hair algae

slakker · #1 10-28-2008, 06:46 AM

new sand and maybe rock? Even though using old water may cause a 'new tank' syndrome. So if you get a sea hair, it'll control it and when your tank settles, you can give it away. The hairy sea hares do a great job.

But if it's not 'new tank', then u gotta figure out what's causing the HA.

tgoeujon · #2 10-28-2008, 07:10 PM

the rock is all old i just thought about the lighting change. i went from pc with t5s to 150 mh. would that do it. same photo period different penetration?

slakker · #3 10-28-2008, 11:57 PM

Me personally think the new sand, even with old water and rock is basically a "new setup". So the system hasn't reached equilibrium yet, ie; nitrogen cycle not in balanced yet with the bacteria that's already in the rock, also not yet in the sand and not in the balanced concentrations (how's that for a run on sentence)

. So while it's reaching equilibrium, any excess extra nutrient will be feeding the hair algae. The increased MH lights also is a variable that's helping enable photosynthesis in the algae to take up the nutrients. Decreasing photo period will help...

It'll slowly come back to balance, but it doesn't hurt to get a Sea Hare to keep the growth down while everything is coming into balance.

tgoeujon · #4 10-31-2008, 03:59 AM

picked up one of the mini sea hares on jls site, ill let you all know how it works. i also went with a lettuce nudibranch, figured it was worth a try as well

slakker · #5 10-31-2008, 04:28 AM

Cool... do they ship via Greyhound to Clinton? My wife's uncle lives in Lac la Hache and he was really interested in setting up a tank after seeing ours...

tgoeujon · #6 10-31-2008, 05:16 AM

yup greyhound is the only option here, i would imagine lac la hache would be the same. i just have to remember that if i order on friday i wont get anything till like the next wednesday. lol greyhound always loses weekend orders