green hair algae

[Anonymous]

You can try cerith snails, trochus snails, hermit crabs, and sallylighfoot crabs. I found they only work on stuff that's less than 1 cm, though. My buddy found that a lawnmower blenny was an algae removing machine. I also have heard a red lipped blenny is a winner.
The only way I was able to beat HA was to harvest it to death using a toothbrush and a HOT magnum while I scrubbed. Then I did 5 gallon water changes (RO water only - phosphates were my problem) siphoning out the free-floating crap. Eventually I got the stuff to a level where my clean-up crew could keep it clean.
Good luck.
Thanks for being out there for us all. You have my respect and best wishes.

 

[SPC]

Hi Ranger, I can't add to what Moe said but just wanted to say hay and hope everything is going well for you and your family.
Steve

 

[hurrifan]

Ranger to the best of my knowledge Phosphates are the cause of hair algae. Try a phospahte sponge to reduce the phosphates in your water. Be safe out there.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the posts. I will tell her to get a sponge and try that as we already have a blenny. Thanks again.


GOD BLESS AMERICA

RANGERS LEAD THE WAY

chris

 

[kjb]

Sailfin Tangs love the stuff. I had a bad hair algae prob and put a sailfin, sally lightfoot crab and an emerald green crab in and took care of things really quick. I think it was a bit overkill though. The crabs seemed to plow paths through the stuff, and although I could do without the emerald I enjoy watching the sally lightfoot.
I wouldn't get a sailfin tang unless your tank is big enough to keep it happy once it grows, but mine was muching on the algae about 30 seconds after I let it into the tank.
HTH

 

[Brian J]

Hey Ranger good luck and stay safe,and kick some a$$ for all of us!If your lighting is old this could contribute to it along with phosphates.Like moe said,scrub the rocks with a toothbrush,and use a net to scoop it up while its still floating around.I have found this to work very good.BEST OF LUCK TO YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Anonymous]

Looking into a new bulb also. My MH was bought used and have had it for 1.5 months. Figure I got ripped by the guy selling it. Lesson learned. Should have new lights soon and she is trying water changes as well. Guess we'll see what happens. I am looking at getting a sailfin already so I guess that makes sense to try one of them if they like the stuff, but that is really a reactive solution instead of proactive. I need to now what is causing the stuff so I can get it before it becaomes a problem in the future. Thanks for the great advice and keep it coming.

 

[Anonymous]

Hey Ranger -
Nutrients are causing the HA problem. I'm guessing a phosphate or nitrate problem. If you test, you might not get anything because the HA acts like a nutrient sink. It locks up the PO4 or NO3. If you test right after attacking with a toothbrush (don't use this method out in the field) you might find some PO4 or NO3 is then testable.

 

[Anonymous]

I think I have a pretty bad green hair algae problem. I am deployed in the war on terrorism, but have talked to my wife and would like to tell her something to do to help. Any response would be appreciated. I know before I left that there was small patches of turf algae. Looks just like little bunches of fur growing on a couple of rocks. According to my wife it has goten worse. Is there a fish or invert that eats this stuff?


GOD BLESS AMERICA

Rangers Lead The Way

Chris

 

[Anonymous]

Hey Chris

I hope you are staying out of harms way.

Seeing how our reefs are the same age through the three boards we have known each other. I would not add anything. I have been going through the same thing, I do have a emerald green crab that is overwhelmed at the time. We also installed our MH at about the same time. I have noticed a signifacate decrease in algae since I put my MH on a timer to come on at 1:30 PM and turn off at 10:30 PM. I run my actinics from 7:00 AM untill 11:00 PM.

My coraline algae is growing again or maybe its just that I can see it better now.

I would say by the age of our tanks that this is just a huge algae bloom to be expected and the MH are just Exasperating the bloom. If you do not have the MH on a timer, K-Mart and Home Depot sell a ground plug timer for $6.95

I would also imagine you still got a great deal on your MH.

Stay safe and let your boys know they have full support back home.

 

[esmithiii]

Ranger- my brother -in-law just got his tab. Stay safe, and know that you are appreciated.

The sponge works well and the sallylightfoot too. My wife loves my sallylightfoot so thats a plus too since I travel every week. Do you have a skimmer? Dosing Kalkwasser also seemed to help in my case.

E

 

[smokin reefer]

Ranger, good luck wherever you may land on the war on terrorism. Two words for getting rid of GHA. carbon filtration.