Algae over load

[scubamomma]

So after buying come corals form a source who will not be named i became over run with green hair algae and bubble algae.. the hard green bubbles ( which arent as bad as the hair algae) i spend numerous hours pulling it off my koralias and my overflow and im fighting it as naturally as i can but im over it. my 2 tangs and my lawn mower blenny cant defeat it. any suggestions? i just want my gorgeous reef back

[cg5071]

I thought I had mine on the way to being cleaned up but I guess not. I am going to get a crap ton of dwarf cerith from reefcleaners.org and see what they can do. They are really cheap there and if you spend $50 shipping is free. They have other stuff too but some stuff cant be sent the priority way as snails and some crabs and algaes are.
I will likely spread the bulk around to friends after they knock it out but make sure to keep some myself of course.

[John]

I will have a sea hare available in a few days.

[Manoj's Reef]

So after buying come corals form a source who will not be named i became over run with green hair algae and bubble algae.. the hard green bubbles ( which arent as bad as the hair algae) i spend numerous hours pulling it off my koralias and my overflow and im fighting it as naturally as i can but im over it. my 2 tangs and my lawn mower blenny cant defeat it. any suggestions? i just want my gorgeous reef back

Hi Hillary,

I will try to break down your problem and hopefully it will provide help.

"So after buying come corals form a source who will not be named i became over run with green hair algae and bubble algae"

This would have happened anyway as not all rocks are free of hair/bubble algae. Sometimes the algae are inside the rocks and you would not even see it. I would not be overly concerned about where it came from. The longer you are in the hobby the chances are you will get it. The bubble algae have to be removed manually.

" i spend numerous hours pulling it off my koralias and my overflow and im fighting it as naturally as i can but im over it. my 2 tangs and my lawn mower blenny cant defeat it"

This is where your problem lies. As you are trying to remove it and still not able to keep up. Your aquarium has nutrients in the water column that you need to reduce to low amounts.

Plz test the following and you will see where the problem lies.
1. Phosphate?
2. Nitrate?
3. TDS of your RO water ?
4. What do you feed and how often?
5. How many fishes do you have?
Once you can provide the above five informations then it will be easier to suggest the fix.

Adding more cleaning crew in like putting a bandaid , its not the fix.

[Chelle's Ocean]

Let me know how you like them (reefcleaners) . I have ordered from them.... no cold packs... most doa. :(

[Chelle's Ocean]

I will have a sea hare available in a few days.

Please post a pic of the one you get?

Still looking for the one I am wanting.... one out of 3 LFS are also trying to get hands on the blue spot.

Would like to know what's available near you guys.

Thanks

[XSiVE]

is it GHA or bryopsis that you are fighting? if its bryopsis ive seen that raising magnesium can be very good for getting rid of it.

as for the bubble algae.. ugh, been battling that for a long time, I don't know what to do for it.

[Chelle's Ocean]

(mine is not bryopsis...although I have also read about the increasing magnesium levels will help.
mine looks like the hair on a q-p troll doll.... very soft/tuft like....need my sea hare back :()

[MizTanks]

As most pep's here know I had a horrible case of HA in my little 8g. Lost around 6-8 zoa frags to the stuff. I tried just about everything non-chemical. I harvested everyday and no matter if the flow was off, some still got away. I bought turbos only to have them die from starvation, they didn't even touch it. I bought *star* snails. They too died. I bought a blue spot sea hare, didn't touch it either and wound up getting itself stuck in a hole and died.
I got a new RO tap filter, a new media rack and started using a couple pieces of LR rubble/chaeto with a LED. But it didn't actually stop until I bought the below product. I know people hate chemicals and I too am one. But I was just about ready to tear down my tank. I was at my wits end!!! It is reef safe!! But you don't want to apply it directly on corals, they don't like it! But as close as you can get works wonders. If ever I get HA again this is the same route I'll be taking. Make sure you read the reviews!!!

http://www.marinedepot.com/Chem_Marin_Stop_Hair_Algae_8_oz._Red_Slime_Cyanoba cteria_Remover_Medications-Chem_Marin-CM1311-FIMERM-vi.html

[John]

My Sea Hare is nothing special. It looks like an ugly bunny that has no legs and was dipped in sludge.

[weimers75]

Hi Hillary,

I will try to break down your problem and hopefully it will provide help.

"So after buying come corals form a source who will not be named i became over run with green hair algae and bubble algae"

This would have happened anyway as not all rocks are free of hair/bubble algae. Sometimes the algae are inside the rocks and you would not even see it. I would not be overly concerned about where it came from. The longer you are in the hobby the chances are you will get it. The bubble algae have to be removed manually.


This is where your problem lies. As you are trying to remove it and still not able to keep up. Your aquarium has nutrients in the water column that you need to reduce to low amounts.

Plz test the following and you will see where the problem lies.
1. Phosphate?
2. Nitrate?
3. TDS of your RO water ?
4. What do you feed and how often?
5. How many fishes do you have?
Once you can provide the above five informations then it will be easier to suggest the fix.

Adding more cleaning crew in like putting a bandaid , its not the fix.

Manoj hit this one right on the head. Hair algae is NOT from frags - it grows when you have nutrients in the water, as does almost all algae (with the exception of red turf which thrives in clean water). The key and ONLY long term way to rid your tank is very frequent (like 2-3 times a week of at least 10% each time, the more the better) water changes using only r/o water (if you use tap you'll make it worse). Do this for a few weeks, then you can go back to once a week of 10% changes. It will take awhile, but eventually it will go away as it starves. If you have a sump with chaeto that will help to as it uses the nutrients the hair algae uses. Sea hares and snails are temporary fixes - they can help eat it but won't rid it entirely for the long term, in fact getting large quantities makes your problem worse as it ADDS nutrients to the water and you'll have more of a problem down the road.

One final note, if your test kits read zero it does not indicate that they aren't there. The algae ffeds off of nitrates and phosphates, so if they read zero its because the algae is using them all up giving you a false sense that water parameters are ok.

[nate_newton]

Is anyone with this problem running GFO through a reactor, like what BulkReef sells?

[rmalone]

Gfo in a reactor or on a media rack will help for sure. Cut the amount you feed the fish in half, they won't die. Don't feed any frozen foods or things like oyster eggs, phyto, etc. Your coral will be just fine without. I would also consider a two day dark period, again it wont kill any livestock and it wont eliminate the H.A. but it will help get you on top of the algae problem. As stated some big water changes will help also (but if you keep feeding and handling nutrients like you have been the algae will still come right back). Obviously tap water is a no-no, period, it doesn't matter if you think your tap water is phosphate free, the powdered and liquid test kits are junk and a waste of money. JMO.

[scubamomma]

i lowered my temp and feed less it is going away very nicely actually. i may try that product but ill see how it pans out

[card16969]

i lowered my temp and feed less it is going away very nicely actually. i may try that product but ill see how it pans out

from experience with the same problem i found that 24-48 hours of lights out will make a huge difference and also im not sure if this is common but my cleaner shrimp LOVE hair algae when i added them i had about 3 large pieces probably 6x6 with hair about 6" long on my back wall and when i added my first 2 cleaners they swam right for it and twisted them selves up in it and stayed there... the next day when i woke up it was completely gone... ive added a couple frags since then with it on it and as soon as it goes in the tank all 3 cleaners swim straight for it and dont leave till its gone... but then again my cleaners eat pe mysis too haha