crazy hair algae.

[mbierzyc]

So I have my 50gal up and running, probably been about a month and a half now.

Some of the rocks in my tank have taken off with crazy amounts of long hair algae. But at the same time, some rocks have none.

I pulled nearly all of it off by hand a week ago, and now it's back.



What do you guys do to remove the stuff?


Thanks.

 

[aiko670]

Water changes, phosphate remover, refugiums and remove it by hand.
you basically need to starve it by removing nitrate and phosphate.

I believe there are some fish and snails that eat it but from what I understand it's hit or miss. I'm sure some one can chime in with more ideas.....

It's a battle!!! Good luck!!!!
Adam

 

[BlackHawk77]

I moved over some rock from my 55 and it ended up growing a bunch of long hair algae. Nothing on the existing stuff though. Anyways, I got the clean up crew in and it took about 2 weeks but the nassarus snails ate it all.

 

[BlackHawk77]

Oh also, I didnt have my fuge up and running yet. Now that it is, I havent seen it come back.

 

[mbierzyc]

I have a sump with a fuge full of chaeto that's growing like mad.

I actually haven't gotten a clean-up crew yet. I've been going really slow with my reef hobby lately due to other things in my life.


Can anyone recommend a good store in the northwest burbs that can sell me a good cleanup crew? I'm in Bartlett and don't get to the stores much. I should go out this weekend to grab some stuff.

Thanks.

 

[BlackHawk77]

You will spend a lot of money buying them at a lfs, I would go mail order to a place like http://www.keyscritters.com/

You will probably pay 25% of the LFS price by buying online.

 

[mbierzyc]

i'll order it tomorrow. Can you please suggest some critters for a 50gal.

 

[Pufferpunk]

SeaSchor might still have that cleaner pack they were advertising for $45.

 

[moon jelly]

What is the matter with a little hair algae? Personally, I harvest it out of my tank, dry it out in the microwave, roll it up with some JOB 1.5 papers and smoke it! Not only is it free, it is legal.

 

[aiko670]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8283387#post8283387 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by moon jelly
What is the matter with a little hair algae? Personally, I harvest it out of my tank, dry it out in the microwave, roll it up with some JOB 1.5 papers and smoke it! Not only is it free, it is legal.

Now that's what I talking about!:smokin:

 

[moon jelly]

Hey.....I got my idea from crafty Tony!!! I would never think of harvesting hair algae from my tank to smoke. I used to use it for hair extensions.

 

[lockus]

Water changes, super skimming, decrease your photo peroid a few hours if you can and keep removing it by hand. Other than that I used a blue urchin ( royal urchin / tuxido urchin ) and it at everythin in its path. Coralline alge included. I was fine with that as long as the hair was gone. Coralline came back and hair is gone. Long process but worth it. Be patient and dont get discouraged. gettting rid of it his was takes awhile.

Good luck

Ryan