Hair Algae Problem

fuy · 02/11/2019, 11:58 AM

Hello, I have 250 Reefer, I only got 1 sixline wrasses and algae benny

im looking for a cleaner crew that will get rid of the hair algae on the rock

thank you.

Uncle99 · 02/11/2019, 12:26 PM

CUC except for urchins and sea hares, do very little if anything in controlling algae.
I find it quite ironic that stores sell these CUC packages, in which the death of those CUC members simply adds to the nutrients.

If you have GHA, then your nutrients are being managed to high, and/or your light is too intense, to long, or wrong colour spectrum.
GHA disappears of its own when nitrates are managed between 2-5ppm and phosphates between 0.02-0.04.
Urchins will clear the Alage but at the cost of coraline not to mention some knocking over of corals. Sea hare is great but once the algae is gone, the hare will die so must be re-homed.

The fact is that even if a CUC could do a great job removing GHA, if you don't manage the nutrients, it will just come back"

I found it easier to pull the stuff I see, use a toothbrush and keep nutrients in those stated ranges where GHA cannot survive. Took about 2 months keeping nutrients in the range with NOPox and a GFO, but then, it just turned translucent and disappeared.

It never returned.....

BTW I do keep some Astreas (polishers) and some Nars (turnover sand)...

lapin · 02/11/2019, 06:32 PM

yep CUC will not make up for you pulling it out. They will help keep it trimmed. Get rid of the nutrients and / or find something that will use them and then the hair will starve.

Reef noob_ · 02/11/2019, 10:19 PM

I just went through a huge hair algae outbreak after I moved all my rock to a dark sump and had the resulting die off dump tons of organics into my water.

Manual removal, water changes, and setting up a large refugium helped and the algae is already almost cleared up only ~1 month later.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

scattered · 02/14/2019, 11:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle99

I find it quite ironic that stores sell these CUC packages, in which the death of those CUC members simply adds to the nutrients.

Not to mention that the package always includes crabs that invariably prey on the snail population

02/11/2019, 12:26 PM	#2
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	CUC except for urchins and sea hares, do very little if anything in controlling algae. I find it quite ironic that stores sell these CUC packages, in which the death of those CUC members simply adds to the nutrients. If you have GHA, then your nutrients are being managed to high, and/or your light is too intense, to long, or wrong colour spectrum. GHA disappears of its own when nitrates are managed between 2-5ppm and phosphates between 0.02-0.04. Urchins will clear the Alage but at the cost of coraline not to mention some knocking over of corals. Sea hare is great but once the algae is gone, the hare will die so must be re-homed. The fact is that even if a CUC could do a great job removing GHA, if you don't manage the nutrients, it will just come back" I found it easier to pull the stuff I see, use a toothbrush and keep nutrients in those stated ranges where GHA cannot survive. Took about 2 months keeping nutrients in the range with NOPox and a GFO, but then, it just turned translucent and disappeared. It never returned..... BTW I do keep some Astreas (polishers) and some Nars (turnover sand)... Last edited by Uncle99; 02/11/2019 at 12:31 PM.

02/11/2019, 06:32 PM	#3
lapin Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Austin Posts: 801	yep CUC will not make up for you pulling it out. They will help keep it trimmed. Get rid of the nutrients and / or find something that will use them and then the hair will starve. __________________ Tank sizes, 2-10's a 55 and one that's about 500gal Current Tank Info: Interior decorating happening

02/11/2019, 10:19 PM	#4
Reef noob_ Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: holmdel, NJ Posts: 555	I just went through a huge hair algae outbreak after I moved all my rock to a dark sump and had the resulting die off dump tons of organics into my water. Manual removal, water changes, and setting up a large refugium helped and the algae is already almost cleared up only ~1 month later. Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk __________________ ________________________ New Build in progress http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2528685 90 gallon DT, 65 Gallon Fuge, Chinese LEDs, LPS and Soft coral reef