Hairline algae problem

API makes a great product called Marine AlgaeFix. Works great but will take a month or 2 to rid a tank of a large infestation such as yours. Definately pull out as much as you can by hand. Since you don't really have much to lose.. first thing I would do if you haven't already it turn the lights off for the next month or so. No need for the light if all your growing is hair algae with it.

20 MONTHS.. wow.. that is a looooong time to be away from a tank. Just curious, why didn't you tear it down before you left?

Sounds like a drag!

If it were me I'd buy a couple of rubbermaid tubs fill it partially with water from the system,using it to rinse the rock after removing as much of the hair algae as humanly possible.

You may just want to wash the sand thoroughly in the tank water to preserve bacterial colonization. But my thought would be to dump the sand in favor new substrate. In theory you may run a mini cycle,but the rock should take up the nitrification process pretty quickly.

Change at least 50% of the water. Get rid of any mechanical filtration media keep the Ca & alk up , Change your bulbs, and you should see some improvement pretty quickly.

Using the quick fix method like those mentioned in Ace's post may very well kill the algae but won't eliminate the cause of the problem. IMO it is treating a symptom not the disease.( No offense Ace )

The only way to be sure that it won't return is to be sure that you have eliminated the cause of the nutrients that fostered this growth,phosphate and nitrate. Keeping the lights off will do nothing but kill the coraline algae that you need to encrust the rock and out compete the algae for growth area on the rocks surface.

If nitrate and phosphate are not eliminated the hair algae will return the minute the lights are turned back on.

Hope this helps.

Anyone else??

Yeah, get a sea hare.

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Ken b said:

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Wasn't the "cause" just from lack of proper maint? So, if he is back taking care of his tank now the "cause" has been known and now resolved. Now the OP just needs to get the tank back in check.

You can easily have 0 nitrates and .03 phosphates and still have a HUGE hair algae problem. Those may be the "cause" in some cases, but not all. Also, Coralline doesn't really need "intense" light from a light fixture.. it will still survive just from ambient daylight. Probably do better. Look at where the coralline grows the best in a tank, in the shaded areas. I have brighter/thicker coralline under my HOB filter output than anywhere else on the back glass on my 29G.. because it is shaded from the light.

Ace,

I don't want you to get the wrong idea. I'm not flaming you here, and I'm not trying to turn this into a debate about who is right or wrong.

All the suggestions that i've made are just good husbandy techniques are they not??

Why not dump some magic potion in the tank and turn the lights off? Wait 2 months and hope that there is no reinfestation when the lights come back on.So that when it does your back to square one.

Good husbandry technique??:thm:

If there is one thing i've learned in this hobby over the last 20 odd years is that there is no magic bullet,save for good husbandry. Why not go the extra mile and try not to insure that you've solved the problem.

If his lighting hasn't been changed in 20 months,or longer as I suspect, the loss of spectrum and intensity could be as much to blame for the growth. But why haven't you suggested that.

I know what lighting conditions coraline needs but do you know for a fact that there is enough ambient light to support coraline growth??

I don't! I haven't seen where the tank is located. Bearing that in mind wouldn't it be prudent to at least suggest a little lighting from a new actinic bulb? I would tend to think so.:dance:

Bear in mind the information contained in the postings and try not to assume too much about someone elses systems,generalizations don't always work, but we try to provide food for thought and to get a fellow aquariusts problems rectified.

For as many problems as you can find with my previous posts I can pick yours apart with equal disdain. So lets work together,shall we??

Same here.. just friendly difference of opinions some times. I don't take it personally and not at all angered if someone has other suggestions than mine. I am not that type of person. It's allllll gooooood.

I have green algea problem also. I have been using AlgeaFix, for almost five months now, twice a week. Does Sea Hare work?