Hair algae

So I get home today and I notice that my tank is covered in hair algae. Substrate, rock, everything! My tank is only a few weeks past cycle and I'm only feeding enough for one fish right now. The tank is to deep for me to get in there and pull it out. What can I do? My water params are all zero and I haven't tested for calcium, mag or any of that. Any help here would be great and as always that's guys and gals!

 

Calc and mag wont really matter when it comes to GHA, how old are your bulbs? Any direct sunlight?

Yeah, and also after reading the below post, how long are you keeping your lights on? They should be on for only 8 hours at most. If its over that by a few hours it could start a little bit.

 

Alot fo people are gonna jump at the nitrate answer right off the bat. Youll probably have zero trates as the algae is eating them all. Question would be how old are your test kits and have you gotten a second opinion?

you'll have to forgive me, I dont remember but what kind of lights you have and what kinda light cycle you running?

Try shortening your light cycle for an hour on each side both act/day bulbs.

+1 to zoa. direct sunlight in the tank will contribute ALOT.

 

It's no prob! I have 250w MH with quad T5 my cycle is about 12 hours in total. My test kit is only about 4 months old so I know that's fine. And there is a bit of direct sum in the early morning but only on 1 corner of the tank

 

Okay, cut your lighting back to about 7 hours MH and 3 hours total T5,

That means, 1.5 hours in the morning of T5, MH comes on.....turn halide off, actinic comes on for 2 hours or so then everything off.. Try that and see if that helps some. Do you have any corals?

And for testing, what are you using? API? API Nitrate has had some problems testing inaccurately IME, i still use it but i replace it every 2 months.

 

Yeah thats gonna be a very big light cycle for a fresher tank, definitely should cut it back for a while maybe 8 or less for a little while.

That much GHA it might be time for a foxface or tang. I vote foxface but thats just me. lol.

 

Yeah, cut the lights. Also keep in mind that hair algae is very common with young tanks. Some almost consider it part of the cycle. Not sure how we've managed to escape it...I guess all the shrimp and crabs LOL. Every time I put in a frag with a little hair algae on it I try to pull as much off as possible, then I catch the peppermint shrimp eating the stuff I miss off after the lights go out.

 

I can usually tell a new frag is clean once the turbo's clean it off and throw it off the rack.

 

Haha ok will do. I'll cut the lights back and I do need to get some livestock. I've just never had any GHA in a cycle before. That's for all the info!! Forgot to add that I only have a Kenya frag and the war coral in there

 

I did on this tank. I woke up one morning and it was like BLAM! not only was I already hungover, but I was wondering how hung over it was like a GHA grenade in the tank. I tried sleeping it off but it didnt work on the GHA at least. lol.

I went the ATS route for about 4 months at end of my cycle and running one of those sucks the algae out the tank like you wouldnt beleive, or moves it I guess would be more correct. The downside is I question the absolute filtration alot of people make them out to be since I have oddly seen growth in every single coral I have in the week since adding a skimmer, but thats another subject.