hair algae

[ryan]

i've got some hair algae entangled in my basket of ulva in my refugium... i already removed a handful of my ulva which has hair algae entangled among them.

i've heard it can be quite a menace...

i think it may have already entangled itself in my green clove polyps!

what shall i do to combat the algae?

i'm thinking of major water change but i'm worried the local tap water has phosphate and nitrates which will end up feeding the algae instead...

already have phosguard in filter media...

suggestions please???

thanks guys!!!

[Michael Young]

I think there's nothing much you can do except to remove them by hand. You could also try reducing the photo period of your refugium and replace the phosguard.

[bum]

my hair algae epidemic started like this too...

small....but they spread FAST!!!

try not to rip them underwater, if possible, do all removal out of water,

do water changes, our tap water is supposedly low in phospates and nitrates.

chemical compounds like rowaphos will help prevent the spread too.

pray that you do not fall prey to the deadly hair algae,

especially the slimy filamentous kind

my main 6ft became a golf course,

they clogged my pumps, tunzes, everything.

nothing eats them, at least not fast enough....

I HATE THEM!!

i had to change my light tube in the refugium,

which was good cos overnight, my macroalgae became healthier,

and the hair algae in the sump disappeared,

i also had to take out all my rocks, scrubbed them clean,

then restacked.

good luck bro

[Achilles Tang]

Arrggh! GHA!!!

I suggest a cut down on excess bioload, excess feeding, use a good phosphate remover like Contraphos/Rowaphos, use a good GAC, use a very good skimmer.

Prune all hair algae outside the tank, if possible take the rocks out and brush out all the GHA with a tooth brush and wash clean with old saltwater. Use a sieve to strain out loose strands in your water column.

You may have to shorten the photoperiod and even do about two days of blackouts. All these should help.

And most importantly.... DO IT NOW!!! Every second counts. They spread like the plague. They will kill corals when they entangle and grow on them/next to them.

[delirium]

I read that some hermits eat them, true?

[Achilles Tang]

IMO, its a lost hope relying on biological controls.

[ryan]

i will be moving my tank in 3 days and during the move i will do a 50% water change... will that be good enough a water change? 130 gallons is alot of water!

will manually remove more GHA now and do a 2 day blackout in refugium...

will cut down feeding too...

currently using seachem GAC and phosguard...

as they are only 2-3 weeks old. should i add more?

should i do a blackout in the main tank as well?

will brush all the rocks with signs of GHA when i do the major tank moving... hope it goes well...

any more suggestions?

thanks guys!

[reef2]

I have this problem 1 mth ago. resolve it by having:

1. algae blenny

2. sally lightfoot

3. Tropic Marine's Eliminate Phosphate

Now its all gone

[lightningstrike]

i will be moving my tank in 3 days and during the move i will do a 50% water change... will that be good enough a water change? 130 gallons is alot of water!

will manually remove more GHA now and do a 2 day blackout in refugium...

will cut down feeding too...

currently using seachem GAC and phosguard...

as they are only 2-3 weeks old. should i add more?

should i do a blackout in the main tank as well?

will brush all the rocks with signs of GHA when i do the major tank moving... hope it goes well...

any more suggestions?

thanks guys!

IMHO, 50% is too much a water change if u hv existing LS in ur tank.

[ryan]

I have this problem 1 mth ago. resolve it by having:

1. algae blenny

2. sally lightfoot

3. Tropic Marine's Eliminate Phosphate

Now its all gone

wow...

how big is your tank?

[reef2]

3x2x2 but size should not matter... bascially is about deploying > 1 method in addition to reduce bio-load.

[flipper]

Could someone please let me know what an Algae Blennie looks like and better still, where can I find them? My 4x2x2 is becoming the Fangorn forest. Could almost hear an ENT waking up! Help!