Hair algae

[Kung]

After being severly burned by being told that I don't know what I am doing because I have hair algae, I started to wonder if anyone out there could honestly say they had NEVER had hair algae.

I have. Once or twice. I currently don't have an RO/DI, so it's not easy and I've been neglectful. I'm working on it.

PS - if anyone has an RO/DI they want rid of . . . hit me up.

 

[LtPiper]

I can honestly say I never had hair algae.










Then I sat up my first saltwater tank. Even with RO/DI it's always in there lurking somewhere.

 

[Baldwin]

I;ve had it before, but I don't have a reef tank, it's different when you have ALL the fish i do and a high nutrient load. I wouldn't think that with a small nutrient load you would have hair algae? What's you bio load consist of? Oh and just some advice before you set up a reef tank try to make sure that you have all the neccessary components (rodi or distilled water source, or clean water source, proper filtration, proper lighting, etc.) We owe it to our animals!

 

[Altpers0na]

i have farmed air algae. i was good at it, i had red and green and brown. short , long, slimy, hairy..

i think, i spotted flowers at one point...

 

[coralreefer]

I imagine everybody's battled it at some time. If they haven't their algae de jour out competed it for nutrients. :fun4:

When the PO4 input exceeds PO4 export some type of nasty will grow.

I don't know if whoever bashed your husbandry mentioned it but....
try blowing your rocks OK I know that sounds bad with a turkey baster or power head. Detritus tends to get trapped by hair algae which in turn feeds it.
Ain't evolution a wonderful thing. :lolspin:

Paul I occasionally still get small patches of your green slimy...thanks for sharing the love man.:wildone:

 

[carb850]

I'm fighting a bit of hair algae myself currently and one things that I know I need to do is... as Amy mentioned blowing off my rocks. Actually, I have one of my two Tunze 6101's recently die and already I'm seeing a lot of detritus collecting on the bottom which used to get caught in the water column and taken to my sump. Which reminds me, I need to get that pump sent out tomorrow!

 

[Altpers0na]

ur welcome

 

[Baldwin]

Hey Kung maybe you could pm rsuplido or spinnerbayt, I can hardly see any hair algae in their tanks, they may have some tips for you.

 

[Kung]

Clean water for water changes, actually doing water changes, increasing my flow, are all things that are on my list.

Honestly, mine isn't that bad right now, just a couple spots. What you so kindly pointed out on my back glass is more of a green film that grows over time, and I haven't scraped it in a LOOOOONG time.

 

[Baldwin]

Well maybe you should clean it before taking a shot, like Scott's post said a picture is worth a thousand words. Their's nothing wrong with hair algae, but when you act like you know everything you shouldn't have any.

 

[coralreefer]

Hey Kung maybe you could pm rsuplido or spinnerbayt, I can hardly see any hair algae in their tanks, they may have some tips for you.

Ya know I've never had more than a passing problem, week or two, with hair algae in twelve years. Using *gasp* tap for most of those years and old bulbs more times than I care to admit.
I don't have a problem because of the "tips" I've already outlined. :hmm4:

When I have had a problem looking back at my tank logs usually IDs the cause.

Now I'll probably have a major outbreak tomorrow because I just said that. :spin3:

 

[LtPiper]

** Runs and throws all his in Amy's tank ** That'll keep her busy for a few weeks.

 

[Kung]

Thanks, Amy. I usually don't have issues, either. Like I said, I'm going to up my flow real soon (like when I get my tax return) and that should blow off some of the rock. It certainly does need it.

 

[Baldwin]

Kung what will help your tank more than anything is a sea hare.

 

[jmccown]

Just saw this thread. I have never once had hair algae. When I first got into SW hobby I had a small bloom of diatoms but it went away. I do not use RO water. I use pure spring water that runs off a mountain behind my house. Must be good stuff because all my fish have thrived for years, my water remains crystal clear all the time. As you guys know I have a heavy stocked FOWLR and feed pretty heavy as well.

 

[rsuplido]

My blue-legged hermit crabs will immediately take care of GHA when they can get to it. I usually get them through frags. I have some on the back side of my tank that I can't reach because of some rocks. The crabs can't reach them as well, so they have grown longer.