Getting tired of dealing with this HELP!

[mwoodruff964]

Ok so I am about to start the millonth thread on hair algae but I feel like I don't know what else to do. First the stats: 90 gallon DT w/30 gallon sump/fuge is 15months old. Just changed the bulbs on my t5 fixture all new ati bulbs(4) about a month ago. cal-410 mag-1365 alk-7(is a bit low and raising it to 9) phosphate 0 from what I can tell on the api test card, nitrate-0 ph-8.2 temp-80.6 salinity 1.025. Hair algae has really started coming into my tank about a month ago. The only thing that I have done different in my tank since then was change my bulbs and stopped using carbon(have some on order along with phosban). I have tried cutting back my light schedule anyway with the new bulbs by 2-3hours to acclimate to my tank. Do I need to cut back more or do lights out for a few days? I have read the vodka/vinegar dosing and want to avoid that, and the peroxide and have way to many corals to take the rocks out one by one. Along with my t5 fixture I have a 150 watt MH with 14k phoneix bulb couple of months old. I have had a toothbrush in there and scrubed the rocks and pulled them out like weeds but still coming back. Every tank is different so what works for someone else won't work on another. What would be the best approach to git rid of this crapp, could it also be related to the fact I quit using carbon(I wouldn't think so but it wouldn't surpise me). Thanks in advance.:headwalls:

 

[mwoodruff964]

Also forgot I do 10% weekly water changes and have a healthly cuc and 38x turnover rate and feed ro/di rinse frozen cubes every other day.

 

[andrewey]

How long are your lights on, and have you tried cutting back on the frozen cubes. If your phosphate test is accurate, I would try holding back on the cubes, and going lights out for 3 days (completely trash bag your tank). Your corals will be fine, but most of the HA will die.

 

[mike_cmu04]

Turning your lights will slow the algae but not kill it. It will just start growing again when you turn your lights back on. Are you using rodi water? If so what is your tds and how old are the filters

 

[tdawg818]

try a emerald crab

 

[javimarino]

Use the trash bag trick. Cover your tank with black trash bags all over, no ligths for two to three days, you'll see the results. It has work for me i have a reef tank and corals can handle it. Sounds crazy, try it you'll thank me latter.

 

[Dr. Reef]

if there is algae in the system then there is phos and nitrates there too. ur test kits wont pick them up as algae is getting to them first.
trash back trick will work if u kill the lights for 3 days. but u need to run gfo and bio pallets or maybe a denitrator.

 

[sjwitt]

You mention you have "way too many corals" ... what else do you have in the tank? You mention ro/di rinsed cube"S" every other day, what are you feeding with these cubes? I've had algae outbreaks too, very frustrating... green hair and bryopsis so I feel your pain.

I have lots of corals too and was dosing prodibio the first time and reef energy the second time I experienced major outbreaks. When I stopped the 'coral supplements' the algae problems stopped. Also, FWIW, I went on vacation one week and the power strip for the lights tripped. My tank was one week without light and without feeding. I came back to a CLEAN tank. It sounds like you may have a excess nutrient problem.

 

[sbaumann14]

for my GHA i killed lights for 3 days. during this time, i used Kent Marine phosphate sponge in my reactor and changed it out every 24 hrs. when lights came on, i switched back to GFO w/carbon. no problems since

 

[Sk8r]

Get a GFO reactor (granualar ferrous oxide). Phosban, etc. Takes about 3 months per 50 gallons to seriously reduce the phosphate (your test won't show it because it's IN the algae)...and getting something to eat it only poos it back into the water column to grow more algae.
Reactor---and be patient.

 

[hobbby3]

Whats the TDS reading on your RO/DI water?

 

[KMP]

All of the above - what do you have for a clean up crew? Turbo's do wonders and you could get a sea hare. Caution on the sea hare - once he's done his job (and he will) find him a new home so he doesn't starve.

 

[mwoodruff964]

my tds is showing 0 once it shows 1 I change out the filters that are getting exhausted I have lps/sps/mushrooms and zoas in there not a ton all the sps that I have are still at the frag stages. I have about 20 snails ceirths,turbo,astrea, nassurius snails have red and blue legged hermits 15. 3 emerald crabs and 1 orange serpant starfish. The cubes I'm feeding is a combo of reef crack with brine, mysis blood worms and cycolpeeze. I also gives sheets of nori about everyother day for my 2 tangs. I put a trash bag on this morning and will do a 10% water change as well. Hopefully the gfo and carbon will be here early this week from bulk reef supply.

 

[hobbby3]

Wow, I'm supprised your two tangs don't scavenge the rocks better! I have a foxface that won't it grow at all. I know I'm not all that helpful but I do enjoy green hair algae conversations

 

[dynomight]

I had hair algae so bad I was trimming it twice a week. Try Algaefix. It works. Doesnt hurt corals or fish, just cant run your skimmer during the dosing. Search for the thread on here about it. You can find it at petco or petsmart. I dont remember if there is a marine and fresh water version or not.

It may sound like snake oil but trust me it works.

 

[zigzag1]

Get a GFO reactor (granualar ferrous oxide). Phosban, etc. Takes about 3 months per 50 gallons to seriously reduce the phosphate (your test won't show it because it's IN the algae)...and getting something to eat it only poos it back into the water column to grow more algae.
Reactor---and be patient.

+1 This..

Also, your API phosphate test kit is junk. You need to detect at lower levels. By the time the API kit detects anything you are already way way too high. Hanna HI-736 FTW!

 

[Palting]

Wow, I'm supprised your two tangs don't scavenge the rocks better! I have a foxface that won't it grow at all. I know I'm not all that helpful but I do enjoy green hair algae conversations

Same thought here. No GHA can grow in my tank because of my tangs. I would suggest, in addition to the lights out and black garbage bag trick, feed Nori only once a week, or even less. This should force your tangs to scavenge the GHA better. Then, unless you have a DSB, siphon the susbstrate with each water change to get the tang poop out. This should help get the nitrate/phosphate out of circulation.

One thing that is missing from the lights out and garbage bag recommendation is a large water change. When the algae die off from the lack of lights for several days, the nitrate and phosphate go into the water column. Unless you do a large water change at the end of the lights out period, the algae will come back when you turn the lights back on. I would suggest at least a 50% water change done twice in the week after the lights out period.

I don't believe the carbon had anything to do with it, but GFO in a reactor should help.

Have you thought about a refugium, or ATS?

 

[rick12]

When I had issues with algae in my 90g I stopped feeding frozen food.No more frozen! ...and fed pellets (every other day). Not a lot either. Small amount. I also did 5g WC daily. Only took a few min a day.

So I would fed much less and focus on WC.

And be patient, it will take awhile, but keep picking it out manually as well.

 

[Squidmotron]

I risk getting yelled at for this, but here's what worked for me. (I had hair algae EVERYWHERE before this).

1) Put in phosphate absorbers like GFO. Obviously be measuring 0 phosphates, but be fairly satisfied that you are significantly reducing nutrients as well.
2) Turn out the light for 5 days.
3) Dose "Algaefix over those 5 days. (controversial, but I had no serious effects in my tank)
4) Put in mechnical filtration where you can and change/scrub it every day. (for this process only)
5) Skim wet and change it every day.
6) Feed only once a day during this time.
7) Algae will be dying in droves. Physically remove as much as possible.
8) At the end of the 5 days, be sure you are still measuring 0 phosphates in your tank. If not, you did not take enough steps to reduce. You'll have to wait awhile and try again later.

That was some time ago. I have never seen any hair algae in my tank since.

If you are scared of using a product like Algaefix, just skip step 3. You will still see a major reduction in algae.

 

[mwoodruff964]

thanks guys, I have a fuge setup up with live rock rubble and cheato its a seperate chamber in my sump. I will try to cut back on the nori but I have never seen my tangs eat my green hair algae maybe I'm just not there at the right time. I will try all the things you guys have suggested. thanks again