Hair Algae (1 Viewer)

[Linden]

I wanted to get some thoughts on the best way to get rid of excessive amounts of green hair algae. Some people say hermits, others snails, and even sea hare's. Which is best??

 

[SVVAD]

What's the size of your tank ?

 

[jdeveaux]

Really the best thing is a combination of getting in and pulling it out by hand, a little bit of vacuming, clean up crew (Mexican Turbo snails), and some aggressive water changes.

 

[crvz]

To elaborate on Johns point, the best solution is to eliminate the source of the algae growth (excess nutrients in the tank). Throwing more bioload at the problem seldom leads to a long-term solution. Find the reason the algae is growing (too much food, inadequate filtration, too many fish, etc.) and remove it.

 

[Raymond]

feed less, run phosphate remover, water changes every week, clean up crew(turbos), lowering temp, cut down light cycle, change light bulbs, get a tang, last choice is getting a seahare or manually removing them.

 

[AquaNerd]

if you increase your magnesium to over 1600 meg/L it will kill it all.

but better to tackled the source than the results.

 

[Linden]

I have a 90 gallon/ Wet Dry Filtration/Protien skimmer/6 fish/ 81 degrees. T-5 Lighting actinics run 10-10, 10,000, 12-8pm/ just started running kent phosphate sponge to lower phosphates. I have been manually removing it ( by hand for years), but I have not been doing weekly water changes, also, I have 1 mexican turbo, a couple of astreas and 6 or 7 hermits. Is this clean up crew large enough for a 90 gallon with 125 lbs of live rock(only about 45 lbs of live rock has hair algea, but I dont want it to expand).

What would you suggest to increase Magnesium? Does this have other side effects?


Do you all see any other things i might be doing wrong? :? :?

Thanks

 

[AquaNerd]

i wouldn't dose magnesium unless you can test for it. an elevated level at 1600 meq/l shouldn't hurt. i've seen people run it before to kill hair algae.

 

[Raymond]

More turbos and do more water changes

 

[Timanator]

Or a sea hare will do it for ya naturally.

 

[Linden]

I am gonna get some more turbos this weekend. I have had 2 Sea Hares in the past...... They mysteriously disappear after a day or two.... not sure what happens to them.

More water changes too.

Thanks for the tips.

Nick

 

[jlord1]

rabbit fish works for me, seahares tend to die on me...