Green hair algae outbreak... Help!!!!

[shadfish]

I have a 220 FOWLR with 60 gallon sump that has been running about 2-3 months. Proper cycling and fish are looking very healthy and getting along great.

BUT... I have a nasty green hair algae that popped up about 2-3 weeks ago and I've been trying to do what i can to get rid of it. I've been doing proper water changes and am only feeding every other day so as to not have food decay issues. I have a fairly basic Green Element LED Aquarium light that I only turn on half the white LEDs leaving 456 Blues and one 48" actinic T8 to minimize light feed for the algae.

I have a heavily pooping 6" Porcupine Puffer (will be getting rid of him), an 8" White Spotted File Fish, a 4" Yellow Tang, an adult Bengai Cardinal, a 3" Blue Hippo Tang, and 2 1" chromis' (the puffer ate the other 4 in one day about 2 months ago). Not a lot of bio load for almost 300 gallons and a Hydor Performance 1005 Protein Skimmer running full bore and kicking out some nasty funk.

I suppose there could be a phosphate leak in my rocks... but I bleached about 300 lb of rock 2 times for a 48hr period and did a 3 day sun dry then cycled in clean water w/ PRIME for dechlorination before going to my tank with it and starting my tank cycle.

The HAIR ALGAE is thick and primarily on rocks and hitting about half my sand bed. When I sift the sand it takes about 5 days before the sand is fairly covered again.

I am not currently running carbon but will do so if need be. Just trying to prevent chemical filtration if possible. Also do not have macroalgae in my sump but will be setting that up over the weekend.

in the meantime... the rocks are covered in a bad way and I'm trying to not breakdown my rockscape to get rid of it. Can someone please advise?

 

[lsu_fishfan]

I would run carbon and phosgaurd to reduce nutrient levels. Have you tested for nitrate and phosphate?

 

[jbadd99]

Fauna Marin Ultra Algae X will knock it out, but you still need to find the source.

 

[shadfish]

Thanks for the posts guys...

You're the 2nd person that has recommended Ultra Algae X to me. my LPS doesn't carry it. I've looked online and can only find it in massive quantities.

Any suggestions on where I can find it?

 

[brick fish house]

Have you tried a clean up crew?

Maybe hit the algae with a brush, do a water change and suck that stuff out, and unleash an army of turbos, astreas, and hermits.

Of course, the puffer should probably be gone before those guys go in...

 

[scramer74]

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/fauna-marin-ultra-algea-x.html">http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/fauna-marin-ultra-algea-x.html</a>

They have a smaller size. I'm starting to have hair issues too, ahh.

 

[nickg]

And you are sure its "hair" algae and not bryopsis? Can be confusing... You will NOT clear bryopsis with regular algae treatments. You will have to dose Kent M to raise Magnesium for a few weeks. I am sure some other Mags will work but I KNOW Kent does.....

 

[shadfish]

definitely appears to be green hair. I'm having a hard time finding the ultra x... and bulkreefsupply.com is out of stock. wander if they discontinued it.

I'm concerned that the white spotted file fish will wipe out a cleaning crew.

 

[wildernets]

Would be interested in test results but seems like normal new tank stuff to me. Keep at the water changes and test.

 

[franciscosalazar]

Freshwater bathe each rock one at a time until all the algae is dead

 

[rivegauche17]

anyone have experience dosing tech m for bryopsis, with sensitive fish, like leopard wrasse?

 

[nickg]

I have. Dose away... I did it per online instructions. Kicked in 2 weeks, pulled dead bryopsis. Waite a few days, then did a 50% WC. Gone baby gone....

 

[nickg]

And lost no livestock... Nothing even remotely looked unhappy...

 

[outdrsyguy1]

my 2 cents, it's a new tank thing. almost everyone has a huge algae bloom on a new tank. Don't sweat it. The new tank ones tend to run their course unless your really over feeding. You might consider another tang to help eat it. I have a kole tang that cleaned my tank up in a week (110 gallon). I would do something like carbon dosing or feeding a lot less for a while long before i'd tear the thing apart.

 

[nancymatthews]

Shadfish have you been able to battle the GHA?
I am having a problem too and it's been almost of a year of it. My turbo snails eat it up but then another rock gets it.
I've pulled it off by hand, weekly 20% - 30% water changes, using Phosguard, protein skimmer. Have done so much more and I still have it. I've had my tank for almost 2 years now (28 gallon JBJ nano cube). This bloom started when the heater was accidentally turned up from moving the tank and since then GHA. 90% of my livestock died from the heat But started over and GHA started with it.
I heard of doing a 3 day blackout. I've considered trying that.

 

[wannabeeareefkeeper]

bones305;1026730 wrote: I would recommed running phosgaurd and some Chemipue Blue or Elite with some Poly Filter.

Sorry for the Hijack (OP). Curious how long you have been using Chemipure Blue or Elite. I've read some posts on ARC that has scared me away from using the stuff. I believe it was stated that the carbon within the product was substantial, i.e. low grade. What are you thoughts?

Wannabee