Green Hair Algae

[georgeortiz]

I have a couple of clumps of green hair algae starting to form in my tank. What clean up critter or what type of specimen can I use to resolve this?

I am also going to check what TDS measurement I get from my RO unit and in the mean time reduce the amnt of time my lights are on. My nitrates were very low last week so I need to figure out what is going on before things get out of hand. I am running a refugium with calupera which should help with the nitrates.

[StephenA]

Turbos cut through it but are a pain. The knock stuff over. Mine cut through tons in about 3 days.

[GaryP]

George,

Here is what I have the most success with after fighting a few battles with hair algae. Cerith and Nerite snails and dwarf Mexican hermits. I know you can get the snails locally. I'm not sure if anyone carries the dwarf hermits. The snails have the advantage of being able to reproduce in your tanks, especially if you have a refugium. I have never seen Turbo's reproduce in a closed system. Turbo's also have a tendency to prefer to stay on the glass instead of working out on the rocks.

Your algae outbreak is probably the result of phosphates that you are unlikely to detect with a test kit. As little as .03 ppm phosphate can cause an algae outbreak. Basically, the algae uses it as fast as it is produced. You might try a phosphate pad. I'm sure someone can recommend one. Carbon would also be good, but make sure to change it every couple of days.

Here is a good article that JimD sent me about phosphate and algae outbreaks.

http://www.netpets.com/fish/referenc...gaeoutbrk.html


Gary

[georgeortiz]

My hair algae is in two patches one on the back of the tank at the top and on the left side of the tank at the top. I have noticed some starting to form on the rocks.
Would you recommend me doing the following then or just one of the following:
Start placing carbon in my tank ( I have heard I can get a set of nylon hose and fill it with the carbon and place it in the sump), adding Cerith and Nerite snails.

BTW one type of snail in my tank is laying eggs repeatedly in my tank over the past month. What is the gestation period of the eggs ,if my fish leave them alone, and what should the babies look like? I think they are my couple of cerith that I have in my tank but, I am not sure. I have not caught them in the act.

[ClamFan]

I caught my nassarius snails laying eggs in a sack like pouch attached to the glass, but have not seen any babies. Also I have read that it is hard to keep them alive as babies, but I have been wrong before.

[alexwolf]

i had some cerith snails hatch, but the 6 lines got em

[Brett Wilson]

I have a bunch of tiny tiny nessarius in my tank, but the royal gramma I am going to put in there today will surely take care of them.

[mharris7]

I had hair algae really bad - I added rowaphos and scrubbed my rocks with a toothbrush (not as tedious as it sounds) and did a couple of water changes. It's been about a month now and the hair algae isn't growing back. I still have a tuft of it here and there, but its in check.

I also added tons of mexican turbos, cerith, and trochus snails. I think they're helping control any regrowth.

[brewercm]

If you get the Mexican Turbos they will mow through that with no problem. But like someone said they can get big and knock things around. I've never had them knock stuff over, maybe lucky.
Make sure they are the Mexican Turbos though, not those stupid cone shaped Astreas that I feel are worthless. They stay on the glass then fall off and die, useless in my opinion.

[BA]

i have a whole bunch of snails that just appeared one day in my frag tank, and since there is nothing to eat them in there, they have been getting bigger and bigger, the biggest one is about the size of a pencil eraser, not big but when i first discovered them i could barely see one, now there is lots