out of control!

[mike90]

i'm sure this has been discussed numerous times but my hair algae is out of control. I have a 90 gallon that has been set up for a while now. The hair algae is growing so fast. How can I get rid of it?

 

[Len]

Did it just start up all of a sudden? The key is, of course, nutrient control. After you find out why you aren't exporting enough nutrients or why you are importing too much of it, the algae should go away in time (could be months). There isn't a quick fix IME. Tangs and snails and blennies and urchins can all help crop the algae, but it will regrow without nutrient control.

 

[mr_X]

i put a brand new 10k XM bulb over a tank and hair algae has sprouted up everywhere. i would have expected the opposite. :?

 

[mike90]

sorry but can you explain exactly what you mean by nutrient control.

by the way i tested my nitrates last night and they are at 10ppm. so they are normal.

 

[Anonymous]

Protein skimmer
Water changes
RO/DI water
water flow

 

[mike90]

should there be a lot of water flow or not a lot?

 

[cindre2000]

Nutrient control refers to the import and export of nutrients. Thus the more nutrients in the system the more nutrients are available for algae.

As mentioned by Rob_Reef_Keeper, nutrient import includes:

Feeding, and RO/DI water use

Nutrient export include:

Protein Skimmer and Water Changes (which is facilitated by high water flow)

Thus, if there is more nutrient import than export, the nutrients must go somewhere. This means into the fish, corals, and algae. Algae can be a symptom of excess nutrients....

 

[Anonymous]

IME - Enough flow to keep the detritus suspended for as long as possible to get ti to the skimmer. Or have it pile in a corner where it can be easily siphoned out.

 

[Anonymous]

Toss in some turbo snails to help control it.

 

[mike90]

yea i have to get some turbos.

 

[SnowManSnow]

although some things will eat algae MOST won't touch hair algae for some reason. Be careful not to fall into the trap of throwing in more animals to clear up a problem. ... the animals produce waste.. the waste helps the algae grow. very few things will consume enough of the problem algae that the waste and nutrient importation doesnt outweigh the consumption.

I got rid of the stuff once by covering it with a shell for a few months and robbing it of light. You may also look into a phosban reactor of some sort. mine has worked great against all sorts of algae.

 

[mike90]

what exactly does a phasban reactor do?

 

[Anonymous]

a phosban reactor is a place where you can put a phosphate removing chemical. The reason for the reactor is to move the water through the chemicals for better affect. It is NOT the answer but can help.

You need to find the source of the fuel for the algae then correct that first.

 

[Anonymous]

as a newbie you may be overfeeding. I was doing that in the beginning, and when I started feeding less I had less problems with algae. I feed my fish just enough to get by.

 

[SnowManSnow]

a phosban reactor is a place where you can put a phosphate removing chemical. The reason for the reactor is to move the water through the chemicals for better affect. It is NOT the answer but can help.

You need to find the source of the fuel for the algae then correct that first.

THE answer is nutrient control... but like he says.. it can help.

b

 

[Anonymous]

It's been mentioned already, but what are you using as a water source?

If you aren't using RODI, then you may be adding nutrients every time you top off.