What's new on the algae battle front?

[groan]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfGxu7uHml8

I have started scraping off the algae with a toothbrush.
If you read my tankgadget.com article you will see that the chemical route didn't work for me.
I also got a Kole tang that seems to like the algae so hopefully it will help to keep it at bay after the brushing is done.
Ugh

[lost_at_sea]

i'm trying the phosphate reactor route... my tank isn't as bad as yours but i'm told this works wonders.

along with usuals of RO water only... rinse any frozen foods prior to feeding and make sure you're lights are not old.

[groan]

I have my reactor going as well. I may try a different media. I am using a Fauna Marin media but may switch to somethign else like good old phosban.

I just changed my bulbs but I am convinced that i am getting too little light. I need to save up my pennies and get a decent bank of lights!

[mikerobart]

Carbon, GFO, RO/DI, water changes, good skimmers, good husbandry

If it's super bad you may want to just rip out all the rock and "cook" it, although this is not the most attractive solution sometimes because of time it takes

[groan]

Whats GFO?
I'm not using Carbon, though I suppose I could.
I just switched to RODI water. Still need to test the TDS.
Been waterchanging like a crazyman, ok, 1 every other week or so i'm doing 15-20 gallons.
Been skimming good
not overfeeding.

The tang seems to like the algae so i am happy with that purchase, so far.
it's cute, it's been following my clown fairy wrasse like a little puppy waiting for a treat.

[bongo]

Granular Ferric Oxide a.k.a. Phosban

[lost_at_sea]

GFO basically removes phosphates from the water and essentially starves algae.

I just setup a GFO / Carbon reactor on my 90 and hoping it'll curb a small hair algae problem as I really want that crystal clear tank look.

Also I noticed a huge reductionin the amount of algae on the glass after i bought new MH / T5 bulbs.

[Snider82]

I am having an algae problem too.   my ro/di is working fine,   i was running carbon (gotta change it)  and weekly water changes.       i picked up a sea hare to clean it up.   i may not keep him forever because he has a chance to ink. but so far he has been ripping through that hair algae like he is a lawn-more.

[groupie02]

I'm also having algae issues. I've tried a sea hare and it just ran around the 120g tank without touching much. It did eat a little bit but it eventually died.
I'm using RO/DI, Phosban, Carbon, water changes, smaller feedings, good skimming... I need to figure out how long ago I got my lights but I don't think it's anywhere near a year.
I'm currently trying some more different snails to see if I can keep it under control.  Pulling algae by hand is somewhat working.

[ray]

Hi i have abalone racers if anyone wishes to give them a try on hair algae.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=497+526+561&pcatid=561

Ray

[groan]

the scrubbed rocks are stil bare. I cant say if its the tang that is working or if the newish lights in combo with the other stuff I did is keeping ti at bay.

I also got a tiger cowrie the other day but all it does is sit in a corner of the tank. no sign of it eating softies yet so not sure about it.

i have a few rocks left to scrub. i hope that the drastic reduction in algae is shocking the system out of the dead crap hiding under the algae that may have been feeding it in the first place. sounds possible.

i have gone through my share of sea hares. they work for a while, my first one cleaned my tank up in about 2 weeks. since then i havent found one that worked.
one died because the cleaner shrimps were pestering it to death it wouldne move. one dies after being molested and eventually eaten by nassarius snails. jerks.
keep in mind. thier anus is very exposed and some animals may find it inviting.

[groupie02]

Are you scrubbing your rocks while they are inside or outside of your tank?  I can't really take most of my rock out of the tank as it's pretty much all epoxied together. 
I'm wondering how I could prevent the scrapings from settling somewhere else in the tank and grow once more.  I know that I can syphon the junk away but that makes the process kinda slow as I will need to replace the water.
Tips? Tricks?

[groan]

Are you scrubbing your rocks while they are inside or outside of your tank?  I can't really take most of my rock out of the tank as it's pretty much all epoxied together. 
I'm wondering how I could prevent the scrapings from settling somewhere else in the tank and grow once more.  I know that I can syphon the junk away but that makes the process kinda slow as I will need to replace the water.
Tips? Tricks?

I dont attach my rocks so i was able to remove them and scrub them in a tub of salt water.
For you the only thing i can think of is to scrub in the tank and do a massive water change or 2 while swirling the water so the algae does not settle. it will be inevitable that some will settle but by the time you clear out all that stuff it will be negligible.

[Snider82]

Sry the hair never worked out.   he has cleaned %80 of the rocks for me.  now the problem is on the glass.   i use my mag-float to clean it off and do a water change right after.     I also have a UV sterilizer running in the sump.. i think that's helping too.