After some more time, when the nutrients are optimally balanced and when a sufficient number of algae-eating aquarium animals is present, hair algae will disappear all by themselves.
It may go away on its own when there are not enough nutrients in the water to fed upon. But it is not guaranteed. Besides it takes time to rid of it, even if you see it turning brown (a sign that it's dying) the survival of it and infesting your rock again is still a possibility.
Green Hair Algae (abbreviated as GHA for this article) - Derbesia - is a form of algae that looks like its name. It is usually dark green, grows quite long if left unattended and spreads across your tank rapidly. Once this problem has begun, it can get out of hand in a matter of weeks.
Shocking your pool with chlorine can be an effective method to kill algae. The process can take up to three days and we recommend checking with a pool professional for the amount of shock you should use for your particular pool.
For hair algae, the best options are doing a fluconazole (reef flux) treatment or spot treating the area with hydrogen peroxide. I would pull the frag out and use peroxide to kill the algae then dip the coral just to be sure. The hair algae should melt away with the peroxide.
You can slow or even stop the growth of green hair algae by keeping a good refugium with cheato macroalgae and a strong refugium light. The macro algae will grow, and consume both nitrates and phosphates from the reef tank.
What Kills Algae Naturally? Certain plants and bacteria act as natural algaecides, helping to control algae populations. These include barley straw, which releases compounds that inhibit algae growth when it decomposes, and beneficial bacteria, which consume algae. When using natural algaecides, patience is key.
Free Chlorine Level: Maintain a free chlorine level of 1-3 ppm for effective algae control. Chlorine kills algae by breaking down its cell walls.
It is best to wait 30 minutes after adding it to your pool. We recommend waiting at least 15 minutes to swim after adding algaecide to your swimming pool. Most algaecides are perfectly safe to swim with. It is not recommended to swim with flocculent in your pool, as it will reduce its effectiveness.
Dead algae appears white or a grayish color. When you cannot see any green or greenish tint in your swimming pool, vacuum thoroughly. Clean or “back wash” your filter, to ensure that you don't leave any dead algae trapped inside the filter.
Got hair algae? Then consider getting some Amano shrimp! These guys are some of the best algae eaters around. They are known to eat most types of string and hair algae, such as the commonly found green hair algae.
To quickly remove green hair dye, wash with a clarifying shampoo and follow up with a color-correcting product. DIY remedies like baking soda can also help fade the green dye.
General Causes
Unhealthy, deficient, or stressed plants (sub-optimal CO2, nutrient issues, overcrowding, transplant shock, physical damage, over-pruning stress, unstable or extreme tank parameters).
There is no color you can use that will avoid algae. Algae is cause by too much light intensity of any and all colors. If the intensity is low enough then the lights can be on for a long time. Having said that you can give yourself more room for error with bulbs that do have a high green and yellow content.
Like many green algae, hair algae appear mainly during the cycling phase of a tank, when the biological system is still finding its balance.
Hair algae can be most unsightly but it is not directly harmful to seahorses. It is, however, an indicator of poor water quality since it thrives on excess nutrients in the aquarium (especially phosphates and nitrates), and of course marginal water quality can certainly be detrimental to our seahorses in the long term.
You need to raise the level of your chlorine – shock the pool – and maintain that high level until all the algae is dead. This may take 3 to 4 days. RUN THE FILTER 24 HOURS A DAY. You must maintain that high level of chlorine.
You should wait at least six hours after adding baking soda before swimming in your pool. Even better, wait at least 24 hours to ensure it's fully mixed in and dissolved. While it's likely not harmful, if you get in the pool too early, the baking soda may irritate your skin or eyes if you're sensitive to it.
No matter how mild or severe, it isn't recommended. There are several health & safety concerns that come with swimming in a pool with algae, including: Slippery: If algae has grown on the bottom of the pool or is present around the edges, it can form a slippery surface which can pose an injury risk to pool users.
Black Brush Algae - BBA (Audouinella sp.)
Often called as Black Beard Algae - this is a very difficult type to get rid of! The small black, dark-grey or reddish hairballs will grow in clumps or patches of fine black tufts with a length of half a centimeter.
Shocking is the process of adding chemicals to your pool to raise chlorine levels and kill bacteria and algae. We recommend using a calcium hypochlorite shock to treat your algae problems.
Use a pool brush to vigorously scrub any pool surfaces covered in algae, including the walls, floors and steps. Apply a green algaecide according to the directions on the label. Let the water circulate for 24 hours, then brush the pool surfaces again. Vacuum or backwash to remove any remaining dead algae.
Healthy plants are algae resistant, unhealthy plants attract algae. Healthy plants that receive sufficient nutrients, light and carbon in a favourable environment produce antimicrobial chemicals that prevent pathogens and algae from attacking the plant.
Some species of algae will disappear on their own, while other algae species will require intervention from the fishkeeper to control and eliminate. For instance, brown algae will usually go away within a few months, but other types will need to be manually removed or treated.
Only algaecides can "kill" algae in pool water. However, baking soda can help clear up algae. Use both so you can restore sparkly, clean water!