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Remove Hair Algae From Rock

J

Jenn

Will this work ?...

If I take the rock with hair algae growing all over it

and put in a container with saltwater and a bubbler for movement

and then keep the rock and container in the dark for some time

Will this kill the algae on the rock and keep the rock alive?
 
C

calaxa

Jenn,

Yes and no. It will work eventually but it will take longer than you think. I had a rock I soaked in fresh cold water and algae survived for about 3 weeks. If you can get the rock out, you might as well tweeze as much as much as you can and use biological control (snails, tangs, hermits, etc.)
 
J

Jon

NJRC Member
Jenn, if you run only your actinic bulbs on the tank that will also help kill the algea. It had this problem before and I ran only my actinic bulbs for about 5 days and it all died with the help of a good clean up crew.

Jon
 
L

lanceb13

Jenn,

I had a nasty hair algea attack that was completely eliminated by the addition of one lawn mower blenny. I was schocked by his tenacity and efficiency. Just something to consider. He is still a member of the reef now a full year later. Although his bulging belly is gone. Good luck.
 
J

Jenn

Jon said:
Jenn, if you run only your actinic bulbs on the tank that will also help kill the algea. It had this problem before and I ran only my actinic bulbs for about 5 days and it all died with the help of a good clean up crew.

The actinics will be an easy solution in helping the proublem
and i'll be able to take each piece and clean it well


I heard that nothing eats this hair algae..
Did your snails and hermits eat yours?
Click to expand...
 
J

Jenn

lanceb13 said:
Jenn,

I had a nasty hair algea attack that was completely eliminated by the addition of one lawn mower blenny. I was schocked by his tenacity and efficiency. Just something to consider. He is still a member of the reef now a full year later. Although his bulging belly is gone. Good luck.
Click to expand...

Lawnmower won't be compatable with my upcoming setup ,
but I guess I could add him first and let him do his job and then find him a new home.

This stuff looks like grass, thick, short and bright green
Lawnmower will eat this hair algea?
 
J

Jenn

will a lawnmower blenny get along with ( my possible problem mates )

neon goby?

stigmata blenny ?

mandarin ?

Dottyback ?

fairy wrasse?

if so then I could put him into my reef when he's done his job
 
Hawkeye

Hawkeye

how big is the tank? the neon goby should be no trouble at all - they are so tiny. If anything i might be concerned about having two different blenny species.
 
redfishbluefish

redfishbluefish

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Jenn said:
Are all turbo's mexicans ?
Click to expand...

WHY? Do you have something against Mexicans? I can attest that those that are here are legal! ;D ;D


Actually there are Florida Turbo (actually an Astrea), Tiger Turbo and Zebra Striped Turbo…that I’m aware of…maybe more. I have a Mexican, (call him Big Boy because he is BIG), and yes, mine eats hair algae. Unfortunately the tank has graduated from hair algae to a massive outbreak of cyano…and it seems like nothing eats that.
 
T

tbone212371

Sea Hares!!!
Nubribrachs (Lettuce) thats the descriptive name...
Get a few of them.. Juvi ones are cute and quite interesting to watch compared to snails.. Mexican turbos get to big and have to be DEPORTED in the future...
LOL
 
C

calaxa

Problem with sea hares and nudi's are their diet is very specialized. Once hair algae is gone, they die. Also, they like to get stuck in bad places like overflows/powerheads. The turbos should work so long as you prune the hair algae back a bit. They won't eat it if it's too long.
 
J

Jenn

redfishbluefish said:
Unfortunately the tank has graduated from hair algae to a massive outbreak of cyano…and it seems like nothing eats that.
Click to expand...

I read and got mexican hermit crabs that were suposta eat cayno... did alittle but not enough.

I had an outbreak and now I almost have it out... I added a phosband reactor to my sump
and it made a major improvent over a months time.
I was using phosband in my drip tray but without the reactor it did nothing for my tank.
Phosband Reactor is a great help.
 
shipwrecked

shipwrecked

Im with mikem on the sea hare..I used one awhile back and it did a great job on hair algae,better and faster than any snails.It's demise was ended by getting sucked into a powerhead several times,the 3rd time did it in.
 
D

duijver

The only way I was able to combat my cyano (red) problem was massive (50%) water changes a week and reduced lighting cycles. I did add PhosoBan as well, but I'm not really confident that this did anything. I also pointed one of my powerheads towards to surface to create some water disruption. After about 4 weeks I began 10-20% changes was pretty much cyano free. Two weeks ago I noticed a little on a zoa/rock and I push it off with a turkey baster .. I figured it might be time to fix the protein skimmer. I bought a new rio800 pro+ and once I got the skimmate working correctly it seems like the cyano is gone. Coincidence?

Short answer... I have no-idea what single thing resolved my problem since I did too many things. I suspect that the protein skimmer was probably the final fix. Are you running one?
 
J

Jenn

mikem said:
I found the perfect solution to remove algae from rocks.
http://www.njreefers.org/joomla/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=26&topic=14708.msg137970#msg137970
Click to expand...

Sea hare will proubley be my easiest solution,

Maybe Mike's big boy seahare can come over for a visit and have a feast

I'd be afaid to buy one and not be able to care for it

Mike said it cleaned a rock in 10 minutes!

I'm buying this old set up that has the live rocks and it has major hair algea all over
them so I will need to clean it up before seahorses go in.

I know that they used tap water for top off , thats what happened there.
 
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