I have a 120 mixed reef with Eco-Tech LED lights and pumps. 4-5" sand bed. Plenty of live rock. I've cut down on feeding quite a bit. I've lowered my light cycle to 50% for 8 hours a day. I run GFO, Cheato, and ESV carbon. I have great flow in my tank. I change and bleach my filter socks at least every 3 days. I do at least a 25 gallon water change every 7-10 days. I have 7 small fish, and plenty crabs and snails. My tank is not near a window. I have tried everything. HAIR ALGAE KEEPS COMING BACK! Any ideas? I'm all out. Thanks.
At wits end with hair algae. Help!
- Thread starter stoneriff
- Start date
I'm a fan of shallow sand beds although many others here may disagree. There's just less room for trapping detritus and unwanted nutrients. What do you consider great flow (turnover rate)?
I reduced my sand bed in half and almost doubled my flow rate a few months ago and my tank has never been cleaner. I have 13 fish in my 120G system and feed multiple times a day. Water change schedule is about once every 3-4wks and that's just to replenish trace elements not to reduce nitrate/phosphate levels.
I reduced my sand bed in half and almost doubled my flow rate a few months ago and my tank has never been cleaner. I have 13 fish in my 120G system and feed multiple times a day. Water change schedule is about once every 3-4wks and that's just to replenish trace elements not to reduce nitrate/phosphate levels.
- Location
- staten island
Did you start with dry rock and make it live or started with live?
Curious because I heard (on the forum a while ago) dead rock can sometimes leach phosphates.
Curious because I heard (on the forum a while ago) dead rock can sometimes leach phosphates.
- Location
- Nutley, NJ
I've been battling a bit myself. Have you tested your PO4? I've been using a mini vacuum and scraping off the GHA with a razor blade. Any piece of rock that is removable, I take it out and use a syringe to target the GHA with hydrogen peroxide. These methods have been working quite well for me.
It's hard for me, because I have some large pieces of rock, and they have coral on them. Removing them from the tank doesn't seem to be a good idea.
- Location
- staten island
I started with rock from brs as well. My tank is about 2.5 years old too :splitspin
I picked up a sea hare from ocean gallery II in plainsfield and started running chemi pure in a reactor that I got from rkaragozler the first time I had hair algae and when I had an outbreak now I changed my chemi pure got some nitra-zorb and my wife picked up a new sea hare from pop corals and its munching away. I also keep some urchins but they do steal your frags to use as hats. (PaulB just posted an awesome pic of that actually)
I picked up a sea hare from ocean gallery II in plainsfield and started running chemi pure in a reactor that I got from rkaragozler the first time I had hair algae and when I had an outbreak now I changed my chemi pure got some nitra-zorb and my wife picked up a new sea hare from pop corals and its munching away. I also keep some urchins but they do steal your frags to use as hats. (PaulB just posted an awesome pic of that actually)
- Location
- Queens, NY
i've been using Algaefix on my tank. 3 doses was all it took. you can purchase either the marine or freshwater, it doesn't really matter
- Location
- Roselle NJ
Sea hare!!!!!! There the truth. I have a 210 and they did a great job!!!!!!
How many would be good for a 120?
- Location
- Astoria, NYC
I would go read some of the peroxide threads over on reefcentral. I've been following a bunch of nano reefers who had GHA problems and did everything, including increasing skimming, reducing feeding, running a LOT of GFO, carbon dosing, and using other algae fixing additives, and ultimately peroxide seems to be something that really makes a significant difference. And this was in nano tanks where chemistry is particularly difficult. They didn't have any issues with dosing or dipping, including on rocks covered with corals (though mostly LPS/zoanthids).
- Location
- Roselle NJ
One sea hare can solve all that. Mixing and pouring all that becomes to much. In nature there is no whatever that stuff is. Leave the tank the way it is and there will always be food for sea hare. Too many people try to make the perfect tank. The ocean ain't perfect flaws are good!!!!!
I'll order two, and see what happens. Thank you.
- Location
- NY
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