My 180 is full of brown hairy algea. It's growing all over the rocks. I tried to siphon them out as much as i can and it grows right back. I'm using RODI (new) filter. I also trying to dose two part, followed the instruction, baked the baking soda. When i try to dose the 2 parts.....the hairy algae grows even faster. I have phosphate remover in my skimmer DAS 2 skimmer compartment. Will get a phosphate reactor soon. I'm also running carbon, don't see like it's working at all. I have been feeding much lightly than usual. Any clue on what's going on?
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Hairy Algae growing mad
- Thread starter samksy
- Start date
Subliminal
NJRC Member
I had the same type of issue recently in my 55. I bought some snails from a guy on the forum here (look in for sale section for mexican snails) and they took care of the entire tank in a matter of days.
Plus, they're kind of cool to watch, too.
Hope that helps!
Plus, they're kind of cool to watch, too.
Hope that helps!
ken6217 said:How long has the tank been set up? Did this come out of nowhere? What are nitrate, phosphate, and Ph levels? Do you have any type of clean up crew?
Ken
The tank has been set up for around 5 months....using 6 stage rodi filter. The hair algae started after i started dosing the 2 parts......nitrates are at 20ppm and i was also dosing sugar to lower nitrates. Ph levels have always been on the low side 7.8 - 8.0. Oh, the hair algae has been around for like 1.5 months or so. I have some nassarius snails and several hermits.
Subliminal said:I had the same type of issue recently in my 55. I bought some snails from a guy on the forum here (look in for sale section for mexican snails) and they took care of the entire tank in a matter of days.
Plus, they're kind of cool to watch, too.
Hope that helps!
Thanks, i'll definetly give the snail a try.....i hope it really work work.
Naso Tangs are really good at farming hair algae too. They can be a bit pricy depending on size, but a rather indespensible tang for a reef tank if doing minimal fish.
I had that issue, especially when my tank was new, only a couple of months old. And I know the frustration of cleaning the orcks, only to watch it come back with a vengence. It cleared up after I got a clean up crew during one of the G/B's. That was Turbos, nassarius snails, some hermits, and a blenny. It was gone in record time. I also changed a lot of water. If you can get the mexican snails, get them, if not, maybe the clubs has some snails they can sell you.
As for to the phosphates/nitrates, I think those may be the reasons why the H/A is growing. I would stop using the 2 part till I got the H/A under control. It may be what is feeding it. I used to use Bionic's 2 part, and got H/A, bad. I stopped and starting using Tropic Marin's Bio Calcium, never had that problem again, until I moved and had to set the tank up again. So, IMO, I would stop the 2 part.
rev
As for to the phosphates/nitrates, I think those may be the reasons why the H/A is growing. I would stop using the 2 part till I got the H/A under control. It may be what is feeding it. I used to use Bionic's 2 part, and got H/A, bad. I stopped and starting using Tropic Marin's Bio Calcium, never had that problem again, until I moved and had to set the tank up again. So, IMO, I would stop the 2 part.
rev
I'm doing the same two part system and at the begining I did get a bloom followed by the red algea... I adjusted the 2 part so it dose less and the problem went away on its own (snails do help a lot).
By the way the two part system rocks! I bought some zoas and they are so much bigger and it looks like there are more of them now.
By the way the two part system rocks! I bought some zoas and they are so much bigger and it looks like there are more of them now.