Hair Algae!!! Never ending battle

[marki24]

Hi Reefers:

Those that know me and my tank it crashed this year. I decided not to give up since my daughter came to our life and since she shows intrest in the fish. But the hair algae is really making my tank look ugly. I was in a battle with hair algae a few months ago. I purchased a TDS meter for my RODI system and my output reading is O. I even changed all the filters and the membrane. My setup is simple:
40 breeder
Deltec MCE 300 Skimmer
Koralia 2 (2x) and Koralia 1 (1x)
And a penguin hang on back filter that I use for carbon. My setup has not changed since I started my 40 breeder (2 years ago) but just recently it started to explode with hair algae. I purchase a Yellow tang to try to control the issue but the fish is doing some work but not fast enough. I read about this issue online and it seems that many people struggle with this issue.
Does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Mikei70]

Make sure the carbon you're using is not leaching phosphate.

Throw some in a container with some RO water, shake it up and test it.

 

[jaa1456]

What are you storing your RO in? Did you check the readings after it sat in the container for awhile? How much do you feed as well?

 

[Mattl22]

I'm in the same boat I hate HA
I finally broke down and bought a Hanna phosphate checker and a tds meter I'm actually hopeing to find phosphate in my ro atleast then I would know where it's comming from


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[Imbarrie]

Sorry about the algae coming back.
I had a bad initial batch and a second session that cleared up the same time I started using one.

How about not running lights and using a phosban reactor?

 

[Mattl22]

I currently have a seahare in there for about a week and he eats it but he's not makeing a big enough dent IMO
I'm trying to get the HA to grow in my Sump I've heard if u can get it to grow in your sump and eliminate it in your display then it will continue to grow in the sump??


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[E.intheC]

this is a great link:
http://www.melevsreef.com/gha.html

Matt, I wouldn't try growing hair algae in your sump as I've heard the hair algae can actually 'move' up to your display. Same thing with aiptasia, etc. Try growing a macro like chaeto if you want to out compete the HA.

 

[afernandez]

what about adding a clean up crew? or add some more scarlet red hermits are really good

 

[Mattl22]

I have done everything on that list except change out my bulbs they do need changing I wonder if that's it?

 

[e.muehlbauer]

Change the bulbs...I once had a minor hair algae outbreak that went away after I changed them. At worst, it will only hurt your wallet. However, major hair algae outbreaks, like the one I had many years ago when my tank was young, are very difficult to control. Very few tank dwellers eat hair algae (only the banded bullet goby, Ambygobius phalaena, in my experience) but regardless, you will not get rid of it by having grazers even if they did eat it. Recovery means a settling of the tank into normal parameters, which seems to be your case, since you mentioned a tank crash. (In my case, it was the unfortunate use of Coral Vital as a newbie, on a tank that had been running less than a year.) So for now, do frequent water changes, pay close attention to parameters (in my case, it was alkalinity that needed to be raised and stabilized..it may be different for you), and don't add any new livestock. It will take time, but your tank will recover.

 

[marki24]

What are you storing your RO in? Did you check the readings after it sat in the container for awhile? How much do you feed as well?

I am storing it in a 20 gallon water bin. I went to check the readings from the output and what is in the water bin and the readings are the same 0ppm. (the water has been sitting there for a week now).

 

[RAYS REEF]

try a u.v they work great for algae..maybe i can give u my sea urchin he ll take care of that quick.....

 

[Mattl22]

All sea urchins?


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[marki24]

Okay, I just got the sea urchin from Ray. I will keep everyone updated.

 

[Mattl22]

What kind?


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[marki24]

black sea urchin

 

[Wes]

It's a phosphate problem.


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[ECFENCING]

It's a phosphate problem.


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I agree with Wes. Try using chemipure elite or gfo and carbon in your hang on the back filter. Change these out often maybe every 2 weeks. Pull out as much as you can (See melev's reef link already posted) and perform your regular water changes since it seems your RO water is good. Changing bulbs doesn't hurt as well. Good luck and stick with it. I had a hair algae problem and tried the lights out for three days approach in combination with water changes and using gfo and carbon and it worked.

 

[jaa1456]

I agree with Wes. Try using chemipure elite or gfo and carbon in your hang on the back filter. Change these out often maybe every 2 weeks. Pull out as much as you can (See melev's reef link already posted) and perform your regular water changes since it seems your RO water is good. Changing bulbs doesn't hurt as well. Good luck and stick with it. I had a hair algae problem and tried the lights out for three days approach in combination with water changes and using gfo and carbon and it worked.

Did you have corals in your tank as well, when you did the lights out for 3 days? and how did it affect them if you did? That's some info worth posting in your post. I don't know it the OP has corals in his tank as well.

 

[vdub-reef]

Hey I'm in the same boat as u yesterday thoe I went to fishtown and. Bought a algae clean up crew and I'm looking at it now And there doing a really good job the Crew consist of blue leg & red leg hermits, Mexican turbo , emerald crabs ,nausaurs snails I think that's how u spell it and another kind of snail. All an all ther doing a great job


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