Hair Algae problems

[snow_cone]

I was wondering if anyone could help me trouble shoot. My 50 Gal tank is being over run with hair algae the last 1.5 months. I am at loss on what to do. I am currently running T8s in this one with soft leather corals and fish.
Equipment:
Filters- 2 canister
* Eheime 2213
* Fluval 305

UV Sterilizer
*Vectron 2 200CE

2 Power heads opposite ends from eachother -Just added 1 week ago

Protein Skimmer
*Deltec MCE 300 - Just added this week after Prisim died

Chiller
* Hailea 300A - temp 25.8 C

STOCK - these all came with the tank and I actually took out a pair of clowns right away and added to my other tank. I was trying to catch a few others but they are too quick for me.

1 Cleaner Wrasse
1 Small Yellow Tang
1 Yellow headed Sleeper goby
1 Orange Blennie
1 Leopard Wrasse
1 Long nose Hawkfish
- Various snails and crabs
- 2 brittle star fish ( one red and one green)
one peppermint shrimp
2 blood shrimp - i think they hide during the day in the rocks

Various leather corals and mushrooms that are growing like crazy. My Xania have turned into weeds, my colt coral and mushrooms have doubled in size in 3 months and are all splitting. I have some grape calurpa, my fern calurpa that I added died away.

Some readings today:

PhO4- 0.25 to 0.5 (not quite either, somewhere inbetween)
No2- 0.1
NO3 5
NH4- 0

I just replaced my lights last week thinking that that could be a problem too. I did have my lights set for a 12 hour cycle. I have since change to 4 hour day light and 6 hour moon lights. I am surprised that my PhO4 isnt higher with the algea growth... so now I am at loss as to what to do.

Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[Carlos]

The first and biggest red flag came up as soon as you said T8s.

How old are the lights? What temperature are the lights? What wattage?

 

[ljosh]

The Phosphates will read low especially when there is an abundance of HA. I had 2 to 3 inches of HA on every surface at one point. Even my snails had little HA hats. The water always read 0 phosphates.

 

[snow_cone]

I have 2 Power-glo 30 WT and 1 Marine Glo 25 wt. I just replaced them last week. Otherwise they were about 7-8 months old. I dont have this problem in my other tank, but I have T5s in that one and less stock.

 

[snow_cone]

oh, 30 Wt and 1800 K

 

[ljosh]

I think the power glow spectrum would be perfect for growing algae

 

[zma21]

I tell you what bud, as soon as i can get rid of the GHA, i'll let you know. It has terrorized both of my tanks, and is really just annoying.

I've tried everything btw. Phosban reactor, lowering photoperiod substantially, lowering feeding......everything.

Water changes, bigger CUC. Good luck my friend.

 

[boiler_2000]

Are you using RO water? I had the HA fierce and was using tap. I would read zero phosphates when tested as well (all the algae sucks it up). Test your top off water source and see what that is. My tap was loaded with it. Once I figured that out I took the rock out and scrubbed 1 by 1 and removed all the HA. I have a few patches left in inconspicuous places that I let stay but don't have any on rock since, 10000x beter.

 

[SaltyDr]

Phosphates are too high - run some phosban. The light spectrum is too low and favors algae growth. Also seems pretty heavily stocked.