Bad Hair Algae - Page 3

Farrmanchu · #21 12-09-2007, 02:22 AM

Are you using tap water? That's an insane amount of nuisance algae. I would decrease the waterchanges and feeding, maybe even lower the bioload. Manually remove the Hair Algae, and use Maracyn antibiotic on the Cyano. I've found that too many or too large of water changes can contribute to this problem, especially if you use tap water.

Johnny Reefer · #22 12-09-2007, 03:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by likwid

I used Chemi-clean which is suppsoed to remove red slime as well, but it did nothing at all. .....

Did you remove most of the problem Cyano manually? You should do this in conjunction with the Chemi-Clean. I've used Chemi-Clean with good results, and FWIW...have decided to use it regularly on a monthly basis...as the package suggests. Ya, I know....frequent chemicals in the tank, which some might not agree with, but it's working for me and keeping it in check.

Cheers,

Johnny Reefer · #23 12-09-2007, 03:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fiorano

can cyano also get all long and stringy too because i have like thick red slime on some parts of my sand that is like flowing with the water in strings?

Yes.

Black Phantom · #24 12-09-2007, 04:13 AM

I helped a friend of mine with the exact same problem. His tank was two years old with a ton of algae and after this "amazing cure" his tank cleared up in less than a month.
Stop using water from Wally Mart, or Safeways, or Co Op. Unless you know exactly how often they change their filters then the chances are you are getting more than good RO water. Go fork out the money and buy yourself your own system. That way you can keep track and change filters accordingly.
That's my two cents worth tonight. Hope it helps

Skimmerking · #25 12-09-2007, 04:13 AM

that is major phoshates in your tank get a refugium going and stick that HA in there and the will take it down some. that is what I did get some phosphate sponges to soak it up

likwid · #26 12-11-2007, 06:32 PM

Well I did the 3 days without light technique and most of the cyano is gone. All of the hair algae remained however. I have decided to change from fill it yourself RO water from walmart, to pre bottled distilled water that says 0.01 ppm on the bottle. This will be more expensive, but I will try it out and see what happens. I have also changed the flow in my refugium so that the water flows under the baffle and up throw the liverock and chaeto, instead of just overtop of everything like before (mis-read the DIY instructions).

Reefer Rob · #27 12-11-2007, 07:32 PM

The lights out thing seems to totally annihilate cyano, I don't know for how long. I think it might help with your hair algae if you did it regularly, say once a month. Did the lack of light have any negative effect on your corals?

likwid · #28 12-11-2007, 09:45 PM

Nothing negative as far as I know. Yesterday was the first day with them back on, and I only put actinics on, so it is hard to gauge. My toadstool and xenia werent standing as tall as they usually do, but I think that is just temporary.

The hair algae still looks the same to me as far as I know. How does it look when they are dieing off?

Reefer Rob · #29 12-11-2007, 10:27 PM

I didn't wait for mine to die off. I only had a few patches, and I basted mine with boiling RO/DI water (my remedy for everything

) The next day there is nothing but bare rock.

Canuckgod420 · #30 12-11-2007, 10:46 PM

I dont think you should use distilled water....I cant remember where I read it but distilled is not good....I use a RODI unit but in a pinch if I need water I use my Canadian Springs bottled water(demineralized using RO).
Never had a problem using this...and maybe someone else has also heard about the negative effects using distilled.