How to get rid of HAIR ALGAE??

[churc1ej]

I just got some live rock from a friend, the problem is that the rocks are completely COVERED with red hair algae. I have about nine hermits going to work on it, but does anyone have any suggestions on how to get rid of this stuff quickly??Its only about 15 lbs of rock.

[rayn]

Scrub it. Is it already in your tank? Get a bucket of clean ro water and scrub it, then rinse it off in another bucket of clean ro water.

[churc1ej]

I already have tried but there are some spots on it that just refuse to come off (probably different type of algae) but the algae just grows back real quick.

[Palting]

Just grows back real quick? Then something is feeding it. What is your phosphate/nitrate level? Did you scrub it in a tub OUTSIDE the tank and get rid of the water? How old is your tank? Do you use tap water?

Red? It migh be cyano, but that usually comes off real easy. Is it like plaques rather than spread all out? Then it might be coraline (good to some). Take a pic and post it.

[Friday Night]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPoxQ_92sEg

[Dustin1300]

I would avoid introducing to the tank! Try scrubbing the rock, putting in a different tank with no lighting and covered with a blanket to keep light out. Add the crabs and let them go at the rock for a bit.

[Gary Majchrzak]

large turbo (Turban spp.) snails will mow down red turf

[Dustin1300]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPoxQ_92sEg

This is just the simple concept of growing macro in an area outside of the DT when algae has taken over you DT. I'd recommend you not introduce that rock into the tank so you don't end up with a bad looking aquarium overtaken by hair algae in that video!

[Jstdv8]

just find a macro alage that you can grow in a sump or better yet a turf scrubber that will outcompete the hair algae for nutrients, decrease your lighting timer, decrease feeding if you feed alot. and let the macro alea take over. This may take some time to do.

[JMartin104]

To help with these types of issues, I ordered some Chaeto. Seems like some really good stuff.

I picked up a couple of pieces with green "turf" algae. You aren't going to pull it or scrub it easily. I took a light blow torch to it and that removed it quickly. Of course that only works if there's nothing on the rock you want to live - at least in the area of heat contact.

[Nanz]

Kent Tech-M, raise magnesium to 1600 ppm
Darkness 3 days (Do this once a week)
Manually remove as much as you can.
10% Weekly Water Change
Repeat until gone

[sslak]

Woah, woah, woah...I see a lot of advice and NONE of the required information to answer your question.

1. How long has the tank been up
2. Water parameters: SG, Ca, NO3, Alk
3. Water source: RO/DI or other?
4. Is the new rock the only rock, or added to existing rock?

Was the red hair on the rock before you introduced it? Was the rock fully cured? A simple solution would have been to cure it in a bucket lights-out for several weeks before putting it into your display.

Growing macro in the sump is a good solution. If this is a new tank you may not have to do anything, as your system stabilizes it should take care of itself.

[Dustin1300]

Woah, woah, woah...I see a lot of advice and NONE of the required information to answer your question.

1. How long has the tank been up
2. Water parameters: SG, Ca, NO3, Alk
3. Water source: RO/DI or other?
4. Is the new rock the only rock, or added to existing rock?

Was the red hair on the rock before you introduced it? Was the rock fully cured? A simple solution would have been to cure it in a bucket lights-out for several weeks before putting it into your display.

Growing macro in the sump is a good solution. If this is a new tank you may not have to do anything, as your system stabilizes it should take care of itself.

Was asking before placing into his tank from his friends so we were eliminating the algae before it was place in the DT. If algae is scrubbed off and params are in check when putting into tank we will not have any probs. If you are getting params for algae phosphate should be on the list also.:p

[churc1ej]

Wow, sorry about not being quick with the replies, its been a crazy week. Well the tank has been up for about 7 weeks now and its a 36 gallon bowfront. I only have the essential test kit so sorry for not being able to give all info. Ammonia: 0, Nitrates: 5 ppm, Nitrites: 0, pH: 8.0, and temp: 75 F. Tap water, with mechanical filter and 65 gallon HOB skimmer. The rock was added to my existing rock, but luckily it has not spread since i added the rock when the tank was started. The rock was fully cured when i got it and the first few weeks. Since then added 9 hermits a starry blenny and a false percula. Most of the hair strands of algae are gone now but the red color stayed on the rock, but there are some spots of brown tube/hair like pieces that are even difficult to take off with my fingers.

[churc1ej]

I'll post some pictures sometime tomorrow, and thanks all for the help so far.

[Gary Majchrzak]

Kent Tech-M, raise magnesium to 1600 ppm
Darkness 3 days (Do this once a week)
Manually remove as much as you can.
10% Weekly Water Change
Repeat until gone

I've used Tech M rather successfully on Bryopsis but I've never heard of it being used successfully on red turf.

IME you cannot eliminate red turf by manual removal (too difficult) and darkness will not kill it off.
Large Turbos and PO4 reduction (I suggest GFO here) will most likely be the best solutions in this case.
Tap water should be avoided (!)

use RO or RO/DI

[churc1ej]

So i woke up this morning and my rocks looked a lot better! I don't know if it was my starry blenny or small army of hermits but most of it is cleaned up. My starry blenny is pretty shy right now so that's why im unsure, but here are some pics. The first one is how the rocks used to look, the rest are from today.

[Dustin1300]

Looks better. What are your params?

[churc1ej]

Ammonia and Nitrites 0, Nitrates:5 ppm , pH: 8.0, temp: 75.