Holy Hair Algae Batman!

[jallen18]

Posting for a family member:

Ok, so the tank is out of the cycle process as far as we know (0 ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate), phosphates are reading 0.25.
We've added around 6 Cerith, 2 Turbo grazers, and 4 Margarita snails.
There is one seemingly happy Yellow Tang. What should we expect as far as this clearing up? What can make it go faster?

 

[ludnix]

Are you using RO/DI water?

 

[buiboy]

New tank? Mine went through cycles of green hair, cyano, diatoms and then after like 3-4 months it all just went away.

 

[jallen18]

Yes, RO/DI AWI 5 stage. It's an ELOS system 160 with the ELOS sump and skimmer. The tank has been up and running for around 2 months.

 

[jallen18]

Also, rock is all marco rock, was cured in rubbermaids for a few days, then sunbleached dry before being placed in tank.

 

[sabbath]

-Make sure your RO/DI TDS is 0

-Pick as much by hand as possible every couple days.

-Get a phosban reactor and get bulk GFO and change it out once a week until it is almost gone. Then 2 weeks then 3... The GFO will be getting spent VERY fast!

-Make sure the Skimmer is working good.

-Don't over feed

 

[ser_renely]

good lord.

 

[ju66alo6]

I have nvr seen that much hair before.

 

[Tswifty]

holy sh... holy sh... HOLY SH...!

 

[Vauche]

Ok, I was in your boat about 2-3 weeks ago with about that much hair algea myself. What I did was pretty simple, the only stipulation is that you can't have any light needing organisms.

I simply just turned the lights out for all but 3-4 hours at night and then just to feed the fish. When lights came on it was only actinics. I did this for about 2 weeks maybe a little less.
I did have a much larger CUC 60 snails total divided between nassarius, ceriths, margarita, and turbo. The key I found to get the snails to work for you is you might have to trim the hair algea down. Just take some scissors and give it a hair cut!
I can't promise it will work for you but everyday I noticed that more and more of it was gone. By gone I mean disappeared, disinegrated. Today I have absolutely NO hair algea. Be prepared though, when the algea goes away, if fast enough, it can throw you chemistry off a little as right now the algea is taking all the nitrates and phosphates in.
I do not have any phosban reactors or anything like that. I just modified how much I fed, meaning less (but still too much I'm sure). Only thing is now it is cyano I believe so phosban reactor may be a good choice too, everyone seems to love them! Not sure, haven't begun the research on eliminating that yet, but it will begin soon.

 

[NorCalReef]

When I had an outbreak I took each rock out and scrubbed it down to remove the algae. I was a pain in the ... but worked.

 

[BeesGoneWild]

Read through this link, it will provide you with 15 ways to help you get rid of your nuisance algae problem.

http://www.brettsreef.com/index.php/tips-on-battling-nuisance-algae-in-the-marine-aquarium/

 

[jallen18]

Thanks for all the replies guys, some good stuff to try, I'll direct him to this post.

 

[jdmcivicek9]

the thing that helped me rid my tank of hair algae was to get my params up like alk, calc, mag...and once i got them to where they needed to be all the algae went away...plus i added a refugium to my tank with chaeto.