Green Hair Algae

[alkamar]

I still have some green hair algae I'm trying to get under control. I eventually got my nitrates to zero, but I think maybe the hair algae is helping keep it that way. That is the only way I know it could still be growing. I pull what I can out when it gets long enough. I guess I should pick up a phosphate test kit since I have never tested that. I may have to start using phosban or one of those sponge products. I'll cut back a little on feeding also. You guys have years of experience. What do you think would be the best way to rid my tank of this?

 

[schigara]

GHA will utilize any and all phosphates available and just keep growing.

I'm not saying it's the best way but I irradicated my GHA in less than a week using large turbo snails combined with a phosban reactor with granular ferric oxide(gfo).

No need for a phosphate test kit. You have GHA so you already know you have excess phosphates.

 

[Goofyjas]

Cut back on feeding, try to do a water change and get as much out, figure out how to get your phos to 0 and if it is bad bad and you dont have tons of corals kill the photo period.

Snails, crabs are always good

 

[Doris M]

I had alot of it in my 55 gal. With Andy's help at Memfish I bought a sally lightfoot crab, 4 large mexican turbo snails and I already had 2 urchins. I kept it pulled close to rock and it is gone now. Remember if you pulled any of it and let it go out of your hand whereever it goes you have spread it. I also started feeding every 3 days and I did a water change every 2 weeks.

 

[alkamar]

Thank you for your responses. I have started feeding once a day and I do need to add some to my cleanup crew. Would it be just as good to add phosban type product to an Aquaclear filter? That would allow me to add a layer of that plus a layer of carbon for this 28G.

 

[just dave]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13189141#post13189141 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by alkamar
Thank you for your responses. I have started feeding once a day and I do need to add some to my cleanup crew. Would it be just as good to add phosban type product to an Aquaclear filter? That would allow me to add a layer of that plus a layer of carbon for this 28G.

It will not be as efficient as using it in a fluidized state but it will work fine.

 

[schigara]

I guess you could use Pura Complete pads in the filter. Just cut the pad to fit.

Good husbandry and cleanup crew can prevent nuisance algaes like GHA but will take quite a while to get rid of them once you have them.

Using a phosphate remover like pura phosloc or rowaphosa will quickly strip the phosphates from the system and starve the GHA.

Better husbandry such as water changes, less feeding, ro/di water will eventually get rid of GHA. Why not do all the above as well as GFO/phosban/gaurd/rowaphos and get rid of it quick?

 

[Doris M]

how is the green hair algae problem going?

 

[spshead01]

Give prodibio a try it has work great for me a several of my friends.

 

[davesolana]

exactly. Even weekly water changes, less feeding like said, and toothbrush that stuff daily. If it's bad, really bad, your hand should be numb from scrubbing with a toothbrush. That's what it took when I had it bad in my 150. And urchins. cut back a bit of light maybe. I almost gave up. Took me months of doing this. Don't give up. You'll get there.

 

[Doris M]

I dont know. I was told scrubbing with anything will only spread it.

 

[alkamar]

It is pretty much contained and not spreading. I haven't went to Memphis yet to buy anything. It really started growing faster when I went on vacation recently and had my brother-in-law take care of the tank. I do my water changes, so that isn't the problem. In a week and a half it will probably be time to pull it off again. The only cleanup crew member I have seen eating this stuff is the scarlet crabs. I may pick up a couple turbos and one of your suggested phosphate products to terminate this nuisance.