Hair Algae Help

[awilliams4806]

I think I have hair algae. It is not green like I have seen pics of but is more of a brownish color. I have it every where. I think the cause of it is old pc bulbs that I never replaced I've just been replacing the MH bulbs. My nitrates and phos are at 0 but im sure that is because the algae is using them all up. I have been dosing algae fix 3 doses now, and the stuff will come right off the walls and rocks if I blow it or brush it with my fingers or anything I do to it makes it come off. However I can clean the whole tank walls all the rocks and siphon all of it out, but it will be back the next day in the same places. Does that sound like hair algae. I have turned the PC lights off to help with the problem as well until I can replace them.

 

[falconut]

I've gone through bouts of this over the years. Just finishing up my last one. I would recommend getting a reactor and running GFO. The rocks probably have absorbed some PO4. I was using it, but wasn't changing the GFO enough, so it started coming back. I started changing it weekly and it started to disapear. I also added AlgaeFix Marine (about 5 - 6 doses) plus added another reactor with Warner Marine EcoBAK to help control NO3 & PO4. I believe all the above helped, but the GFO I believe was the most important. I started to regenerate my GFO and it seams to be working, so I shouldn't have to spend a fortune on it. If you decide on GFO, you might want to search for the GFO Regeneration thread. HTH

 

[zachfishman]

I've recently had a bit of a GHA relapse. I'm wary of using chemicals like AlgaeFix, so I've started GFO, decreased my photoperiod a little (used to run 11hrs), and have bought a mexican turbo (tank is 29g). Without a major grazer (just had a handful of Astrea snails) the GHA didn't have much competition. The turbo has been going nuts, and if my other measures decrease the GHA growth rate any I should start seeing decreases.

 

[Floowid]

The brownish, easily hand removed algae is much easier to deal with than the green resilient stuff, IME. As already noted, get some more snails, they take care of the brown stuff easily, and run GFO, it helps.