algea removeal

[reeflover28]

does anyone have an outside the box thought on how to kill this dreaded hair algea i have tried everything i have been told or ead and this just seems to fuel the growth more and faster please help

 

[Mark I]

I just finished getting over a hail algae outbreak, lasted over 6 months. The cause was a bad ro membrane and a broken blade on my mag skimmer pump. Once I fixed the cause it took about a month to rid hair algae. Also think low ph was a possible cause started dripping kalk.

 

[crvz]

What have you done so far? algae isnt something to cure, but controlling it is a long-term process. Like Mark, I've overcome serious algae issues in the past, but it took about 6 months or so. If you don't want to wait, you can get new substrate (rocks and sand, as that's likely where the fuel is coming from) and start fresh with better husbandry.

 

[Jova]

I had a hair algae outbreak at one time, as well as a red slime outbreak, and in the end, I found that adding more powerheads, and getting some good flow in the tank, took care of it. Although, the method that worked for me, as far as removing the unsightly crap, was when doing water changes and siphoning water out, just move the tube around and suck up all the nasty devil algae out of the tank. Kinda like killing two birds with one stone right?

 

[pledosophy]

We need to know what you have done and what the levels of your tank are to help you.

I have beat hair algae a few times in a few tanks, it's not so bad.

 

[FREEZY POP]

ive recently discovered that microbubbles can accelerate the growth of algae if you have them in your water you may try to reduce them it has almost eliminated my algae issues along with increased flow in the problem areas. there are bio oil manufacturers that use micro bubbles to accelerate algae growth in a process called quantum fracturing the same principles apply to skimmers and venturis that can release microbubbles into the water colum the nutrients in the water adhere to them and are transfered to the algae cells at an accelerated rate that drastically increases growth. you may also try increasing the size of your cleanup crew. hermits love algae so do tangs!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ReefJunkieOK]

I beat hair algae with GFO.

 

[reeflover28]

ok thanks for reponding,tank params are cal 500, nitrates 0, phosp o, dkh 11, sg 1.025, temp 79. so far i have replaced all light bulbs, pulled back all supps except, kalk mix, and 2 part cal/buffer. waterchanges are 10gals biweekly and for about 4months 15g biweekly, added 2 more powerheads for more flow, added mangroves and cheto. and still algea. have taken all rock out and scrubbed clean. switched to bare bottom system and still algea. i believe the work to be leaching phosphates. i also use phosban phosphate remover.

 

[reeflover28]

i meant to say rock leaching phosphate not work

 

[chucksta1]

If you have hair algae, your phosphates will always read zero, as the algae binds it up as it's introduced into the system. Check your source water, phosphates can get past a "tired" set of ro d/i filters. As there is no way to determine if the phosban is saturated, you may want to try changing the media more often. Remove the fuel and the algae will recede.