I have a serious green hair algea problem. Ive manually removed it and it come right back. Ive even switched to 100% blue lights heres ammonia and nitrate levels. Nitrites are almost undetectable
Hair algea
- Thread starter Cmas0814
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Undetectable because Api is known for false reading which are likely higher than shown. I would suggest taking
a water sample to a store that does NOT use Api kits and have them test your ammonia and nitrates and compare readings- then you'll know where your levels truly are at
I will never trust a $7 badge or $25 master kit to sustain hundreds of dollars in livestock.
Can you provide a pic of tank under white lighting to confirm its hair algae and not similar pest algae ?
I do not have a fish store near that doesnt use api. Ive tried that. They keep telling me all levels are good even phosphates. Ive used phosguard with no results
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The reason you are not beating it is that this is not GHA but rather a filamentous algae known as Lyngbya and is similar to wire algae but soft and roots itself to surfaces. Your challenge is that you have coral on the rock where they appears so your best recourse will be to pull as much as what you can by hand and take a pipette and squirt 3% peroxide at the root base and even use a dental pick to pull root strands loose and net the loose particles as they dislodge.
It is best done outside of the tank but the coral will make it near impossible. After cleanup, add cleaners such as:
Lg astrea snails
trochus snails
Ninja star snails
Pitho crabs
Pencil urchins
10-12 Caribbean blue leg hermits
Turning white lights off for 3-5 days will help as well.
Are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet ?
Is tank at or near a window?
Also in pic, to the right of your brittle star, looks like you have a whelk snail. If your missing or losing snails- He will be the reason why
Faucet water. Was rodi but thats when problem started. Window is blacked out and havent ran white lights in 2 weeks. Have numerous blue leg hermits and a emerald crab tons of snails too. A couple of my snails look like theyre in 80s hair band groups
UV can penetrate curtains/shades and blinds. Place black construction paper on side of tank that faces the window- It helps tremedously.
I can assure you tap water is part of your issue as it contains chloromines, nitrates, metals, flouride, copper, iron and mainly phosphates which will support and promotes all algae and even cyano bacteria.
The dark tube which is very similar in looks to whelk on a larger screen is actually nassarius Vibex which may go after clam
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