Losing the hair algae battle

[Itaysworld]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14835987#post14835987 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by THE ROOK
So true.

I found the thread about Algeafix, may be worth a read.


http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1595003&highlight=algaefix

Thanks guys.

Any thoughts about the sea hare starving itself once the majority of the algae is consumed or finally rid of?

Also another thing that troubles me about a sea hare is that I read that they are pretty sensitive, and though my water chemistry seems to be in line according to my tests the turbo snails are unhappy... I have 6 active snails out of 20. The rest are either dead or dying or just completely lethargic...

My LFS recommeded adding sand sifting sea stars to keep the DSB a bit more aerated. Any reactions to that recommendation?


Thanks again!

 

[THE ROOK]

Just consider the sea hare like many other fixes. When your all set you stop using them. Juat give him back to the LFS or to a fellow reefer. Mine has been in my tank for about 3 weeks & it's helping. Certainly not a cure but much easier than the constant manual removal.

 

[Itaysworld]

A lil'update -

I spent the better half of yesterday afternoon with my hands in the tank, and after a long -back breaking session - of scrubbing the rocks, blowing debris, detritus and algae with a turkey baster, and with the canister filter running and sucking as much as possible I made a big dent in the current algae on my rocks.

I must say that the algae is definitely 'looser' than it was before. Some was easier to remove, while some was still pretty attached, but all in all I do feel like its weakening in color and in how its attached, but by no means have I won this battle.

My PC lights have been off for 2 days, as well, and I'm overskimming pretty wet. I don't know if this has helped yet. The filter socks are definitely gunky - but it may just be because of my scrubbing.

I'm going to give it until after the weekend to see if there is any significant regrowth and will continue to closely monitor the situation.

My LFS does not have a sea hare in stock so I don't think that's an option for the time being.

I would also like to hold off on chemical treatments as long as I can. I think this thread is helping me overcome my sense of desperation when I was first making these posts. I thank you all for that

I read the thread on AlgaeFix and it seems to be working very well for most.
I must say though that I was a little discouraged by the information I found elsewhere on the web with tales of horror and death in many systems - if at all possible I'd like to stay away from such treatments but if this situation doesn't improve significantly I may be giving it a shot.

Have any of you used or currently dose products that have potassium permanganate to reduce organic matter?

Great weekend to all!
(the beautiful weather seems to have arrived to the east coast!)

 

[johnike]

Another Sea Hare fan here! It's a great way to help keep it mowed while fixing the source problem. I just gave mine away after it CLEARED my 180 in about a month. Also, chaeto in the sump works great also. Good luck, John

 

[Itaysworld]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14843371#post14843371 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by johnike
Another Sea Hare fan here! It's a great way to help keep it mowed while fixing the source problem. I just gave mine away after it CLEARED my 180 in about a month. Also, chaeto in the sump works great also. Good luck, John

Thanks John -

I have cheato in my sump as well. I just hope it would be removing more nutrients


As far as a sea hare goes... I know everything needs to be in quarantine before it enters the tank.. that's how I've had the safe and successful track record with my livestock, but I've always purchased from my local LFS, which I trust and has a separate QT system where everything is medicated and treated for weeks before its sold to me...

If I were to go online and purchase a sea hare... I don't yet have a QT of my own at home. Putting one in quarantine would not be helping my display tank for weeks

 

[THE ROOK]

Sounds like your giving it a run. I'm about to do the same. I started vodka dosing. I also want to save the chemicals for last resort.

Don't see any need to QT inverts. No different from the rest of your clean-up crew (snails, crabs, shrimp, etc.). Only harm that I know of, is that they could die & raise ammonia. Just need to keep an eye on them & once the tank is clear just give him back to the LFS.

 

[sanababit]

Try algaefix marine, it seems to be working on other tanks, i am going to try it out on a 90% sps tank with some hair algae that is starting, i want to nip it in the butt before it gets out of hand

sana

 

[hawkfishman]

get ya a sea hare and if you feeding any flakes or pellets stop!

 

[Itaysworld]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14844076#post14844076 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sanababit
Try algaefix marine, it seems to be working on other tanks, i am going to try it out on a 90% sps tank with some hair algae that is starting, i want to nip it in the butt before it gets out of hand

sana

Thanks Sana - yeah - I definitely recommend getting a hold of the situation before you have a fuzzy, furry, hard to look at without frowning tank...

Like I said though - I would like to keep chemical solutions as a last last last resort.

 

[Itaysworld]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14844145#post14844145 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hawkfishman
get ya a sea hare and if you feeding any flakes or pellets stop!

Hawkfishman - I'm only feeding frozen mysis shrimp and every 10 days or so I give my RBTA a piece of baby scallop.

I have pellets - but I haven't used them in a while because of their contribution to 'bad stuff in the water'.


Funny thing is that I was determined to get a hairy sea hare based on the recommendations I got on this thread, but I cannot seem to find any retailer or online store with one in stock. Murphy's Law.

Anyone here know where to get a hairy hare? (say that 3 times fast! )

Thanks,

 

[noahm]

If you get the proper urchin, other than picking up hermits, snails, frags etc., it will devastate any HA problem. I have two and have never had them hurt anything else even thought they will climb all over EVERYthing. I think they tend to fare better w/o food than a Hare.

 

[johnike]

Mine's floating around the Greater Iowa Reef Club somewhere in the Quad Cities area. Maybe Modemagic and his gang are done with it.

 

[Itaysworld]

Hello - Wanted to post an update.

I think I'm finally making a big dent in the algae problem!!

About 3 weeks ago I added a sea hare ans slowly but surely a lot of the bigger patches of hair algae began disappearing. The hare is hard to spot a times. I couldn't find it for days, but every once in a while it would show up on the rocks munching away, and the impact is definitely being noticed.

I also added another 10 conchs and they have been great at keeping the sand bed diatom free.

Lastly, I reduced my quantity and frequency of feeding and the tangs have turned to the algae as a food source. They have been cleaning up the rocks and walls as well.

I'd say my algae problem is 80% of the way to being solved.

I'm a firm believer in slow and steady and more permanent solutions than some chemical alternative.

Like they say - nothing good happens fast in an aquarium.

I'm far from having the spotless tank I once had, but I'm positive that continuing down the path I'm on and with good water parameters this algae problem will be history soon.

Best,

 

[johnike]

Good job, sea hares rock. Just pass it on when it's done! John

 

[SeanT]

"Cooking" your rock correctly will eliminate hair algae.
It has nothing to do with heat or ovens.

 

[Hop]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14998548#post14998548 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SeanT
"Cooking" your rock correctly will eliminate hair algae.
It has nothing to do with heat or ovens.

+1! Doing half at a time will even keep a tank running for you during the process.

 

[Jayhawker518]

Just wanted to add my couple pennies. I battled HA for about 4 months after a power outage that basically killed my entire tank (yes i got a back up generator) After that the HA grew like made and I didnt know what to do.

So heres my pennies.

Water changes. Everytime I did a significant water change it seemed to de-color the algae and started to die.

Algaefix, I never use chemicals in my tank but I was desperate. I used this every 3 days like it said and it seemed to stop the algae from growing but never killed it

Finally, I got mad, I took every rock our scrubbed it until there wasnt a single bit of algae anywhere. I gave them a quick spray and rinse when they were done and re-aqua scaped.

I have been about a month without any sort of HA growing back my water parameters are great and I think ive gotten threw it. I still use Algaefix about once a week just in case. It definitely doesnt hurt anything.

I feel your pain and understand the frustration, like you wrote be patient and you will get over it. Im currently looking into an RO/DI unit as well, hopefully to prevent anything else in the future.

Good Luck!!!

 

[Itaysworld]

Thanks everyone -

I think I'm overcoming the problem.

Everyday when I come home from work and look at the tank its cleaner and cleaner.

I think (my) winning formula was:

- keep water params spot on (keeping dKH high and steady)
- cut back on feeding
- run GFO
- add sea hare
- change light bulbs
- have a lot of grazers (I have 4 tangs and a voracious fox face)
- scrubbing / turkey baster

My tank look 1000 times better.

A think a week longer or so and I will have overcome the bloom!

Only took 5 months LOL

Thanks again to all, and hope this thread helps others.

 

[Itaysworld]

Hi everyone -

Happy Memorial Day.

A day to thank the brave men and women of the Armed Forces, and remember those who have lost their lives defending liberty.


Also a day to remember the Hair Algae - Its pretty much gone! Wanted to close out this thread and thank all those who have helped me overcome it.

I almost gave up... its funny because I've seen a number of threads of people who are in exactly the same situation I was in.

Hang in there. I was almost to the point of throwing the towel, and it turns out that I was just on the brink of solving the problem.

I doesn't happen fast. It takes patience, correct methods and time.

In my experience, here was the winning formula, reposted:

- keep water params spot on (specially keeping dKH high and steady)
- cut back on feeding
- run GFO (removes phosphates from system)
- add sea hare (made a huge dent in the HA)
- change light bulbs (if they are getting old - may have shifted spectrum)
- have a lot of grazers (I have 4 tangs and a voracious fox face, electric blue hermits)
- grow macro algae in your sump (helps remove nutrients)
- scrubbing / turkey bastering algae


I know there are many additional methods like dosing vodka, sugar and even chemicals like algaecides, etc.. but I'm happy to report you can overcome the algae problem without them. Though there may be other benefits to dosing as well.

Lastly I wanted to say its also important to determine if it truly is hair algae that is in your system. Other algae types are similar and can kill your snails and other inverts (like dinoflagellates)

Good luck and stay on course!