HAIR ALGAE IN REFUGIUM... HELP!

[EB847]

I HAVE A LIGHTED HANG ON REFUGIUM WITH CULERAPA (SP?). IT GOT OVERGROWN WITH HAIR ALGAE. I HAD TO REMOVE THE CULERAPA AND MANUALLY REMOVE AFTER THE ADDITION OF A LETTUCE NUDIBRANCH APPARENTLY ATE HIMSELF TO DEATH. I ADDED ANOTHER LETTUCE NUD. AND THE ALGAE IS COMING BACK. I DON'T WANT TO THROW ONE OF MY EMERALDS IN THERE AND HAVE HIM EAT THE CUL. WATER PARAMETERS ARE ALL VERY GOOD.

ANY SUGGESTIONS?

 

[leftovers]

its a refuge? why are you worried about algae growing in it? If you are worried just harvest and remove the algae once a week as nutrient export.

 

[EB847]

PARDON MY INEXPERIENCE. I FELT LIKE THE ALGAE WAS TAKING OVER AND SMOTHERING MY CULERAPA. I AM ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT IT SPREADING TO MY TANK. SHOULD I BE HAPPY IT'S GROWING IN THERE? WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS? I HAVE ABOUT A 3" DEEP FIJI LIVE SAND BED IN THE BOTTOM. ARE ANY CRITTERS SUGGESTED FOR THE FUGE? ANY HELP/TIPS WITH THIS REFUGE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED!

 

[Unarce]

It's not a good sign to have hair algae growing anywhere at all. Just harvest as much as you can, and locate what might be its source for phosphate. I keep a couple of mexican turbos in my refugium just for caution. They'll mow down whatever you have left.

 

[Anonymous]

I agree with reefnutz and the sleestack. Having hair algae in your sump isn't the end of the world, but it does mean that your water contains enough phosphates that nuisance algae could very well start growing in the main tank. Are you using ro water? How often do you feed? What does the bioload look like?

Turn off the caps, too, please.

 

[chefer]

Here is my 2 cents, I had a hair algea problem, I scrubed the rocks in the main tank installed a refuguim and started using r/o di water and my show tank is clear but I do have some in the refuguim. Not a big deal hasn't spread to my main tank again and it has been running for 4 months now don't sweat it!! just keep harvesting. My other algea in my refug is doing fine as well.

 

[EB847]

My tank is 31g. Use only RO. Water tests: (amm=0, nitrite=0, nitrate=10, kh=11, calcium=550, phos=.25 Mg/l). Everything but the calcium never changes. Only have two fish, 6 inverts, 2 nudibranchs, two feather dusters. The 4 emeralds keep any hair that shows up out of the tank. I have another lettuce nudibranch in the fuge that looks like he is doing his job. Should i add another or two? (small fuge 4"w x 8" long x 14" deep with 3" of live sand) Would a mexican turbo eat my culerapa?

 

[EB847]

light feed once a day or every other day.

 

[EB847]

oops, forgot: ph is 8.0

 

[Unarce]

The turbos would leave the caulerpa alone. I also use RO water for top-off, but it will still have traces of phosphate. There should be far less, if any, if you were to use RO/DI water.

Also, your PH is low. Buff it up to 8.15-8.2.

 

[EB847]

WHERE CAN I GET RO/DI? I GET MY RO FROM A MACHINE AT THE LOCAL SUPERMARKET AND AM NOT GOING TO SPEND MONEY ON A UNIT.

 

[Unarce]

Yeah, I won't buy a unit either.

What's the lighting time of your refugium? Reverse photoperiod or 24/7? I would get some nuisance algae in my refuge when I had it lit for 24/7. The reverse photoperiod seemed to end that. Other than that, I just take preventative measures like the turbos, light feeding, shallow sand-bed, and regular water changes. I've used the supermarket water for years.

You could shell out a little more for distilled water, if you find out the RO water is the source.

 

[paulfromero]

its a refuge? why are you worried about algae growing in it? If you are worried just harvest and remove the algae once a week as nutrient export.

Hi all...my first post here....what is a good way to harvest the algae...I'm looking to harvest my hair algae in a sump.

Thanks,

Paul

 

[Unarce]

We really just mean removal when we say 'harvest'.

You can simply wipe it off the glass with a print-free paper towel. Just make sure you don't miss any strands. I've never had it on my live rock, so I imagine it's much trickier. It probably requires a lot of scrubbing outside of the tank.

 

[leftovers]

just reach in and remove its not rocket science its hair algae or caulurpa either can just be removed

toss in a few snails to eat the hair if you are paranoid that it might spread...

there lots of ways to control it: good skimming high alk and ph and snails and fish.

Also THERE IS NO NEED TO TYPE IN CAPS...WE CAN READ JUST FINE THE LOWER CASE....

Purchasing your own inexpensive RO will save you money over the long term than buying ro water from local store AND you will be able to verify its purity.- note you should always verify the purity of your store bought water as well. Many RO machines in stores actually add mineral or are not really RO machines just water filters (carbon, sediment etc) . Read yours carefully to see what it actually dispenses.

 

[DOGMAI]

I HAVE A MOJOR HAIR ALGAE PROB. IT WAS DUE TO LACK OF MAINTENANCE. I AM NOW WORKING ON GETTING RID OF IT. THIS STUFF IS GROWING INSIDE OF MY CLAM IT IS SO BAD. MY MEXICAN TURBOS DONT TOUCH THE STUFF. I HAD A SALLY LIGHTFOOT THAT WAS EATING IT SLOWLY BUT HE HAS COME UP MISSING. ALL IN ALL I AM JUST WRITING THIS TO IRRITATE THE PEOPLE WHO CAN’T STAND WHEN PEOPLE TYPE IN ALL CAPS.

Shane

 

[Unarce]

LOL!

That guy was being a PRICK! Sorry for the poor welcome to reefs.org, paulfromero.

He should change his ID to DISGRUNTLED LFS EMPLOYEE.