removing hair algae

[scarygary]

any suggestions for removing hair algae from live rock.I didnt know if scrubbing would damage rock,or do I even need to remove it and just trim it.there a lot of little nooks on the rock .I was thinking of a sm baby bottle brush.any ideas?

 

[stevebydac]

You need to get your phosphate and nitrate levels to a minimum. Make sure you change your bulbs every 6 months if you have NO or VHO (normal or very high output fluorescent). Blast loose dirt off your rock with a turkey baster. Make sure you have strong flow throughout your tank to minimize dead spots where detritus collects.

I use toothbrushes and steel brushes from Home Depot, Some are quite small and look like pipe cleaners. They get into nooks well.

 

[eddie c]

i bought some rock off someone and it had alot of hair and bubble algae on it i put it in a container and scrubbed the hell out of it, there was some die off on the rock, once the levels were back to normal i put them back into the tank and none of the bad algae has come back.

 

[oyam123]

steve said it all.......do you have a LMB and some crabs like the hair...

 

[dugg]

I used to use a brush i bought at a shoe store. The handle had curved ends that fit around your fingers.

The best way to clean it off your rocks is to kill it. A refugium lit 24/7 with lots of macro algae, good flow, a turkey baster to blow off the rocks, and a light feeding schedual will make it so you never have algae again. I haven't had one spec in over 3 years.