Hair Algae

[ReeferRyan]

I have recently noticed hair algae growing in my refugium. Is this a major problem? I have no HA in my display, but it is all over the walls of my fuge. Could this be why my chaeto is not growing also?

 

[ReeferRyan]

Nobody?

I know it has been said before that cyano was ok in a fuge, but is HA? I have the chance to clean it out easily right now, and if I need to get it out of there I would prefer do it now before it goes back under the tank where I can't reach it.

 

[Reefer33]

Well I think I would harvest it out of the fuge little by little...but in reality I think you should be glad you only have it in the fuge and not in the main tank, I would definitely say that's a good thing it's contained only within the fuge. I think it will eventually cycle through as the chaeto begins to start growing...just my thought.

 

[ReeferRyan]

Thanks.

 

[Reefer33]

No prob!

 

[MyMonkey]

I would acctually remove every little bit possible from the fuge. I would shut down the pumps, empty the fuge and remove every filament of that nasty stuff. I only say this for fear of it spreading to your display, which it will likely do. I have had the nastiest of HA outbreaks for 6 months now. I got it from a piece of what I thought was nice Live Rock that had HA on it. Next thing you know: BAM! It was everywhere. You certainly don't want that. Just my experience.

 

[Freed]

I agree with MyMonkey. Nasty stuff. MyMonkey is right so spank it now while you can before it blows into a full fledged HA outbreak in the main system, which it will eventually.

 

[ReeferRyan]

I actually did just that. I emptied all of my macro and scraped the sides with a razor blade. It looks a lot better and it even looks like my chaeto is actually growing now.

The weird thing is that now my corals are acting really strange since I did it. Some don't appear to be affected but some of my SPS and LPS keep retracting for no reason. Periodically one will just shrink like something stung it, but the only thing different is no HA in the fuge. I tested PO4 and they are still normal. Any ideas?

 

[MyMonkey]

Hmmm... The only time I have seen something like that was from the introduction of a chemical to my system. It was odd, some corals showed no signs at all. While others were wilting. I added extra carbon for a week and it went away. Not positive, but that may help.

 

[ReeferRyan]

I may have to do that. I added a fish on Sunday along with 4 corals, but they didn't start doing anythig strange until Tuesday after I did the HA removal. Thanks for the advice.