FishBrain Posted October 5, 2006 Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 OK I have a 33G with a hair algae outbreak and it is only getting worse. Seems the more I pull out the more I find growing. Water changes everyweek and not helping at all, I understand it is prob due to an abundance of nutrients, and man are the corals and mushrooms loving it, but without using chemicals what livestock can I get to get rid of it? By eating or other means? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finaddict Posted October 6, 2006 Report Share Posted October 6, 2006 mat, sea hair lawn mower blenny feed less, make a hang on back fuge out of an ac filter/ with macro algae's to soak up the excess phosphates/nutreints Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlkWolfe Posted October 6, 2006 Report Share Posted October 6, 2006 Big mexican turbos as well, if you dont mind minor redecoration Where'd your rock/sand come from? Feed less as finaddict said, and flake foods are usually horrible for defiling clean water Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2manytanks Posted October 6, 2006 Report Share Posted October 6, 2006 Big mexican turbos as well, if you dont mind minor redecorationWhere'd your rock/sand come from? Feed less as finaddict said, and flake foods are usually horrible for defiling clean water Definitely, snails are king. Both of my reef tanks had big algae problems, since they were both new tanks I cured the rock in the tanks before I added livestock so lots of nutrients and lots of algae. The snails I bought cleared it out in a matter of a couple of days. What really amazed me though is the plants and corals that were on the live rock seemed totally unaffected by the snails. If you have live sand with algae growing on the surface of it, I would suggest a sand sifting star. Not only nice to look at, but it keeps the sand stirred up and eats the algae and detritus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishBrain Posted October 6, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2006 feed less--I only feed once a day, and ONLY NLS, no flake big snails-- yes I do mind redecoration and the lobster does that himself Lawnmower Blenny---Would the reef lobster eat it? and where could I find one Sea Hair--Heard they are real hard to keep! Rock MAINly from Golds and sand was from a Canreefer who was shutting down a tank All Algae is on the rockwork Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunl Posted October 6, 2006 Report Share Posted October 6, 2006 Gold's usually has blenny's. I was told that getting one for my 54g would be a waste, as it would starve. Ended up being the biggest pig in the tank, packing away any food I put in there, plus as much algae as it could find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGr8Blade Posted October 6, 2006 Report Share Posted October 6, 2006 (edited) Albert (at Golds) sold me a container of ROWAphos. Helps somewhat but won't kill what you already have. I took a tube cleaning brush and turn it over and over the hair algae to remove what I had already. Used the ROWA and bought some snails. Seems to be controlled now. Looks like this.... http://www.rowausa.com/rowaphos_tips.html Another product I would like to try but haven't yet is Kent Marine Phosphate Sponge. http://www.kentmarine.com/saltwater/ps2.html Edited October 6, 2006 by TheGr8Blade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlkWolfe Posted October 6, 2006 Report Share Posted October 6, 2006 Tested your WC water for PO4? Nitrates arent high in the tank? If not the incoming water or food, perhaps leaching out of the rock (wouldnt just be growing out of the older rock would it?), or more likely the sand into the water column. Although so many things can contribute. Maybe try some rowaphos or other media as a last resort, just start VERY slowly with the rowa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishBrain Posted October 6, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2006 Thanks for the Ideas, would like to try livestock first as he would have lots to eat. Thinking about a blenny first. Everything will be going into the 90 once it is up and running, and by the way things are looking it shouldn't be to much longer!! I dont have a test kit for PO4...YET. and no nitrates are not high, between 5-10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marella Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 If you are going to a 90g, you might consider a yellow tang. Mine has kept the hair algea neatly groomed, not eliminated but definitley under control. I have noticed large areas of the algea starting to disappear after getting a UV sterilizer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishBrain Posted October 11, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 SO I go away for the weekend and dont have anyone to feed the fishies and come back to about 15% of the algae gone!! Definatly noticeable difference and everything else seems to be doing good. I am going to only feed every 3-4 days and see what happens over the next few weeks. I would love a tang but I dont really have a set date as to when the 90 is going to be set up. lots of money that I dont really have yet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishBrain Posted October 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2006 So I went into Riverfront today and bought the smallest tang. cute little guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finaddict Posted October 13, 2006 Report Share Posted October 13, 2006 Better watch out mat, the tang police are gonna get you!!!!! :w00t: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishBrain Posted October 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2006 OH He is sooooooo cute. All I can hear in here right now is "look at his long nose" (Daughters) He is very small...I have to say the smallest one I have ever seen. about the size of a 1L bottle cap. (those are the larger caps than the 2L) Very cool. He was in the car with me most the day and I am now slowly aclimating him now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishBrain Posted October 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 :grr: :grr: :grr: recken, frecken,rrrrmrmrmrmr. OK now I feel bad. poor little guy didnt work out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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