Help with persistent Hair Algae Problem

[sps_addict]

If you don't have any corals in there, leave your lights off for a few days. I would also recommend if you can, remove the rocks that have the algae and cook them for a few days.

Cook in terms of removing them and placing them in salt water in a dark place for several days/weeks with circulation. For the sand bed a tiger tail cucumber does a great job.

 

[J.R.L.]

i recently just won the hair algae battle myself in my 75g........first thing i did was persistent manual removal and water changes, most importantly i would bet your problem is your phosphates....buy some PO4 remover and you can either run it in a filter sock like i did to save money (will take about a month to rid your HA) or buy a PO4 reactor and it will probably go away faster...but while you are running PO4 remover keep up with your manual removal and water changes

 

[serolis7]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12990893#post12990893 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Erasmus
About six weeks out, the problem is back with a vengeance. I purchased a phosphate reactor, and have been running it for about a month. I also adjusted the rock work slightly to improve flow in the algae-prone areas. For the first week or two it seemed to be helping---it seemed like the war was finally won. Sadly, the tide has turned, and I'm now back to where I was before. In fact, the algae is now more prevalent than in the photos above.

That is because phosphate reactors treat phosphate that is dissolved in the water. If your phosphates are 0 in the water, the reactor is not going to help you a lot.

Again, no 'trates, 'trites, or phosphate. Weekly water changes with RO/DI. Is it possible my bulbs (both the T5 and MH are the stock bulbs that came with my Orbit fixture) are causing the problem, as the previous poster suggests? I still haven't increased my cleaning crew, but could do that as well if folks have recommendations for particular numbers or species for a 90g.

You can't still have zero dissolved phosphates and still have an algae problem. My guess is that most of your algae issues are on the rocks, not the glass. In which case, what is happening is that phosphate-rich sediment is directly feeding your algae. "Scrubbing" your rocks in water is not going to help--in fact it could make things worse by causing die-off that will then release dissolved phosphates. Plus, scrubbing does not actually remove the problem which is sediment that has settled deep inside the nooks and crannies of the live rock. Now, understand that these nooks go very deep into the live rock--we're talking inches. That's a lot of space for sediment to settle. You are going to have to blow that sediment out of the rocks with a turkey baster. Some people use a power head, but I've found a baster more effective for getting at the sediment which is deep inside the rock.

This sediment must be removed from the system via mechanical means. I've found some kind of sock or sponge filter to work best. Probably the most common flaw I've seen in reef and especially nano tank designs is that there is no good way to remove sediment from the system.

 

[Erasmus]

Thanks for all the advice. I too suspect that the rocks themselves are the culprit---I have no HA (or any other type, really) on either the glass or the sand. I'm reluctant to tear the whole tank apart to cook the rocks, and don't yet have any corals, so I'm going to try some in-tank remedies first. I hit the rocks with a power head today, and it sure did kick up a lot of particulate, although most of it looked like sand powder, frankly. I've turned off the lights and will keep them off for a while. Will see how things look next week and will report back.

With respect to the previous poster's point about a particulate filter, I do run a filter sock in my sump, although I doubt mucht of the sediment makes it up and through the overflow at the back of the tank---most of it probably settles back on the sand or rocks. I do syphon out all visible debris during the weekly water changes, but are you suggesting I attach some sort of hang-on canister filter to try and improve the sediment extraction?

FWIW, I've also changed the substrate in my Phosban reactor (and plan to continue bi-weekly changes for a while) and confirmed the water phosphates are 0.01 with a Hanna meter, so we're hopefully clear there---although never have had any high phosphate readings with my old Salifert kit either.

 

[Magga Pie]

I recently put in a sea-hare slug and he takes care of all my algae

 

[Erasmus]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13022132#post13022132 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Magga Pie
I recently put in a sea-hare slug and he takes care of all my algae

Been there, done that. He ate well, alright, until he died. And took my pH with him. Too many horror stories of nuked tanks to go that route again, thanks. Luckily my fish and shrimp survived, but I had several crabs and snails die off after the hare bomb.

 

[Magga Pie]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13022182#post13022182 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Erasmus
Been there, done that. He ate well, alright, until he died. And took my pH with him. Too many horror stories of nuked tanks to go that route again, thanks. Luckily my fish and shrimp survived, but I had several crabs and snails die off after the hare bomb.

Really? I hear different opinions on this. Iv heard that they will crash your tanks and that they wont? As soon as he eats all my algae hes back to the fish store. They loaned it to me to eat some of my algae.

 

[serolis7]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13021822#post13021822 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Erasmus
Thanks for all the advice. I too suspect that the rocks themselves are the culprit---I have no HA (or any other type, really) on either the glass or the sand. I'm reluctant to tear the whole tank apart to cook the rocks, and don't yet have any corals, so I'm going to try some in-tank remedies first. I hit the rocks with a power head today, and it sure did kick up a lot of particulate, although most of it looked like sand powder, frankly. I've turned off the lights and will keep them off for a while. Will see how things look next week and will report back.

I would really try the turkey baster. I found that the power head was not able to get deep into the crevices of the live rock. You'd be surprised how deep they go. The trick is to blow the sediment out of the crevices. The surface sediment is really only the tip of the iceberg.

With respect to the previous poster's point about a particulate filter, I do run a filter sock in my sump, although I doubt mucht of the sediment makes it up and through the overflow at the back of the tank---most of it probably settles back on the sand or rocks. I do syphon out all visible debris during the weekly water changes, but are you suggesting I attach some sort of hang-on canister filter to try and improve the sediment extraction?

No, I'm not suggesting a canister filter. I have in the past used a sponge filter and am currently using a sock filter. What matters is that you have a mechanical removal method of some kind. It is true that most of the sediment you blow off will end up on the sand. When you do your water change, just vacuum it up. The important thing is that you are removing sediment at a rate that is equal to or greater than the rate at which it is being produced. This is not an instant fix. It has taken me weeks to get my algae problem under control. I've had to do this every day for the past three weeks.

All I can say is that it worked for me, and I had a severe algae problem.