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10-03-2007, 05:46 AM
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#1 (permalink)
| | Corkscrew Tentacle Anemone
Join Date: May 2007 Location: Columbus Indiana
Posts: 740
|  Hair algea everywhere!
I know you all have heard this song and dance before but... here goes.
The past two or so months I've been battling hair algea. I don't have a PO4 test kit but I'm sure this is the reason because there are zero nitrates in the tank. (by the way I haven't done a water change in about 5 months)
Otty will be coming over this weekend to help me install my closed loop set up. To do this we're going to have to move some rocks around in the tank. My question is this, is it going to get rid of the problem if I scrub all of the algea off of the rocks and rinse them in salt water along with doing several large water changes? Oppinions are welcome.... _________ Kris
180 gallon AGA display re-born on 7-1-08. If I listed all of my equipment my wife would know what I've spent on this thing. Don't want to sign divorce papers.  My 180 Tank Thread | 
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10-03-2007, 06:08 AM
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#2 (permalink)
| | Torch Coral
Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: valencia,pa. Age: 35
Posts: 1,165
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algae spores live in rock for something like 7yrs.all you have to do is give them the right conditions to grow and have to small of a clean up crew and you'll have algae.i've pulled out large clumps of algae before to help the cleanup crew but i've never though of scrubbing as a good idea.
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55 gallon reef with 4x54 watt t5,29 gallon sump,red monti cap,1blue echinophyllia,trumpet,red lobo,2 toadstools 1purple and 1neon,gsp,xenia and yellow xenia,red ,many mushrooms,2 giant frilly shrooms,cabbage coral,yellow polyps,many zoos,1 orange and one neon green nepthia,duncans,cladiella | |
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10-03-2007, 06:37 AM
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#3 (permalink)
| | Corkscrew Tentacle Anemone
Join Date: May 2007 Location: Columbus Indiana
Posts: 740
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I guess my thinking was though scrubbing it off or pulling it of would get rid of the current growth and the water changes should take away it's "food" so it can't regrow. | |
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10-03-2007, 07:35 AM
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#4 (permalink)
| | Gnarly Old Codfish
Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Silverdale, Washington Age: 59
Posts: 4,788
 
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Those water changes a good idea. _________ AG "125," AquaC EV 180, 30 gal sump, "SCWD", 80 lbs LR, CoralSeaLife "Moonlite" Hood, PFO 250W HQI Mini-Pendant (SPS HQI 14000k bulb)
12 Gallon NanoCube - 24w stock PC 50/50 light "...nothing good ever happens fast in a reef tank, only bad things happen fast..."
- MIKE PALLETTA - (2008 Reef log) ("OmarD"/"Scott") | |
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10-03-2007, 07:37 AM
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#5 (permalink)
| | 3reef Moderator
Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Wethersfield, CT Age: 38
Posts: 6,351
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I would pull off as much of the long stuff as possible and let snails and hermits get the rest. I wouldn't bother scrubbing the rock because as has been mentioned, it won't help to remove what's causing the algae in the first place  | |
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10-03-2007, 04:32 PM
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#6 (permalink)
| | Astrea Snail
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 38
Karma: 1
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Here's my method.
Remove nitrate/phosphate sources (phosban reactor, water changes, better skimming, ozone, etc)
Manually remove hair algae.
Repeat until you get it under control.
After 6 months of battling, I don't have an ounce of hair algae in my tank now and I added a phosban reactor, increased flow and manually kept removing it. _________ Reefkeeping blog and podcast at http://www.120gallons.com.
Sunday March 2nd 8 pm est - Fish and Invert Breeding Roundtable Podcast Live!
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10-03-2007, 04:56 PM
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#7 (permalink)
| | Purple Spiny Lobster
Join Date: May 2006 Location: CT Age: 29
Posts: 496
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Does anyone have a basic formula for a cleaning crew that you'd recommend? ie what number of what hermit crabs and what snails per gallon
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20 High (started 5/18/06)
20 lbs live rock and 3" sand bed - Remora w/ MJ1200 & Prefilter - 10 gallon sump/fuge - MAG7 & SCWD return - 65W 10,000K PC - 15W Actinic - Red-legged Hermits - Cerith Snails - Nassarius Snails - Royal Gramma - 6line Wrasse - Maroon Clown - Wheeler's Goby - Bubble-Tip Anemone - Green Star Polyp - Button Polyps - Frilly Brown Mushroom - Green Bullseye Mushroom - Kenya Tree Coral | |
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10-03-2007, 05:28 PM
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#8 (permalink)
| | Giant Squid
Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Louisville, GA Age: 45
Posts: 3,309
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I've heard 2-3 per gallon of water. I have 160+ in my 55 and they keep it nice and clean  | |
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10-03-2007, 06:54 PM
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#9 (permalink)
| | Giant Squid
Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Louisville, GA Age: 45
Posts: 3,309
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all different kinds though, cause they all like different foods. some love pizza some don't, most love green beans, most don't like anchovies...get what I mean? | |
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10-04-2007, 01:52 AM
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#10 (permalink)
| | Flamingo Tongue
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 105
Karma: 62
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I have a Skopas Tang & a Coral Beauty with 3 Hermets & no snails.Haven't had any hair algae for 18 months. | |
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