Hair Algae Problem!!

[KBurn]

I'm battling Green Hair Algae in my tank, the thing that's driving me crazy is the fact that I have a kole and Sohal tang that refuse to touch the stuff! I don't get it? I also bought some throcus snails (spelling?) and they won't touch it either, I even sat on down in the middle of it and it refuses to move!

Do I have some weird type of GHA that fish and snails don't like? I've seen some articles that talk about people that purposely grow GHA for their tangs, right?

 

[KRASHPD]

Can you post some pictures? Are you sure you have hair algae and not bryopsis? Lawnmower blenny's have always done a good job for me and you have a large tank so it should be able to do well in there. The other option depending on what you have it so raise the magnesium above 1800 which has been shown to kill it off and not effect the livestock. Just search for bryopsis and magnesium.

 

[KBurn]

This is what it looks like, kinda hard to spot, but it's along the bottom half! LOL

This isn't my tank, lol, but it does look like the hair algae pictured, I've been raising my Mag, slowly, does it need to be gradual?

 

[Vanpire]

Oh my gosh. I will kill myself if my tank looked like that.

 

[KBurn]

LOL, me too, my problem doesn't even compare, but I want to get it under control regardless.

 

[KRASHPD]

Yeah, don't raise it too fast. Also, you can buy more expensive stuff like Kent magnesium or just use cheap ol Epson Salt. That tank has so much hair algae it almost looks cool. Like a saltwater planted tank

 

[azcraig]

Nothing will eat it, so don't bother trying that route. Doing everything you can to be sure the water parameters are perfect and raising mag levels will slowly (very slowly) start to turn it brown. At that time try to remove as much as you can manually and skim like crazy. It takes time and patience. I eventually pulled and scrubbed all my rock to completely eliminate it.

 

[KBurn]

My water parameters are perfect, skimming wet, dosing mag, and bastering the brown algae away and the filter sock catches it. I'm also running GFO, and I'm feeding way less and rinsing the frozen food now.

Hopefully it will just be a waiting game, thanks for your guys help.

 

[KarlBob]

Sounds familiar. I recently started rinsing wet food, and I've cut back on feeding. I think I might start dosing magnesium, too. Any guidelines on proper doses of epson salt, or should I just start with a spoonful and test magnesium before and after to see how much it moved?

 

[4218kris]

atr has some really nice seahares right now they will eat it pretty fast

 

[shramj]

I have some macroalgae growing in my tank and I was thinking about giving one of these a shot. I know they will release a dye if a fish tries to mess with it but will they harm any corals?

 

[ADA33]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14224079#post14224079 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by KarlBob
Sounds familiar. I recently started rinsing wet food, and I've cut back on feeding. I think I might start dosing magnesium, too. Any guidelines on proper doses of epson salt, or should I just start with a spoonful and test magnesium before and after to see how much it moved?

A few spoonfuls probably won't do much at all. Here is a calculater I use. It has different options for suppliments.
http://jdieck1.home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chemcalc.html

 

[littletruong]

wow kevin that is crazy!!!! looks cool though, but hope you get it under control

 

[m-six hundred]

WOW!

 

[m-six hundred]

Ok take out the rock. Take a tooth brush and scrub every rock in ro water. That took care of my problem.

 

[Vanpire]

I am not sure if epsom salt is the best way to go. I heard there were some issues with it but I don't remember. You can try magnesium cloride. You can buy it in bulk not to expensively.

 

[KBurn]

Just to be clear!! That is not my tank, lol, just an example pic of the kind of hair algae!! I don't want to be associated with that tank, here's a pic of my tank:

 

[iamwrasseman]

i am using kent marine tech M and it works well to raise mag .from what i have heard its something in the kent marine tech M that kills off the algea ,not sure but it's at 1650 and the algea is dying very fast and easily removed . i raised my 150 gal tank about 25 ppm a day ,there were a few that i double dosed and had no ill effects used about $15 worth now i just have to maintain it at that level and i think it will be kicked in a minute . not trying to steal tread just telling you what i did . i also stepped up my water changes and gfo increased also . good luck

 

[m-six hundred]

im telling ya. if you dont have big corals glued to your rocks. Take them out and scrub them with a tooth brush.

 

[iamwrasseman]

yup i have a big brush that i have used to help me get to where i am ,its almost gone now .the brush is 4"by2" and it works great especially now that my mag is so high the algea is just so weak so i can get it all off except some small nooks and crannys . my pencil urchants have it on thier spines and i think thats what is spreading it slowly . i pretty much got it licked but its a battle , i have 24 wrasses in 130 gallons of tanks with a common sump so the boiload is very high .skimmer goes crazy about a quart of skimmate a day very dark and thick .