Green Hair Algea...

corwise

corwise

New member
Does anyone have any suggestions for getting rid of green hair algea? I had it in my big (90) and small (25) tanks. Once I put a Tang into my big tank he took care of it, but it's spreading all over my small tank. In itself I can handle that, but it's also getting that nasty red film that covers the hair algea.
I've cut the feeding in the tank, done water changes out the rear, I've pulled out the rocks and gotten it off of them, but now it's on my back glass. The snails and crabs won't touch it. I can't put a tang in there to clean it up, way to small. Does anyone have any other suggestions? Currently I have a golden wrasse and a blue damsel in the tank. I'd be concerned in adding a "weak" fish, I'd expect the damsel to take action if I did. Thanks.

Dave
 
That is a hard one Corwise. I have battled it to the length of cooking my rock and going barebottom, but I don't think that is the only option. I would say wet skimmer, vacumming sand (unless it's a dsb), and do lots of water changes, like 5 gallons every 3-4 days for a couple weeks, and hope that the beneficial bacteria populates to help you out. You may even try to add a fresh piece of live rock (cured of course). HTH, but it can be a bumpy road...

Kyle
 
Just a couple of suggestions: Water Flow? A lot of time it will grow where detritus accumulates (due to inadequate water flow around and through the rock). Temperature? Sometimes small tanks can ride a little warm. Have you tried hand siphoning it out as you change water each week? Maybe water parameters are a little crazy. Have you checked pH, Alk, Phosphate? Have you tried shortening your photo period to say.... 4-5 hrs each day? Do you run a skimmer? How about disolved oxygen - you be building too much CO2 in the water if the water surface isn't adequetly broken up to allow for good gas exchange. It may be a combination of small things that continue to allow the algae to grow. Once you can eliminate all the variables (correct any parameters or conditions that aren't optimal), the algae will go away.
 
Do you have turbos? I had a HORRIBLE hair alge problem and I dropped a couple of turbos in there and in about a week ALL of it was gone. The sides of my tank are super clean now.
 
It's been up for about 6 months now. I have a single powerhead in there that keeps the water flow going pretty good, and a backpack filter which also gives it some good water movement. No protein skimmer, my old one broke in Idaho and it worked great without it, so I didn't want to buy a new one when I got here. :) Changing the lights is a good idea, what would that do to my corals (mushrooms, torch, etc) that I have in there though? I do try and pull as much as it off as I can when I do water changes, it just keeps coming back, which is why I eventually pulled out the rocks.

Dave
 
Ive been reading that mollies when acclimated will eat tons of hair algea. They are only 2 bucks- so worth a try.
 
Dave, your tank is young. It needs to age more. Add a skimmer and manually remove what you can and in time it will be gone.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9043055#post9043055 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by eddybabyhd
turbos/coral relocaters? God they knock over everything
Click to expand...

They need this sign above all retail tanks holding snails. I love how they eat algae, but I'd rather have a tank full of algae. I've lost so many coral frags to a turbo knocking them down on my bubble coral. They never lasted long after that. Stupid turbo's!
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9044244#post9044244 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DizziDezi2
Ive been reading that mollies when acclimated will eat tons of hair algea. They are only 2 bucks- so worth a try.
Click to expand...

Hair algae, macro algae, plant matter in general. There Ominivores and opportunistic. But may not either. My little brothers tank is full of hair algae and full of molleys, they don't touch it cause they get fed regularly. It would be more accurate to say that a hungry molley will eat hair algae, a well fed one may learn to ignore it in lue of prepared meals.
 
My mollies nip at it bt really wait for feeding time. I started with 5 and am down to two. Its been a few weeks since introdued. I think they are pretty slow and stupid in the pecking order of fish...
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9045664#post9045664 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Prater
I think they are pretty slow and stupid in the pecking order of fish...
Click to expand...

slow and stupid in the pecking order of all animals. There a fish equivelent of the yippity little dogs that get on everyones nerves!
 
Hehe - I'd agree that this may be age related.

Also, that powerhead may not be providing the right kind of flow. What sort of powerhead is it and how much flow is it providing?

Also, is this a 25g tank that is plumbed into something else? Or is it standalone. If standalone, I suspect this may be related as well to water quality issues. How often do you do water changes? How much at a time? You might want to increase that.
 
You have to have a good skimmer if you want a chance of keeping the waste that feeds tha algae down. Don't skimp, get a good one. Your tank also needs to age, it hasn't really been up long enough to be cleaned up.
 
Ah, come on, you don't HAVE to have a good skimmer. It can help a tank, but isn't absolutely required. Also, for an inexpensive alternative if on a budget, check into Coralife Super Skimmers. They do very well, especially for the price.

If you do not have a skimmer, you will have to accomplish water quality through other means. That is where Remote Deep Sand Beds or more aggressive water changes, etc, comes in.
 
I ran this tank for three years in Idaho without a skimmer, and it seemed to work ok. :) The sand is only about an inch and a half, so possibly I could add more. Not sure I want to spend the money on a skimmer if I can help it. The powerhead is a small basic one you can get at PetSmart for $20, but the backpack is an AQUA-Tech 30-60, way more then the tank needs, and provides a lot of water movement as well.
At this point I'll try and add some sand (good excuse to put more in the big tank too :) ), and increase water changes. Guess if that doesn't work in the next few months I'll have to pony up and get a protein skimmer, but we'll see. :) Thanks for the inputs. :)
 
Nothing is "required" but you are not allowed to cry about the outcome.

If you do 50% water changes (which is pretty aggressive) and you have .8 phosphates and everything goes perfect you will still have .4 phosphates. That's a plenty for that algae to stay nice and green. Not to mention the nitrate levels.

I have run cheap ones and good ones, there is a lot to be said for a good skimmer. Skimp on something besides the skimmer.

No I am not affiliated with any skimmer company. I am just speaking from experience.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9047174#post9047174 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by corwise
The powerhead is a small basic one you can get at PetSmart for $20...
Click to expand...
I'd improve your flow. That powerhead is practically worthless as it is providing laminar flow that contributes little to the overall health of the tank. Go get yourself one of these:

SEIO m620 - $35 on DrsFosterSmith.com - 620 GPH
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=12074&N=2004+113040

Hydor Koralia 2 - $35 on DrsFosterSmith.com - 600 GPH
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=15955&inm=1&N=2004+22788+2035

Tunze Nano-Stream 6025 - $62 on PremiumAquatics.com - 660 GPH
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...duct_Code=T6025.000&Category_Code=Tunze_pumps

The difference in a tank between Laminar and Diffuse flow is huge and very important.
 
I had green hair and mostly brown hair algea all over my walls rocks ect it was aweful. i let my ro/di filters get old. never happen again. THE CURE: bought a phosphate reactor, did water changes weekly with new ro/di filters for 3 weeks and used algone in a small filter to absorb nitrates----Tank is now after 3 weeks clean as a freshly washed babys butt lol cut back on my lighting to 8 hrs a day instead of 10. corals are now thriving and tank looks great---I think the phosphate reactor and algone really helped after i changed my ro/di filters!!!!
www.algone.com
 
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