How do I still have HAIR algae???

[twychopen]

Ok, I have no Nitrates or Phosphates in my tank AT ALL (Salifert tests), I have blacked out my tank for 4 straight days (2 weeks ago) and the corals all are growing great! Hair algae is taking over! What do I Do? :cry_smile:

[tebstan]

You don't have any results on the test because the hair algae is making use of those nutrients. What else is in the tank to contribute to nutrient levels? How old is the tank, and what's the water source?

[twychopen]

I use RODI water (Bulk Reef Supply) testing at 0ppm TDS. Tank was started last October. The only thing I can think would be the sump is dirty? I have macro algae and mangroves thriving in the sump but not sure what else?

[twychopen]

I want to try vodka dosing to expirament but want to figure out the cause first.

[BIGBIRD123]

Do you test your magnesium? If so, bump your magnesium up to over 1500ppm and drip Kalkwasser. Hair algae doesn't care for this.

[twychopen]

well i don't have kalkwasser, I have the 2part dosing from BRS. Should I just do that and raise it to 1500? And is this to get the corals to outcompete for nutrients? I don't have very many hard corals, mostly soft.

[CoryDude]

What kind of hair algae do you have? It's not bryopsis is it? I've found it can sustain itself w/very little available nutrients.

Steve's right, elevated magnesium and using a kalk slurry to raise the ph, have both been effective at helping reduce unwanted algaes.

[Europhyllia]

I had the opposite experience. Raising the mag takes care of bryopsis but doesn't have an affect on hair algae. As soon as the mag killed off the bryopsis hair algae started sprouting (I was okay with that since nothing ate the bryopsis but plenty of critters enjoyed the hair algae)
If you don't use kalk just try and keep alkalinity at above 8 dkh. Same result as with kalk: it helps precipitate phosphate and makes it unavailable for the algae.

[alton]

Another option; phosban and reactor

[Big_Pun]

how frequent do you feed and how much, also do you dose and micro foods for your coral. sometimes over feeding causes probs

[Mr Cob]

How is it that I DON"T have any HAIR?

This stinks!

[txav8r]

How is it that I DON"T have any HAIR?

This stinks!


LOL!!! HAHAhahahahahahahahahahaaaaaa!!!

[aquasport24]

How is it that I DON"T have any HAIR?

This stinks!
:rofl:.....

On a serious note, might want to add a sea hare while you trying to figure out the cause.

[twychopen]

Pretty sure its just common hair algae. Not positive. I have a phos reactor and just changed the media 3 weeks ago. I dont dose for coral. I feed fish once every 2 days and only have 2 fish so hardly any. Where can I get a sea hare. No local store sells them here.

[CoryDude]

John at Reefcleaners put this up last year. Great thread to help id and figure out an attack plan on different algaes:

http://www.maast.org/showthread.php?49716-Nuisance-Algae-Guide-A-work-in-progress

[BIGBIRD123]

If the hair algae is real long, the sea hare won't help much but if you pull it as close as you can, he will take care of the rest.

[twychopen]

sowhere can I get a sea hare? It is hair algae from those pictures.

[justahobby]

Check our Sponsors list. I can't think of a name, but I know there's at least one close to you.

[twychopen]

Well anyone have any in san antonio? I will be going there on Wednesday. The guy down here doens't have them.