hair algae getting worse

[o2bnh20]

My tanks about 15 mo. old. About 4 months ago I noticed hair algae starting to pop up. Now it's all over my tank. Although not as bad elsewhere as in the picture, I can't get rid of it. I have a lawnmower Bleeny...Won't touch it. Other that cutting off the lights for a week(which would kill my corals, which are doing good)
I'm out of ideas.

some background:
58g main
30g fuge
ph=8.2
sg=1.026
alk=3.4meg/l
Cal=430
PO4=undetectable
NO3=0.2ppm

I use phospan continuously

I have a good stand of chaeto in my fuge, and all kinds of critters

what am I doing wrong?

 

[OCEANUS]

I've noticed my Lawnmower blenny will not touch it unless it is short. Manually pull it out and see if the Blenny will take interest in the small short tufts of algae that are left. There are alot of different procedures you can carry out. I would read some of the Hair algae threads and see if it gives you any ideas.

 

[basilhog]

I have a scopis tang that can clean a 55 gal in a matter of days.

 

[kmk2307]

How much lighting do you have on your 'fuge? Does your chaeto grow rapidly? It may be outcompeted by the HA. Perhaps if the chaeto is limited by light you could boost its growth rate by adding more light. Screw in 40W PC bulbs and hanging dome-shaped shop or reptile terrarium light fixtures make a cheap but powerful 'fuge light. I run two of these on my 20L fuge. Do you have any snails?

HTH,
Kevin

 

[o2bnh20]

The lighting is as follows:main tank-2-250W MH's w/2-96WPC's
fuge:65W Dual 6700K White/10000K White SunPaqPowerCompact
My chaeto grows very well. I have to trim it back every other week.

I do mave many crabs and snails. I've thought about shaving the algae off the LR because I think your right Oceanus that the bleeny might eat it if it's short.

I have considered getting a Tang. I might try somehow to spread a black plastic sheet over the LR to block out the light, although I don'y know how to keep it there?

 

[OCEANUS]

Putting something over the algae is sort of just a quick aesthetic cure. It will die but nutrients or other factors affecting your aquarium will still grow it. FWIW. I used to attach Chaeto over the top of hair algae areas and it would block light and kill the hair algae.

 

[o2bnh20]

But once the hair algae established it's just not going to die off. It's getting the same nutrients that the macroalgae are using. So they're both thrieving. I just want to get rid of the hair algae, not the chaeto.

 

[Worldwithin]

Dont forget that there is a finite amount of nutrients within your tank, and by adding something that will compete for those nutirents will generally cause the weaker of the two (usually the hair algae) to loose. Yes, this takes time and patience, but if you can maintain a good harvesting of the hair algae while letting the other macroalgae grow, it will out compete the hair algae.

 

[dougisom@hotmail.com]

Get a foxface (rabbitfish). Your hair algae will be gone within days. However, so will any other plantlife you may have. Most tangs will do the trick as well.

 

[masterswimmer]

I have a YT, LMB and a Foxface Rabbitfish and a sea hare. They don't touch it unless it's short. My HA is driving me nuts. My params are all good. I've shortened photo period. Feed every other day. Scrubbed rocks, etc. I am now trying AZ-NO3 and I'm in day 10. The HA is starting to turn a silvery color and clumps are falling off rocks. So far it seems to be working. Will only know for sure when it is completely gone, but the stars are beginning to line up!!

Russ

 

[kmk2307]

masterswimmer,

Just out of curiosity, what kind of sea hare do you keep? What is it eating?

Thanks,
Kevin

 

[km133688]

I have had great luck with cowrie snails (large ones) and urchins. They both ate the long stuff like true lawnmowers. I am also suprised the seahare isn't doing his job. There is a guy on RC who even shows pics of the super job his does. Maybe you need another one right out of the store (so its hungry).

Good luck.

 

[Bobalouy]

I recently set up my fish saltwater tank (12g nanocube) and had a huge hair algae outbreak after the cycle. I added 3 emerald crabs and they love the stuff, They ate all the algae within a week.

One thing that I did notice is they would not touch it if it was too long, over an inch, so I ripped the long stuff out by hand.

 

[masterswimmer]

[welcome] Anthony

 

[masterswimmer]

masterswimmer,

Just out of curiosity, what kind of sea hare do you keep? What is it eating?

Thanks,
Kevin

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=726

That's the one, Aplysia punctata.

Guess it's hit or miss with them, just like anything else in this hobby. He does eat a little bit, but by no means is he clearing a path either.

Russ