Huge algae problem GONE!!!! YES!!!!

[polarbear]

I have been battling a bad hair algae problem for awhile and I'm not winning. All of my water parameters are good and I'm running a GFO and carbon reactor. I don't know what else to do. When ever I blow off the rocks or try to scrub the rocks the algae breaks up and goes everywhere. Is this bad? Am I causing it to spread more? I'm doing a water change and scrubbing this weekend. I'm also going to by some micro bacter 7. Any other suggestions?

Could not thinning out the cheats in the refugium cause hair algae to grow?

[Zack]

What kind of sand are you using?

[polarbear]

Im not sure the name. It came with the tank. It's been in there since I got it over a year ago and now just having the problem. Not sure if it's that.

[CoryDude]

Ok, so how hard is it to pull the algae off the rocks. Can you pull a whole clump out or does it break off and the roots remain? If it's not coming off easy, it may be bryopsis. Try using google to compare pics. If it is, you're in for a fight.

It'll be easier to give advice if we know exactly what you're dealing with. While battling regular hair algea and and bryopsis have similar ideas, there are some specific things you need to do if it's bryopis.

[polarbear]

It's regular hair algae. It comes off in clumps very easily but breaks up everywhere.

[ktipp]

http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f40/best-hair-algae-eater-30131.html

[Big_Pun]

sounds like bryopsis. hair algae usually starves it self out if you keep up good husbandry, water changes with good quality RO/DI water that you tested for zero TDS, gfo, less feedings, make sure light bulbs aren't old. I have mr salt waters guide to algae if you want to borrow it.

[polarbear]

It doesn't look likebryopsis. Ive seen pictures of it and mine looks different. I'll try to post a picture tomorrow so y'all can see

[CoryDude]

Duh, I can't believe I forgot to post this link. This was put out by John from reefcleaners (great sponsor). It's a great resource for different nuisance algaes.

http://www.reefcleaners.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=54&Itemid=81

[kkiel02]

I also posted a thread not too long ago about how I rid my 375 with tons of hair algae in no time at all. It's one of the easiest nuisance algae I have battled. Cliff notes to my success was: adding a bunch of blue leg hermits, added gfo, replaced ro filters. I think that was pretty much what worked for me. Hope that helps.

[BSJF]

Old lights and phosphates..
my two cents..

in addition to kevin's suggestions, replace lights and increase flow.

[ktipp]

Helpful site Cory.

Thanks

[Noob]

Add more hermit crabs

[polarbear]

im going to replace my GFO this weekend but as for the lights, I just added all new bulbs back February of this year.


Old lights and phosphates..
my two cents..

in addition to kevin's suggestions, replace lights and increase flow.

[polarbear]

here are some pics that I took last night.

154381543915440

[Scream311]

This may Help, Check It !

http://www.maast.org/showthread.php?66106-125-Gallon-Reef-Bryopsis-Battle-using-Peroxide

http://www.maast.org/showthread.php?66023-Murder-by-Wrasse-MIA-Abalone-SeaHare

[polarbear]

I'm happy to say that after the addition of 70 hermit crabs, and 40 snails along with using micro bacter 7, algae fix, and new GFO my hair algae is at 0. Thanks to everyone's help. I found the solution that worked for me so if anyone has any questions I would love to share how I did it.