Bad Hair Algae

[likwid]

Originally Posted by Myka

Awesome! I am interested to hear what your Cal/Alk readings are. Kent Liquid Calcium is very good and easy to use. It is expensive when used on large tanks, but your tank shouldn't go through much, I use it on my 33, and it's cheap. I use SeaChem Reef buffer (not the pH one!!!) for Alk...it's a good product as well. Don't buy any products that directly alter your pH. Even though yours is low the last thing you want is a swinging pH level, and that's exactly what you'll get with pH altering additives.

That is low production of skimmate. You have a Remora Nano right? Does it have an adjustment screw like the regular Remoras and the Remora Pros? If so, play around with it (turned off!! lol it sucks when it's on and you accidentally unscrew it all the way). I find the more I screw mine in the more skimmate it produces. So I have mine screwed in all the way, and then the skimmer cup propped up as high as I can get it. I seem to get the best skimmate this way.

Not sure why it would be going crazy since what you said you did doesn't correlate to it freaking out.

Unfortunately none of the local stores here sell those test kits or additives, so I cannot check until my next trip up to Calgary.

There is an adjustment screw, but it is screwed in as tight as it can go already. I have my collection cup as low as it can go as well. If I put it up any higher it would not collect anything.

On a side note, I tried basting with hot water again, and put the baster right near the root of the hair algae and it did nothing at all. Today the spots I basted are looking alive and healthy as ever.

Also, I have quite a bit of live rock in my fuge and those have never had any algae growth on them. They look perfect. Shouldnt the algae be growing on those rocks mainly? My chaeto doesnt grow very fast either. I have my fuge light on a reverse cycle, so its on around 16 hours a day.

[calkrog]

Originally Posted by likwid

Also, I have quite a bit of live rock in my fuge and those have never had any algae growth on them. They look perfect. Shouldnt the algae be growing on those rocks mainly? My chaeto doesnt grow very fast either. I have my fuge light on a reverse cycle, so its on around 16 hours a day.

you may just want to run 24hrs on your fuge and dose iron to stimulate your cheato to grow a bit more. then it should out compete some of the hair.

[Myka]

Originally Posted by likwid

Unfortunately none of the local stores here sell those test kits or additives, so I cannot check until my next trip up to Calgary.

There is an adjustment screw, but it is screwed in as tight as it can go already. I have my collection cup as low as it can go as well. If I put it up any higher it would not collect anything.

On a side note, I tried basting with hot water again, and put the baster right near the root of the hair algae and it did nothing at all. Today the spots I basted are looking alive and healthy as ever.

Also, I have quite a bit of live rock in my fuge and those have never had any algae growth on them. They look perfect. Shouldnt the algae be growing on those rocks mainly? My chaeto doesnt grow very fast either. I have my fuge light on a reverse cycle, so its on around 16 hours a day.

Try adjusting the screw out then...? Make an adjustment and wait a few days to see if does good or bad, then adjust again.

I agree - try 24 hour fuge lighting.

[likwid]

Originally Posted by Myka

Try adjusting the screw out then...? Make an adjustment and wait a few days to see if does good or bad, then adjust again.

I agree - try 24 hour fuge lighting.

I have been doing 24 fuge lighting and my chaeto is growing like mad, it doubles in size every few days, but the hair algae is not slowing down one bit. I siphoned off a whole bunch after my last water change, but it has all grown back since. I ordered a reef test kit from JL last wednesday and am still waiting for it to arrive so I can test all the other params.

[bv_reefer]

i know how it is, it can over grow everything, when my tank was about 2 months running my hair algae got so bad i couldn't even consider any more corals, so i tried that scalding water in a water bottle procedure, and i did that maybe 3-4 times followed by a couple 20% water changes as albert dao recommended and since then i've been nuisance algae-free for 5 months, no hair,bubble, or plate algae. you might want to try it out- i got it from michikas hair algae thread a couple months ago- good luck-

[Reefer Rob]

Originally Posted by likwid

I have been doing 24 fuge lighting and my chaeto is growing like mad, it doubles in size every few days, but the hair algae is not slowing down one bit. I siphoned off a whole bunch after my last water change, but it has all grown back since. I ordered a reef test kit from JL last wednesday and am still waiting for it to arrive so I can test all the other params.

If you're getting that kind of growth you are putting way too many nutrients into your system, it's as simple as that. Chaeto won't grow without fertilizer.

[likwid]

Originally Posted by bv_reefer

i know how it is, it can over grow everything, when my tank was about 2 months running my hair algae got so bad i couldn't even consider any more corals, so i tried that scalding water in a water bottle procedure, and i did that maybe 3-4 times followed by a couple 20% water changes as albert dao recommended and since then i've been nuisance algae-free for 5 months, no hair,bubble, or plate algae. you might want to try it out- i got it from michikas hair algae thread a couple months ago- good luck-

I tried boiling water in a pot and then blowing it right into the rock where the hair algae is rooted with a turkey baster and it did nothing at all. Am I doing something wrong?

Originally Posted by Reefer Rob

If you're getting that kind of growth you are putting way too many nutrients into your system, it's as simple as that. Chaeto won't grow without fertilizer.

How am I putting nutrients in? I feed mysis lightly twice a week and use < 2 PPM water for WC's and top ups. I dont understand.

[bv_reefer]

it's the turkey baster likwid, thats what i tried first but with a baster the water is cooled too fast, not too good, then i bought one of those water bottles with a fold down mouth piece and straw, and slowly let it linger over the hair algae, siphoned a bit out, 20% water change, i cut down on meaty feedings like brine shrimp and phytoplankton for about 10 days and thats about it. I wish i could be more help but everyones tanks so different it's hard to say. What really set me off is that my nitrates we're very low at the same time as i had the bloom! mind you i never tested my phosphates and i would not doubt if thy we're high

[likwid]

Originally Posted by bv_reefer

it's the turkey baster likwid, thats what i tried first but with a baster the water is cooled too fast, not too good, then i bought one of those water bottles with a fold down mouth piece and straw, and slowly let it linger over the hair algae, siphoned a bit out, 20% water change, i cut down on meaty feedings like brine shrimp and phytoplankton for about 10 days and thats about it. I wish i could be more help but everyones tanks so different it's hard to say. What really set me off is that my nitrates we're very low at the same time as i had the bloom! mind you i never tested my phosphates and i would not doubt if thy we're high

Hmm, I'm not sure how the water could cool too fast. I boil the water and bring the pot over next to the tank while its still boiling, suck it up with the baster and quickly put it in the tank to baste. Where did you buy that water bottle? Maybe I'll go out and grab one tonight to try that.

[bv_reefer]

just bought it at the dollar store, i just made sure there we're no inverts or corals near by, my hair algae was literally smothering my condy anemone so it was kinda ackward squirting scalding water at the algae, i think if i remember correctly you're supposed to let it linger very slowly over the algae, it was pretty neat as corraline took over the rock right away as soon as i got rid of the GHA