Green Hair Algae GRRRRRR!

[joefreelance]

Arrgh. If it's not one thing, it's the other, right?

My tank (180, 4x 250 14k, MRC-2R skimmer) is (still) being overrun by green hair algae. On the rocks, on the sand, corals, snail shells, back glass wall, etc...

My tank parameters are fine. (Calcium Hardness is a bit low, but I'm working on that)
My bulbs are maybe 4 months old, and I'm only running 2 of them 6 hours a day.
My RODI filters are good, and fresh water tested negative for phosphates.
I'm barely feeding.
Skimmer is working fine. (Might need a little cleaning, though)
Just added 60 hermits, snails don't seem to last long.

Any ideas? Should I just drop 300 hermits and 300 snails in there? My tangs (yellow, kole, sailfin) are ignoring the algae, even though they are barely getting fed.

It's so frustrating to see the potential of a tank get ruined by green hair algae over everything.

Ideas would be helpful. I've tried scrubbing the algae off, plucking it off, scooping it off the sand, but there seems to be too much. In a week or so, it just comes right back.

Frustrated in Loganville,

Joe

 

[jonathan]

How old is the tank?

 

[flyingarmy]

If you have that much HA I would consider a Sea Hare to take care of the issue. But this is only a temp fix, there is a underlying issue that causing the HA outbreak.

 

[ralph atl]

<span style="font-size: 13px"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman">Phosphate reduction/ removal and high trates could be the answer. Wet skimming with a skimmer that is rated at least double your water volume. If you cannot get a fuge or sump (you can maybe make a "Rubbermaid sump with cheato in it for a few bucks) you can get a $35.00 hang on phosphate reactor for your tank and put some GFO in there. In the future, you'll most likely need a refugium with Macro algae. If you choose GFO, you’ll need to start VERY SLOWLY! Use 25% of the recommended media, slowly increasing every 2-4 weeks. You need to acclimate your tank inhabitants over a 2 month period especially is you have any stony corals. Once acclimated you’ll need to change your Iron based media in the phosphate reactor more often. Your media will get saturated in 2 weeks or so depending upon how much is bound up in your rocks, tank, algae, etc. Use less media, change every 2 weeks. Use a great test kit like DD Merck, Hack, or colormeter or send to AWT. If you already have a fuge & reactor, be aggressive & change the media every 2 weeks.</span></span>

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 13px">when you do your water change, take the end of the hose and suck all the algae down like a vacuum. It'll take a few water changes, but it works (especially after the phosphate remover kicks in)</span></span>

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 13px">You must export the same or more nutrients than you put in. Overfeeding, tap water, high phosphate foods, etc. Use a phosphate reactor with some phosar or ROWA or whatever, and something to lower nitrates like a fuge, AZNO3, or other carbon source. </span></span>

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 13px">check out:</span></span>
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/rhf/index.php"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 13px"><span style="color: #0000ff">http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/rhf/index.php</span></span></span></a>



[IMG]http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 13px"><span style="color: #0000ff">http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php</span></span></span></a>


[IMG]http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-05/eb/index.php"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 13px"><span style="color: #0000ff">http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-05/eb/index.php</span></span></span></a>

[IMG]http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/august2003/chem.htm"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 13px"><span style="color: #0000ff">http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/august2003/chem.htm</span></span></span></a>


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