Green Hair Algea

Sarah03 · 01-24-2007, 02:04 PM

My tank is becoming covered in green hair algea. I did some tests and everything seems good. The only thing is that my nitrates are between 10 and 20. It is starting to grow over my corals and all over my live rock. I need to change my lights soon and I'm hoping that will help. But I read somewhere on the internet that it will not go away. Any help would be apprieciated.

pmac90 · 01-24-2007, 02:19 PM

give us a good full update of what your tank setup looks like and we'll tackle it! The nitrates can be part of the problem though....

Warnberg · 01-24-2007, 03:06 PM

Please list paramaters (all that you can test for) and length of time the tank has been setup, what you have in the tank currently (specially cleanup crew), filter setup (mechanical), time of last water change, volume of last water change, etc.......

DeepBlue · 01-24-2007, 03:34 PM

Add to the list of questions... Do you have a protien skimmer?

Witfull · 01-24-2007, 03:35 PM

feeding routine and amounts too

craig7220 · 01-25-2007, 02:17 PM

Are you using RO water for top off?

lcstorc · 01-26-2007, 03:29 PM

My we are full of questions but I don't see any answers.
In short to control hair algae decrease nutrients in the tank and scrub, scrub, scrub the rock until it gradually goes away due to your efforts in water quality and scrubbing.

craig7220 · 01-27-2007, 07:32 PM

Hard to give answers without knowing the parameters. Many things can cause hair algae, Overfeeding, topping off with tap water or not using RODI water for top off. Scrubbing the rock will work in the short term but won't solve the problem in the long term. Definately the hair algae feeds on nutrients in the tank, IE phosphates and nitrates but I have learned through experience that if you don't solve what is feeding the hair algae, it won't go away... macro algae in the refugium will help fight it because it will feed on the nutients thus starve the hair algae out... Old lights on the tank can also attribute to nuisance algae because the older the lights get, they will change color spectrum to something more to the liking of the nusiance algae. I would also do a water change to help lower your nitrates. Then we will need to figure out why the nitrates are high. Possible causes are the use of crushed coral for substrate. This will trap gunk. Also canister filters, wet dry bio balls and the like. Over feeding can cause higher nitrates and hair algae...

PhilOlsen · 01-27-2007, 10:42 PM

Are you using a cannister filter?

01-24-2007, 02:04 PM	#1 (permalink)
Sarah03 Fire Coral Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 64 View Gallery Karma Komment	Green Hair Algea My tank is becoming covered in green hair algea. I did some tests and everything seems good. The only thing is that my nitrates are between 10 and 20. It is starting to grow over my corals and all over my live rock. I need to change my lights soon and I'm hoping that will help. But I read somewhere on the internet that it will not go away. Any help would be apprieciated.

01-24-2007, 02:19 PM	#2 (permalink)
pmac90 Cabbage Leather Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bristol, PA Posts: 371 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Green Hair Algea give us a good full update of what your tank setup looks like and we'll tackle it! The nitrates can be part of the problem though.... __________________ Pete 90 all glass leathers, hammer, frogspawn, trumpets, trachy shrooms, gsp, plate, xenia, buttons, gonipora.... clown goby, hippo, 6-line, scopas, ocellaris... 90 lbs live rock 3" sand bed double sump ASM G1 UV - Member NJRC-

01-24-2007, 03:06 PM	#3 (permalink)
Warnberg Acropora Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Tampa, Florida Posts: 1,911 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Green Hair Algea Please list paramaters (all that you can test for) and length of time the tank has been setup, what you have in the tank currently (specially cleanup crew), filter setup (mechanical), time of last water change, volume of last water change, etc....... __________________ Dave 240 Gallon Tall Tencor (96"L x 30"T x 18"W) 4 250 Watt MH XM10K bulbs 2-54 Watt T5 Actinic Euro-Reef CS8-2-RC Jetstream 1 Calcium Reactor 4 Tunze Turbelle stream 6000 power heads 7095 Tunze controller

01-24-2007, 03:34 PM	#4 (permalink)
DeepBlue Pistol Shrimp Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 266 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Green Hair Algea Add to the list of questions... Do you have a protien skimmer? __________________ Kris ___________________________ 38 Gal. Corner Bowfront 64# Live Rock 60# DSB ProClear 75 Wet/Dry converted to sump w/Catalina 2200 pump 10 Gal. Fuge ASM G3 Skimmer Sun Pod 150 HQI w/ moonlights and 64 watt PC Actinics 2 - Hydor Korallia Circulation Heads (1 - #2 and 1 - #3) Yellow Tang, Blue Damsel, 2 Ocellaris Clowns, 2 Green Chromis, Citron Goby, White Sebae Anemone, Crocea Clam, Frilly Mushrooms, Green Ricordia, Acropora, Montipora, Zooanthids, Serpant Star, Cleaner Shrimp and Snails

01-25-2007, 02:17 PM	#6 (permalink)
craig7220 Fire Coral Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Albuquerque Posts: 60 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Green Hair Algea Are you using RO water for top off?

01-26-2007, 03:29 PM	#7 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 20,948 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Green Hair Algea My we are full of questions but I don't see any answers. In short to control hair algae decrease nutrients in the tank and scrub, scrub, scrub the rock until it gradually goes away due to your efforts in water quality and scrubbing. __________________ Peace LYNN You can't change the past but you can change how you view it. A reef tank is like a racecar. The faster you go the harder you crash. Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Every 60 seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back. In Loving Memory Of Z 01/22/07 - 08/19/08

01-27-2007, 07:32 PM	#8 (permalink)
craig7220 Fire Coral Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Albuquerque Posts: 60 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Green Hair Algea Hard to give answers without knowing the parameters. Many things can cause hair algae, Overfeeding, topping off with tap water or not using RODI water for top off. Scrubbing the rock will work in the short term but won't solve the problem in the long term. Definately the hair algae feeds on nutrients in the tank, IE phosphates and nitrates but I have learned through experience that if you don't solve what is feeding the hair algae, it won't go away... macro algae in the refugium will help fight it because it will feed on the nutients thus starve the hair algae out... Old lights on the tank can also attribute to nuisance algae because the older the lights get, they will change color spectrum to something more to the liking of the nusiance algae. I would also do a water change to help lower your nitrates. Then we will need to figure out why the nitrates are high. Possible causes are the use of crushed coral for substrate. This will trap gunk. Also canister filters, wet dry bio balls and the like. Over feeding can cause higher nitrates and hair algae...

01-27-2007, 10:42 PM	#9 (permalink)
PhilOlsen Has been struck by the ban stick Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Glendale Hts. Illinois (Chicago transplant to humor my wife) Posts: 646 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Green Hair Algea Are you using a cannister filter?

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)