Hair Algae Outbreak - Not Fun (PICS!)

[Dr4g0nf1y]

So I'm suffering through a hair algae outbreak right now and I'm hoping it goes away soon. I've been doing water changes, installed a HOB refugium with 24 hour lighting and dropped some Algone in the filter - just cuz. The fish seem to be loving this especially the Tang and the Lawnmower Blenny.


Here's hoping this doesn't happen to you.

[stlmustangz]

What type of salt are you using,what is your tank temp at ? Try getting a cheap in tank fresh water filter & put that in with a fresh filter with carbon.My tanks are crystal clear with no hair algea.I use Kent salt & keep temps around 82 degrees.I have tangs in each tank & algea blenny.

[Saltz Creep]

I feel for you, bro.
My tank isn't that bad, but I do have some HA for sure. Let us know if Algone works. Has anyone else had success with it?

[Dr4g0nf1y]

My temp is usually around 81 (give or take a degree) and I just switched from Oceanic to Instant Ocean (this town has VERY limited salt resources). I'm not following your comment on "freshwater filter" do you mean a box filter? I have a wet/dry sump w/o bio-balls and fresh carbon setup. I also have a skimmer setup which is doing OK but not where I'd really like to see it.

[keswick]

You really have to make certain you have lots of waterflow (i don't see a whole lot in your tank) and the best skimming possible....

If not, then you will always fight excess nutrients in your water for algae to flourish.

usually means $$$ unfortunatly....like Tunze waterflow systems and a huge, quality skimmer.

[Dr4g0nf1y]

I have 400GPH from the Sump, 400GPH in one corner and a sweeping 280 in the right side. I was going to add another 280 sweeper.

[wrott]

Have you tried turbo snails and an urchin?

[sylaak]

In my 100g I have about 700 gph (after head loss) return from my sump/fuge returning through 2 vertical spray bars and 2 1100 gph poweheads in the back corners of my tank pointing sort of toward the front middle.

[phergus_25]

I know its off topic but how is the buterfly doing for you? they are beautiful

[Dr4g0nf1y]

It's a Heni and it's GREAT. Had a little issue with Ich when I got him.. but he eats fine... most people complain about them not eating and starving.. but he's got a belly on him. They all do.. the poor lawnmower blenny looks like a ping pong ball with a tail.

[rmendis]

Dr4g0nf1y: What are your water parameters for nitrate, silicate, and phospate? Are you using RO/DI replacement water? Also, I noticed from your sig that the tank has been running since Jan 2005. That is just over 6 months - it is common to have an algae outbreak in systems that young, especially with that amount livestock. If you keep up with the water changes, and monitor those parameters carefully to ensure they stay low, it should get better.

[melev]

Try following the guidelines of this article:

http://www.melevsreef.com/gha.html

[keswick]

I have a 150 gal tank and move 7500 gallons per hour (2 Tunze 6100s @ 3100 gal/hr) and skim w/ a large EuroReef. Been up for 9 months now w/ slight algae growth in the beginning (normal for cycling a new tank).

I once had a small patch of hair algae from a new piece of rock that lasted about 2 weeks and was gone. If there are no nutrients in the water for algae to grow (hince great skimming), then....no algae at all.

I never have to clean the glass and don't have any clean-up crew.

I think the priorities are Skimming, waterflow then water chemistry.

[55gSW]

I have one word for you TURBO SNAILS ......okay that was two words! Really though, I had hair algae and I got four very large turbos for my 55g and now my tank is sooooo clean!!

[pecan2phat]

Get a few Mexican Turbos, they will make much more progress then the smaller Astrea turbos.

I started my 120g back in Jan/Feb and have not had any algae or even diatom bloom. This is a first for me and I've been at it for a good amount of years. I attribute these factors for my luck:

Started with aged LR
Went barebottom/starboard
Made sure of good flow with a Amp2100 return using 2 SeaSwirls (about 1400 gph after head loss)
Configured additional flow via a closed loop with an OM-4Way run with a Dart (about 2800 gph after head loss)
Utilized a Phosban reactor with Phosban from day 1
Added 120 Astrea snails & 6 emerald crabs within a month and added some Ceriths in the 4th month
Always used RO/DI water

I'm not even big into the skimming thing, I utilize a AquaC EV-120 which most everyone would say that it is way under powered and I only change my carbon once every 2/3 months.

[Dr4g0nf1y]

OK.. lots of answers to catch up with.

Water Parameters:

Temp 80.5 - 81 Deg
Alk: 10dkh
Ca: 450 ppm
PH: 8.3
SpG: 1.024
Nitrate: 10ppm (This is probably false due to uptake)
Phosphate: < 0.25ppm (Can't test lower than that)
Nitrite: 0ppm
Ammonia: 0ppm

I top off with store bought RO/DI and I do test it chemically and I get no readings.

For cleanup crew I have: 5 golfball sized Mexican Turbos, 5 Astrea Snails, 1 Lawnmower Blenny, 5 Scarlet Hermits, 4 Blue Legged Hermits, 1 Hairy Hermit, Sand Sifting Starfish, Emerald Crab

I change 5 gallons of water every 5 days or so. I just switched to IO from Oceanic with the last w/c.

[dymaxiun]

Looks like the road to recovery! good job on the cleanup crew!

[bonerfortuna]

Also what put me over the top was the addition of macro algae. I added mangroves and even though they are debated here I feel they were what finally put my outbreak to rest.

[Dr4g0nf1y]

Well here's the bad news.. that crew has been in there since the beginning.. along with a Yellow Tang.

I'm still seeking some macroalgae for my refugium. I'm going on a road trip this weekend to get some.

[MangroveCoral]

Seeing that much hairy algae reminds me of my first 3 months with my tank. I still have some, but it's controlled. I don't have a protein skimmer. I use mangroves for my 180gal reef tank. Took 3 months for them to take good roots...probably explain why my first 3 months were hellish and hairy. I am an advocate of mangroves and macroalgaes (have grape caulerperas, caulerpera palisades, caulerpera prolifera in my main tank and sump). My tank is running for a year now, and water parameter is quite good. But I tell ya, for the first 3 months, my arms were really tired scrubbing those algaes!

[reef & potito]

try kent marine phosphate sponge,

I had an algae problem and it solved it. I just put it in my sump in a filter bag where the return pump would draw water through it.

[Dr4g0nf1y]

I ran Kent's Phosphate sponge for 2 days and the algae couldn't look better!!!

The HA has taken over and killed my Orange Paddle sponge. It's working on my favia right now.

I think someone said it best in another thread...


Looks like I'm on my way to a GREAT FOWLR tank.


The Algone doesn't seem to be working at all. And I've been running it for 3 weeks.

W/C tomorrow. I keep hoping this will eat itself out of house and home like the diatoms and the cyano did in the original cycle.

Tomorrow I'm going to Miller's Reef to pick up some Macro. It's hard to find around here but I've found some.

[Savatage]

Okay guys. I've read everything here and I still have a question. First though. I have a 75gal tank with a 55gal tank for a sump. I have a GHA problem also and it is just as bad. I also have blue/green algae problems. Here's my question.

Can I scrub my rocks down? Go bare bottom with my tank? And have a six inch sand bed in my sump? I can't get my corals off of my rocks. The rocks are huge and I don't want to break them.

Another thing. No one mentioned Sally Lightfoot Crabs. They are awsome GHA eaters.

Anyway. As for my question. Do you think I would get good results if I trashed the sand in my main tank and went bare bottom? I also want to put a six inch bed of new sand in my sump. Would this maybe help my problem? I figure, if the GHA wants to grow down in the sump. Let it. It eats up the nutrients and helps keep it out of the main tank. This is the prob though. I have to put my rock back in the main tank. It will still have GHA all over it. Give me some ideas.

[melev]

Savatage, please read this article, and pay special note to removal as well as clean up critters. http://www.melevsreef.com/gha.html

[Savatage]

I've read that article. I have tried many things from it. Nothing worked.