Green hair algae!

Hey everyone. For the past couple of weeks, I have noticed green hair algae in my system. Phosphates are @ 1ppm, nitrates 0ppm, is there anything else that feeds that type of algae? How can I beat it, it's starting to encrust my orange zoo's!

 

Your Phosphates are maybe be higher than 1ppm. The hair algae is so good at eating that stuff up that it could lower your test result. Try taking a water sample closer to the hair algae and you might see a different result. JMO

Marc.

 

What is your photo period? You've got a ton of light. Get a some phosban.
What type of green hair algae is it. Does it look like mine?

 

To get rid of the hair algae, you could do a number of things. Take the live rock out and use a tooth brush etc. and scrub it off the live rock the place it back into your tank(use separate water container). Purchase a lawnmower blenny or red lip blenny. Also, use some sort of phosphare remover. Check your lights. When did you last change your lights.. they may have lost strength. The last thing is to start a refugium with caluerpa(macroalgae) to help eat up the nutrients that the hair(microalgae)is eating now.

 

I leave my lights on 12 hours a day, but I think I'm gonna start cutting it down to 8 hours. My helios are brand new, only have about 2 months running them and they are still very strong.

You know, it's funny, I have been getting different results in my test. One day .5, one day 1, again .5, then 1. I am running phosban for the phosphates but my best bet is a water change which I am doing today (5gal). I think I'm gonna add more phosban media in there today after the water change, I'm only running 30g of it. I've also noticed the hermits eat it, but I need to add more hermits.

Covey, it looks nothing like that, yet. Mine looks more stringy and duller in color, but I know it's green hair, maybe it's because I am barely getting it.

Covey, your green hair seems to be thriving, how are you battling it?

 

Phosphate tests are notoriously unreliable. I've got an old thread on it somewhere. When the readings from distilled water ran higher than my RODI or tank I gave up. The important part is your tank is acting like it is nutrient rich. Treat it accordingly.

 

I just purchased a healthy lawnmower blenny. The little guy loves to graze! I hope this guy cleans up my reef.

I didn't have time to go get some catalina water today, so I've postponed the water change until tomorrow and am adding 20 more grams of phosban to the system + the blenny.

I will keep you guys posted.

 

That is a old pic though I still have algae. I had a rather long drawn out fight with it. I had to upgrade my RO with a DI. I bought a larger skimmer. Those really stopped the growth but nothing was eating the algae. Basically to finish off my algae I am going to have to get rid of my Coral Beauty, because it kills snails. I have mine under control but it wasn't easy.

 

easy fix: stop feeding, and do weekly waterchanges

 

cows man

dude i had the same issue at one time. i highly reccomend the addition of some turbo snails, they are like f ing cows. constantly grazing my lr and cleaning up the corals. good luck hope your conditions improve.