my phosphates and nitrates are high, my main issue was what to do to try and wipe out what is already there, yes I know lowering these levels will help stop new growth, but will it kill out whats already there or just slow it down but it will still be present. It seems to me that once the stuff is rooted in, you can scrub it away and it will still eventually grow back until you pick and scrub it again, and again, and again....
Trying to resolve hair algae problem? need a few pointers
- Thread starter tah532
- Start date
sean48183
New member
You want hair algae just not in your main tank. I had brutal hair algae and I tried every critter(probably $300 worth of them), Scrubbed the rocks once a week(would come back literally a day later), less feeding, ro/di, bigger skimmer and I know I am missing things.
But the weird thing was my nitrates and phosphates read 0ppm all the time. So I decided if you can beat it grow it. I started growing hair algae in my fuge under 2 5600k 27watt compact fluorescents and my hair algae in my main tank went away. My tank still reads oppm nit and phos and depending how much I feed I have to remove hair algae. Feed more remove more hair algae. In my opinion a good fuge is essential to any saltwater tank. Try this and post again in a month and tell me where your at. I guarentee you have no hair algae in the main tank. Good Luck.
But the weird thing was my nitrates and phosphates read 0ppm all the time. So I decided if you can beat it grow it. I started growing hair algae in my fuge under 2 5600k 27watt compact fluorescents and my hair algae in my main tank went away. My tank still reads oppm nit and phos and depending how much I feed I have to remove hair algae. Feed more remove more hair algae. In my opinion a good fuge is essential to any saltwater tank. Try this and post again in a month and tell me where your at. I guarentee you have no hair algae in the main tank. Good Luck.
Even the cleanest reef tanks will grow algae. If algae will not grow, then neither will coral. You need consumers to equal your growth. In a clean tank, this is easy. It is not so easy in a tank with high nitrate and phosphate.
For starters, suck the algae out when you do water changes. This is a good export. You might also consider a small rabbitfish to eat it. If you N and P were low enough, turbos can really mow it down if you have enough of them.
For starters, suck the algae out when you do water changes. This is a good export. You might also consider a small rabbitfish to eat it. If you N and P were low enough, turbos can really mow it down if you have enough of them.
sean48183
New member
I tried chaeto at first and the hair algae consumed it. Just started growing on it until it pretty much dissolved. Nothing can compete with hair algae for nutrient consumption. If you have a sump find a spot to grow it. I have found that a fuge 1/3 the size of your main tank really helps. But I think if it is smaller you probably just have to remove the algae more often. You'll need 5000-6500k lights and you want to leave them on longer than your main lights. Like if you leave your main tank lights on for 10 hours run your fuge lights for like 16. Give that algae a place it really likes better. Also the shallower the better and flow doesn't matter. I don't have any flow in mine.
The results in my main tank were great. When I had hair algae in there nothing would eat off the rocks. All the good morsels were covered by dreaded hair algae. When it was gone the right kind of algae grew and all the fish went back to picking at the rocks. The algae you want to grow in your main tank is actually a cream to brownish color that you see when your out in the ocean. Generally not green.
The results in my main tank were great. When I had hair algae in there nothing would eat off the rocks. All the good morsels were covered by dreaded hair algae. When it was gone the right kind of algae grew and all the fish went back to picking at the rocks. The algae you want to grow in your main tank is actually a cream to brownish color that you see when your out in the ocean. Generally not green.
johnmaloney
In Memoriam
Many people go with the low nutrient way to battle algae. I think in the long run it may limit the type of growth you can expect to see with copepods and corals for example if you go this route. Many of the other members here mentioned this. You can have a higher nutrient inputs and a clean tank at the same time. Macro algae and mangroves can compete effectively against micro algae and provide habitat or color to your display or refugium. Many types of macro have easy lighting needs. Chaeto doesn't look so bad if you plant it as a carpet. Then just get the right cleanup crew to eat the algae. Really adds to your tank. Be careful though with macro algae if you have a one tank only system, and you can't supply alternating photocycles. You should probably read up on respiration with certain macros. Some of the nudibranchs are cool, but some are short lived. You should check into each one in particular. The members here can probably give you sound suggestions. Blue legs tear through hair algae, as do Chitons. Best of luck with it. At least you are past the diatom stage.
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