me negative comments on them. Sugessions??????
Thanks mates fro your help DR T

[jimw369]

Just want to see the algae and determine its not bad bryopsis type. If it is you can start crying now. If your tanks been set up a while the bad stuff would have to come in on some added LR or maybe a coral.

[charlesr1958]

A brown scopas tang.

The Natural Reef Aquarium

Chuck

[unclejed]

Hi doc, go to where you have the pic and copy the "string" then when you hit the "fast reply" button and are in the message box, look at the little tool bar at the top with the B I U and see the icon that looks like a mountain or pyramid? Click that symbol and delete what is in the box(http//) and paste in your string. Give it a try.

[doctor T]

Thanks Matey, I will give it a try tonight and also thanks for your help and input. I love this hobby it would be perfect if I could just get rid of the hair aglae. I am pretty sure it is not bryopsis but I will take all the help I can get. The Doc

[doctor T]

This is for uncle jed and jim
here are the pictures ( I hope)! Dr T

[unclejed]

Almost resembles "Maidens' Hair", nonetheless, Hair algae. Previous remedies apply.

[doctor T]

Hi Uncle jed, Yet to hear back from Jim.
I test for phosphates and nitrates and both are undetectable with my test kits. Lights are within their lifespan, cut them back now to 10 hours a day. Can the algae be sucking up the phos or nitrate so fast that they are undetectable? I also cut my chiller temp down to 77 from 80. Inever need a heater cause my light supply all the heat ever needed! pH and alk are fine too. I have a phos ban reactor on the way. I am going to do a 20% water change today, just routine, and remove a big portion of the rock for manual cleaning. The guy at my LFS suggested S.A.T which I have tried. Helped a bit but not much. Any other suggestions? [IMG]C:\Documents and Settings\Shirl\Desktop\Ne w Folder\tank.jpg[/IMG]

[doctor T]

Tried the string thing. No luck

[doctor T]

Jed, posted some picture on this site on my gallery if you are interested doctor T

[bbehring]

2 things that worked for me. I first treated my tank with Ultra Marin Algae X. Just google it and read about it on some forums. Then after one round of treatment (21 days) I then got a lawnmower blenny. All is gone now. I also run GFO in a reactor and have cheato in my fuge. Keep in mind that all absorbers have to be taken off line to treat with Algae X. I also had to remove my cheato from my fuge. This combo knocked it dead. My only other comments is that these are simply treatments and you will need to address your high nutrient issue(s) and ultimately fix the problem that is leading to the HA growth in order to keep it gone once you remove via some form of treatment. I've also head some had good success with a sea hare. Good luck this stuff is very frustrating.

[doctor T]

Thanks bbering.
What bothers me is that I think I have addressed all of the causes. 1. My lights are within life and new 2. I only use RO / DI water and my filter are within life (0 readings on the DI output for TDS) 3. No measurable Phosphates or Nitrates, 4. Good water quality (pH 8.3 Alk 2.4) 5. Good water circulation (5 1200 gph power head + an oversized return pump on the W/D0 6. Over size skimmer ( I have a 75G and it is rated for 250 G tank) 7. Good clean up crew 40 assorted snails, 50 various crabs, 5 emarald crabs, tiger tail sea cuke, 8. Understocked tank, about 17 inches of fish 9. herbavorious fish, Koles tang, one spot foxface 10. I do not overfeed.
The only thing I can think of now is that the algae is eating up the nutrient ( nitrate or phos) as fast as it is being introduced. I have heard that wet / dry filters can be nitrate factories.
Any input on this latest theory? - ANYONE?

[doctor T]

One other thing, I have a ocsilated(sp)? dragonnet that I am quite partial to. I am leary of adding a lawnmower blenny because of him. Does any one keep the two together in peace?

[unclejed]

Hi, you will be pleasantly surprised how much the reactor will do, and yes, the nitrate and phos is being used by the hair and thus fostering the stubbornness. I would not add anything right now.