Green Hair Algae out of control. please help!

[Jconnon07]

If you want to have it eaten I highly recommend Mexican turbo snails from my experience. I also like my Dalmatian molly for grazing.

 

[borderreef]

Better water quality, and it will go away! Stop afixing a plaster, fix the issue!

I agree 100%. Regular water changes, good skimming and, yes, run GFO. I have never been a fan of buying a live animal to fix a problem, only to have it suffer when the problem is fixed. Just my opinion.

 

[JeremyAN7]

HELP again / STILL. So I have been following advice... tested the PO4 in the tank had a low number (lowest measurable) tested my RODI was undetectable. I installed a reactor 2 weeks ago with 1 cup GFO and 1 cup carbon..
GHA seems stronger / faster than ever!!!
What else can I do?!?!

 

[Alex]

Keep in mind that you may be testing low phosphate levels because of you algae problem. The algae is sucking it all up so you get a low reading. Also you are probably leaching phosphate out of your rock as well. If you keep up with the good husbandry you will eventually bleed all the phosphates out of the tank and starve off the algae.

Keep running the GFO, keep doing water changes. If you can pull some of it out by hand do that as well. Watch how you feed. If feeding frozen soak it and strain it out instead of dumping the whole thing in. Only feed what you need to.

It won't happen overnight but keep fighting the good fight and you can beat it back.

 

[Alex]

Also I don't see a problem with the mexican turbos they eat more than hair algae so they shouldn't starve after it is gone.

 

[Alex]

Also would recommend blasting the algae with a MJ12 if you have one lying around. You want to get anything that is settled in the rocks or stuck in the algae out into the water column where you skimmer can pull it out of your tank. I would do that every day if you have the time.

 

[JeremyAN7]

Ok. So here is what I am doing to change the balance from GROWING GHA to reducing it...
1) added (10 days ago) reactor with 1 cup GFO and 1 cup carbon. GFO is gently tumbling. Will replace / clean monthly
2) reduced light cycle from 10 hours full (LED) to 7 hours with 80% max
3) purchased 15 large mexican turbos, 1 blue spot sea hare, 1 yellow tang (I wanted anyway) and got a Starry Blenny.
4) will clean skimmer / adjust daily.
5) will clean the rocks / easy to grab bunches every other day or so..

fingers crossed

 

[JeremyAN7]

Oh yeah. And for good measure I'm replacing the particulate and both carbon blocks in my rodi and flushing it.