[cbeatty]

I have an issue I'm not sure how to address. I have a candy cane coral that went through some difficult times in a previous tank. Most of the polyps have come back or are regenerating, but there is a bad hair algae problem all over the skeleton. There is no other hair algae throughout the tank and the snails and hermits will pick at it but take only small amounts. Every water change I go in with my fingers and gently pull what hair algae I can off, but there is always enough to keep growing back. Tooth brush will thrash the coral and can't get between the heads, so I'm at a loss as to what to do. Any ideas?

[jsgates]

I had a bad hair algae problem in my tank until I got a Lawnmower Blenny & a Yellow Spot Foxface. The lawnmower cleaned it up pretty good, and is fun to watch. He is very active. However, after adding the Foxface, the remaining hair algae was gone within a week. Foxface is also reef safe and very pretty fish, active too!

[e_baer]

Originally Posted by cbeatty

I have an issue I'm not sure how to address. I have a candy cane coral that went through some difficult times in a previous tank. Most of the polyps have come back or are regenerating, but there is a bad hair algae problem all over the skeleton. There is no other hair algae throughout the tank and the snails and hermits will pick at it but take only small amounts. Every water change I go in with my fingers and gently pull what hair algae I can off, but there is always enough to keep growing back. Tooth brush will thrash the coral and can't get between the heads, so I'm at a loss as to what to do. Any ideas?

Try to keep you lights to a minumum for about a week. That should take care of the majority of the algae. Or, you can grab all the snails in your tank and put them right there on the coral. I had a coral like that too and that is what I did.

[reefnoob1991]

Check for nitrates, they are a big cause of hair algae

[Taras1]

Originally Posted by reefnoob1991

Check for nitrates, they are a big cause of hair algae

Don't forget to watch the phosphates! Use RODI water when mixing your seawater.

[reefnoob1991]

Phosphates are hair algae too? I thought they were just cyano

[ilovemash]

Heres an idea that I saw one of my local LFS owners doing with a coral he had that had algae on it, however it only works if you have a deep sand bed. Take the coral and bury the skeleton all the way up to the polyps, making it so that only the polyps are getting sunlight. I have not personally tried this but the owner of this LFS absolutely SWORE by this method.

[e_baer]

Originally Posted by ilovemash

Heres an idea that I saw one of my local LFS owners doing with a coral he had that had algae on it, however it only works if you have a deep sand bed. Take the coral and bury the skeleton all the way up to the polyps, making it so that only the polyps are getting sunlight. I have not personally tried this but the owner of this LFS absolutely SWORE by this method.

It makes perfect sense to do. If you look at some of the base of the rocks that are under the sand, they have no coloration or algae on them. Why wouldnt it work for coral?

[Taras1]

Originally Posted by reefnoob1991

Phosphates are hair algae too? I thought they were just cyano

Phosphates are a major "nutrient" for most algae, which is why it's regulated by the EPA as an additive to cleansers, soaps, detergents, etc. In the reef aquarium, they create a lot of problems with algae.

[capitalb]

Treat the cause...Not the symptom. I have to agree with reefnoob. Take care of the nitrates and that will take care of the algae. Be careful because the dying algae will cause nitrates to spike. After you think you've done enough water changes to correct the problem, do some more! Good luck

[capitalb]

Feed less and make sure you have proper lighting.

[reefnoob1991]

Finally feels good to be agreed with on here