Out of Control Hair Algae
- Thread starter moneymm
- Start date
DancingShark
New member
If you want to be lazy you can use fluconazole to kill the hair algea. It worked for me in my under filtered sumpless 10g tank.
theres 3 corals buried under the grass
FishAndPhysics
New member
I would test your water parameters, first and foremost. Your nitrates may not be that high, because your hair algae is probably doing an excellent job removing them. However, most people find this an unpleasant nutrient extraction method 
. You need a different nutrient export method, be that chaeto, water changes, etc. Once the problem is more contained, a lawnmower blenny could be a good solution to any remaining hair algae. But you need to fix the underlying nutrient problem first.
. You need a different nutrient export method, be that chaeto, water changes, etc. Once the problem is more contained, a lawnmower blenny could be a good solution to any remaining hair algae. But you need to fix the underlying nutrient problem first.
Yup, that description is correct.
The issue for GHA is simply maintenance, if you gave no time to maintain, nutrients builds and poof, GHA.
You could use fluconazole, but if you don't fix the nutrient problem, it will just come back.
Remove as much by hand and syphon.
Place some Ninja or regular Astrea snails on the affected areas, redirect them manually back to the algae areas weekly.
Reduce nitrate to 5ppm.......consider less feedings and/ or carbon dose with NoPox.
Reduce phosphate to a max of .1, 0.05 better by using an LC followed by GFO
Reduce light photoperiod.
4 day blackout.
Then, weekly 10% water change or 20% biweekly.
The issue for GHA is simply maintenance, if you gave no time to maintain, nutrients builds and poof, GHA.
You could use fluconazole, but if you don't fix the nutrient problem, it will just come back.
Remove as much by hand and syphon.
Place some Ninja or regular Astrea snails on the affected areas, redirect them manually back to the algae areas weekly.
Reduce nitrate to 5ppm.......consider less feedings and/ or carbon dose with NoPox.
Reduce phosphate to a max of .1, 0.05 better by using an LC followed by GFO
Reduce light photoperiod.
4 day blackout.
Then, weekly 10% water change or 20% biweekly.
mcgyvr
New member
Some people have the time/patience,etc... for this hobby..
Some don't..
Luckily we have choices/easy buttons now..
One could
1-Put in the hard work/time/more money,etc... and hopefully see results in months..
Or
2-Fluc it and see results in weeks without all the "processes,etc..."
In my life at this time #2 is the easy choice for me.. I suspect with them it will be too as they already seem to not have time to fully dedicate themselves to the "natural way"..
OldReefGuy
Well-known member
I have had great success with PhosRX and a urchin.....but like the rest have said, find out the source of nitrates and phosphates and fix that first.
Some people have the time/patience,etc... for this hobby..
Some don't..
Luckily we have choices/easy buttons now..
One could
1-Put in the hard work/time/more money,etc... and hopefully see results in months..
Or
2-Fluc it and see results in weeks without all the "processes,etc..."
In my life at this time #2 is the easy choice for me.. I suspect with them it will be too as they already seem to not have time to fully dedicate themselves to the "natural way"..
I just had some concern that once done, if the prob is not identified, doesn't it just come back with a vengeance!
mcgyvr
New member
Yep.. That is always a possibility..
Hopefully they are aware that the reason the tank got that way is that they weren't taking proper/sufficient care of their tank..
While we can kill the algae quickly enough to keep them in happy.. That treatment doesn't also solve the lack of maintenance issue.. They will need to start addressing that also..
What exactly that will require is not fully known at this time..
Getting back on a decent maintenance schedule and checking parameters is a good start for them to see what level of work is needed to maintain the tank..
Adapt/adjust as needed..
Crusinjimbo
New member
I suggest you bomb it with fluc AND figure a method to reduce your tank’s NO3/PO4 or it will return. I would recommend a functional algae turf scrubber, ATS. You know you can grow GHA like a champ so all you need to do is control where it flourishes. Create a better growth environment inside a controlled and cleanable location, ATS
mcgyvr
New member
It typically takes 2 weeks to really start working..
No need to babysit it.. Most will just disappear.. Some will release from the rock and float around to be removed via a net or whatever..
thats the problem for 7 days noone will be around to net anything... should i just wait till i come home?
