Hair algae control...suggestions?

E

ewoktwo

New member
I am the proud parent of a 75 gal tank and 20 gal sump/ refugium that has been up and running for about 4 months now. I was doing my homework and trying to get everything set up right, but despite my best efforts at salinity control, RODI water, light cycle manipulation, a 24/7 refugium light with macro algaes, tank herbivores, and phosphate binders, I am still sprouting frighteningly impressive amounts of Chia Pet-like hair algae on my live rocks. The purple algaes are doing well, but they can't keep up with the hair algae. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 
Well, you tell us some good things about your setup but you don't mention whether you have a good quality protein skimmer. That's the first thing that you ought to address with this issue. You also don't mention whether you've been doing regular and significant water changes. Overfeeding, even if it doesn't seem like it, is something else to be concerned with.
 
I agree with the statement ^^above^^....

Also, depending on your livestock, you may want to think about purchasing a "clean-up crew" of hermits or other natural predators of algae.
 
I am skimming with a AquaC Remora, and my livestock consists of a purple tang, a mandarin goby, and several zoanthid colonies. I do have a fair hermit and Mexican turbo crew, but I have considered adding more. I also haven't done water changes, but do replace about 10 gallons a week in evaporative losses.
 
With only two fish like you have, there should only be feeding of the most minimal kind. The Mandarin would be taking pods that live in and on the live rock and the Tang would thrive on the micro-algaes that you have growing which is the subject of your problem. If all you have by way of coral are some zoanthid colonies, you needn't be putting any food in for them because they'd do fine with just the lighting that is on the tank. So, since you have a fairly productive skimmer I have to conclude that your hair algae over-growth would be due to a combination of overfeeding and lack of water changes resulting in the buildup of nutients in the water with which your skimmer is unable to keep up. So, cut down on the food you add to the tank, feeding maybe every other day in even smaller amounts than you feed now and do a 20% water change once a week. I'd bet that you'd see results pretty quickly.
 
What are you feeding? What are your phosphate levels? Frozen foods can contain large amounts of phosphates that will feed the HA. I had a HA problem for about 6 months. Despite my best efforts (frequent water changes, reducing my lighting schedule, reduced feedings, etc...) I couldn't kick it. After I set up an HOB aquafuge with a big ball of cheato, my HA finally was beat. My aquafuge is more of an algae scrubber than a true fuge, but it works. Water changes are the first step. The quickly remove what is feeding the HA. Don't give up, you can beat it, but it takes time... If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.
 
I am actually not feeding my tank anything. I have not, however, done the water changes, and I will be fixing that this weekend. I have not measured the phosphate level in my tank, but because I did cure live rock in the tank when I first set up, I have had a phosphate binder in the tank nearly from day 1. By the way, I have a power compact 4 tube light on the 75 (2 actinic, 2 white) and the Jalli refugium PC over the fuge. The tank is on 12 hours of actinic, 8 hours of full lighting, and the refugium is 24/7.
 
ewoktwo....seems that you are taking care of business, with the exception of the water changes, which you're intent on remedying. I do think that there's one thing more that you're system may be weak in...the protein skimmer. Remora's are rated for 20-75 gallons. I really believe that the protein skimmer is the most essential piece of equipment in a reef setup and the skimmer on a reef should be over-rated for the tank it's on. In the case of yours, though, it's rated for...at most...a 75-gallon tank. In addition to the water changes, if you could up-grade your skimmer, I think that would make the difference you need and you're reef would be in great shape.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7075424#post7075424 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ewoktwo
I have had a phosphate binder in the tank nearly from day 1. By the way, .
Click to expand...

I might be wrong ... but I don't think phoshate binder will bind all types of phosphate. You need to test for it and even then it might not show up it use rate is in equalibrium with it's creation rate. IE it's being used up by the algee as soon as it's made.

Anyway, you need to start water changes. This should have a large impact if you keep up with it on a weekly basis using RO/DI water.
 
never ever relie your water changes by evaporation thats the worst thing a reefer could do because all the bad chemicals and etc. will keep doubling by seconds because its not taken out of the system. topping of water for evaporation should not be considered as water change. the best thing to do is do a 10% water change every two weeks(with good quality water rodi) and you'll see hair algea disapearing
 
Regardless of any filtration and lighting schemes, food and nutrient import play a large role in nuisance algae problems. Simply put, just like Mary explained an easy fix is to totally stop feeding fish so that they are forced to eat it. If you like expensive foods then that is all you will eat, but if there is a lack of expensive and tasty foods the fish will eat fast food or the nuisance algae as a suppliment. You will still need to figure out where your nutrients are coming from, whether it be food, lighting issue(bulb life), chemistry suppliments, or any other variable or substance put into the tank. Amount of bioload also is a contributing factor. I hope this helps a little. Have any more questions please let me know.

thanks,

Rick
 
Oh I almost forgot about the phosphates. Even though phosphates can be bound in a binding agent, they can not be taken out of the water column if the phosphate is bound to another substance like calcium, nitrite, nitrate, or any other organic. They will be taken out through skimming but at a slower rate than removing through water changes. I trust that you are doing the right thing here and won't explain any further.

thanks,

Rick
 
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