hair algea

[Rock]

Need a little help to get rid of green hair algea. This is a 90 gal 6 week old tank. Two T5 HO (white and rose) two T5 HO blue actinic. The first set has been cut to 6 1/2 hr the blues run most of the day. (I was told they would not aid in the growth of hair algea, hope that's true) 100 lbs of live rock that is 2+ years old. Their is a fair amout of algea, I do remove it manually as best I can week to week. It does not seem to be growing much anymore but after seeing "Mr. Cob's" very nice aquarium I would like to illiminate it. I do not have a refugium to grow good algea which may help starve out the hair algea. I am getting impatient and thinking about using "Algea X", not usally a fan of chemicals if their is another alternative that works. If not does Algea X cause any other issues, i.e kill other things. (fish, SPS etc.) My fingers are tired thanks in advance.

[hobogato]

...... 6 week old tank....

this is your main issue. the hair algae is part of the cycle, and should decline if you keep up with water changes and manual removal. also, adding some clean up critters will help. make sure the water you are using for water changes isnt high in phosphates (tap water usually is, but RO/DI is not)

[Bill S]

Go to RC and look over the posts about Algae X. As much as I'd like a silver bullet for my bryopsis problems, there are WAY too many folks that have found the cure worse than the disease.

Is your hair algae just hair algae, or is it bryopsis? If it's hair algae, there's a lot you can do.

[AdamZC]

Ace is right, your tank is very young, you should probably just wait. If you could add a fuge that would definitely help.

[jrsatx20]

Got rid of my hair algae problem with manaul removal and doin water changes every three days till it was gone

[Rock]

I did have a spike around the 3rd week where the algea exploded overnight. i manually cleaned the glass and some of the rock, and haven't had any big growth since. As far as just hair algea, I not sure what bryopsis is are looks like. I'm guessing since no one said other wise that I am ok with the blue actinics on for extend time. What are the best inhabitants to help clean up the algea, I did have a lawnmower blinney that unfortunately tried to clean the overflow and eventually the pump:cry_smile:. I do have a 5 turbo snails and may try to get some additional snails.