Gradually Increased my Light Cycle.....Now Hair Algae

[jonboyb]

Been gradually increasing my light cycle to 12 hours actinics with 10 hours of MH in between and been running that way for a couple of weeks. SPS's are loving it but now I have a small showing of hair algae on one small patch of my sand (where I was planning a clam like....now:doh I don't want to decrease my lighting with the happiness of my SPS's, but I need to fight the algae early. I removed my 2 emerald crabs some time ago to avoid possible problems down the road, and the 3 small hermits I have won't touch the stuff. I do religious PWC's. Any opinions on the best options to fight it?

Before you ask:

Amm/Nitrites - 0
Nitrates - <5
SG - 1.026
pH - 8.4
Alk - 3.5 meq
PO - 0
Ca - 425
Mg - 1300

 

[jonboyb]

And I have over 1200 gpm flow in a 28 gallon flow isn't an issue

 

[dannybradley]

Can you get a picture of it so we can attempt to identify the genus or species?

 

[jonboyb]

Not a great pic but you get the idea. Brown with a hint of green. Ironically on my last PWC a few days ago I vacumned this area very well in preparation for adding my clam:mad2: Maybe stirred something up.

 

[glxtrix]

Is there any particular reason you decided to go to 10 hrs of halides? My opinion, that's too long. I've noticed no benefit to longer light period past 8 hrs. I actually have my halides set to 7 and actinics for 2. Keeps power bill down, algae down and coral don't seem to care. Then again, this is all personal experience....to each is own. As Danny said, please post pic so we can help figure out what algae you have and what may be the cause.

 

[jcusmarine]

Your water test results are good. I can't imagine although it looks like it is not a whole lot and could be controlled via predation. Hmmm...strange.

 

[acroholic]

Halides don't need to be on more than 8 hours a day, as Lee said.

You might try a couple Mexican Turbos for the algae, or maybe borrowing a lawnmower blenny.
Dave

 

[kwl1763]

Get a couple turbo snails. They'll keep it clean!

 

[radha]

My halides are on 8 hours, and that's too long.

 

[tgray3]

My turbos won't touch the stuff if its on the sand bed. They stay on the rock and glass. I picked up 12 blue eyes hermits from creation and they have been mowing the HA down no matter where it is.

 

[ralph atl]

Phosphates can't be 0. So anything above &gt;0.028 will give hair algae plenty of fuel.

 

[jonboyb]

Phosphates were tested with API and Nutrafin (I believe that's the name, LFS recommended it due to easier to read scale). Is there a test kit that you could recommend that's more reliable? The API was lighter than the 0 ppm shade and the Nutrafin test was absolutely clear.

 

[texhorns98]

jonboyb;352342 wrote: And I have over 1200 gpm flow in a 28 gallon flow isn't an issue

Where did you find a pump that would crank out 72,000 gallons per hour?

 

[ralph atl]

jonboyb;352434 wrote: Phosphates were tested with API and Nutrafin (I believe that's the name, LFS recommended it due to easier to read scale). Is there a test kit that you could recommend that's more reliable? The API was lighter than the 0 ppm shade and the Nutrafin test was absolutely clear.

DD Merck, HACH, or colormeter all test low levels of phosphates. DD Merck being the cheapest choice of the 3.

 

[jonboyb]

texhorns98;352437 wrote: Where did you find a pump that would crank out 72,000 gallons per hour?

Sad.....I'm an engineer too...LOL I work with hydroelectric so I'm used to gpm and cfs.....not gph:doh:

I'll check out one of the other tests.

 

[jonboyb]

OK, threw some Phosban in a media bag (or wife's pantyhose that is) and put it in the rear overflow for the time being. I'll try to locate a good test tomorrow. I guess I just made a mess when I vacumned that patch of sand. Not a bit of algae anywhere else in the tank.

 

[dannybradley]

It looks to be one of these two types of alga. It's hard to tell from the pic.

>Bryopsis plumosa</a> not showing pinnates. If it starts to feather out, you know it's bryopsis. This can be one hell of a nuisance algae. The only treatment we've found to work(Thanks Mojo!) is Kent Tech M. It has an impurity that kills it according to http://www.atlantareefclub.org/forums/showthread.php?t=28278">this thread</a>.

Hopefully it's just [IMG]http://www.biologie.uni-hamburg.de/b-online/library/webb/BOT201/BOT201/Algae/Enteromorphaflexuosawebimage.jpg>Enteromorpha flexuosa</a>. It can be beaten with herbavores, increased skimming, and phosphate export.

Hope this helps!

 

[jonboyb]

WOW.....those low range PO tests are expensive DD Merck is $80.

The Salifert (like below) says to read down to 0.01, would that suffice?

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~category~Salifert_Phosphate_Test_Kit_Phosphate_Test_Kits_for_Saltwater_Aquariums~vendor~Salifert~idProduct~SF1133~idCategory~FITKPT.html">http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~category~Salifert_Phosphate_Test_Kit_Phosphate_Test_Kits_for_Saltwater_Aquariums~vendor~Salifert~idProduct~SF1133~idCategory~FITKPT.html</a>

If not, could I hire someone to read with a good test. I can't justify spending $80+ right now due to a small patch of algae.

 

[ralph atl]

You can "try" ELOS, I heard that they are pretty good with phosphates. Not sure.

 

[jonboyb]

Thanks. I bumped my lights back to 8 hours on the MH too.