Hair Algae Help

[klondike4001]

I have some type of hair algae growing in my new frag tank, weird because there's nothing in the water to be feeding it, but that
s besides the point, I need something I can put in there to keep it under control (make it go away), I would prefer not to use a sea hare, I'd rather use a small invert/fish that will not die once the algae is gone.

Currently in tank:
120 Cortez red leg hermits
25 Scarlet hermits
120 Nassarius Snails
80 Nerite Snails
80 Cerith Snails
Black Longspine Urchin
Randall's Goby

[SABOB]

Are you using RO/DI water?If so what is the TDS of the water?Is the tank getting direct sunlight?I have a 55 gallon fish/softies with no algae problem and a 12 gallon Nanocube that I,m battling hair algae in.Not feeding the Nano and only a Devil's Hand coral in it.Clean up crew I add doesn't live more than a few days.Good luck with finding the culprit.

[barderer]

that is way too many hermits and snails for such a small tank. They are going to slowly die. I would say about 80% will die. Your rocks or water are prob the source for the hair. Just keep changing water with RO/DI and picking out the hair manually and it will go away eventually.

[klondike4001]

I am using RO/DI, no idea on the TDS tbh, and no to the direct sunlight question. The entire system the frag tank is plumbed into is about 150 gallons, those crabs and snails are spread through the entire thing.

[alton]

Add a phosban reactor to your system along with a fuge full of algae. With that many snails and crabs sometimes the snails become food for your crabs. And remember nothing corrects itself over night so be patient. You can get a TDS meter to check to see how well your R/O system is doing. Buckeye Supply has them.

[SoLiD]

Nitrates + Phosphates = Hair Algae

0 Nitrates + 0 Phosphates = 0 Hair Algae

Unless you want to plumb a phosphate reactor and get some marco algae in your sump the only other thing that will lower both is water changes. Make sure your RO\DI water has low TDS, since that is a way that phosphates can sneak in there.

[Pennies2Cents]

Red Slime Control works great..

[klondike4001]

I have a ~30 gallon fuge full of chaeto, caulerpa and mangroves, oh, I also have the phosban reactor...

[bimmerzs]

Hi,

What's your lighting over the frag tank. Old bulb's that have shifted spectrum can also contribute to HA outbreaks....especially if you have nitrate's. Some talk of the a T5 bulb that also may contribute, can't recall the name but it also add's more of the red spectrum.

Cheers,

[alton]

Okay my next question would be is it hair algae or bryopsis? Also how much chaeto and caulerpa are you harvesting a week. (Also do not feed caulerpa back to your fish)I only keep my fuge half full giving my chaeto plenty of room to grow. And last but not least are you using phosban by two little fishes or some other brand?

[klondike4001]

bimmerzs,
it's a brand new current Nova Extreme T-5 Fixture, 36 in. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3733+12772&pcatid=12772

alton,
phosban is by 2 little fishes, I plan to trim my macro for the first time this wekend, tank's only been running 2 months.



I'm planning a water change this weekend and I'm planning on changing my carbon, and phosban. Wish my luck...

Still waiting for ideas on fish/inverts, I'll post a picture later today.

[alton]

Sounds like you doing everything right just give it a little time and your hair algae should sub side. Chevron Tangs and Sohal Tangs are my favorite for algae control. I also use Scarlet Reef and Zebra hermits. In my 200 I have 10 SR and 20 Zebra. Maybe you can get Ed to get you a baby chevron and keep in your 29 for a year?

[klondike4001]

I really don't want to put another tang in a small tank, but it's worth a try. I was wanting a Sohal anyways, so this may work out quite well. It just really bugs me that it's only in my frag tank...

Here's some pics:
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b194/klondike4001/IMG_0632.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b194/klondike4001/IMG_0634.jpg

[klondike4001]

Ok, here's my update, did PO4 test prior to water change, 0 ppm

Changed phosban and carbon on Friday morning. Also trimmed caulerpa and chaeto.

Added 2nd K2 in frag tank, we'll give it a few days, I have a Sohal being delivered on tues to take care of the algae currently in there.

I already have a phosban and carbon reactor on the system, did a 65 gallon water change today, tested the water this evening

DT:
NO3 - 0ppm
NO2 - 0ppm
KH - 250ppm
pH - 8.0

FT:
NO3 - 0ppm
NO2 - 0ppm
KH - 250ppm
pH - 8.0

[Kristy]

Still waiting for ideas on fish/inverts.

Turbo snails! We had a hair algae outbreak in our small tank a couple of months ago and the turbos (along with a little manual removal) completely cleared it up in no time! Annoying stuff, isn't it?

[klondike4001]

Very annoying, I'm going to try the Sohal and the new K2 for a while. If it's still a problem in a few weeks, I'll get some turbo's next time I'm visiting my parents.

[dustint21]

Fox face eats GHA, Beware he is poisonus!

[klondike4001]

Thanks for the idea, wasn't planning on a FoxFace for my new system, but I'm sure between the 2 tangs that will be in the system, it should stay under control.

I guess if things got bad enough, I could borrow my parents FoxFace.

[Bill S]

Jonathan

Let us know how it works. If it's bryopsis, likely nothing will eat it. I have every snail & crab known, a foxface, and about 9 tangs. Nothing eats it...

Also, a 29 is a bit small for a Sohol - actually, a 90 is a bit small for a sohol...