Hair Algae Taking over 90 Gal reef

[rizzleroc]

I have had my tank running for a year now and the last 6 months I have been battling Hair Algae that wants to take over my tank. I have done 3 50 gal water changes in the last 6 months and each time removed the rocks and scrubbed the algae off of them.

<iframe width="1280" height="720" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gaKjDTAIMIE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[rizzleroc]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaKjDTAIMIE

 

[Ejb]

Try doing weekly water changes and run gfo

 

[mcgyvr]

Have you tested for nitrates and phosphates? You should be
If you have please post the results..
After you do we can give proper direction..

In general your water change schedule is probably not sufficient to keep nitrate and/or phosphates low enough.. and then algae takes over..

 

[rizzleroc]

I will test and post results soon! Thanks

 

[Jon0807]

I'm willing to bet that phosphates will test really low. All that algae has got to be eating it up

 

[mcgyvr]

I'm willing to bet that phosphates will test really low. All that algae has got to be eating it up

Thats certainly possible but its VERY clear that the tank has a nutrient problem probably due to lack of sufficient maintenance and possibly overfeeding..

Now its going to take more work to fix it then it would to just do whats needed in the first place..

 

[Cymonous]

Are you using RODI water? If so, what is the TDS of your filtered water?

I just moved to a house with a well and found out Co2 was destroying my DI Resin and leaving me with 5 TDS with RODI water. This was enough to cause hair algae to start growing in my tank. I'm taking measures to fix my source water and added gfo in a reactor on the tank. These are things to look for and into.

 

[JustinM]

Sometimes starting over is what is needed. Fluconazole will eat all your GHA and bryopsis if there is any. It's only a temporary fix but if you stay on top of a better routine it'll at least jump start you back into the right direction.

I'm usually one to try and correct thing the right way but sometimes there is a need for a jump start and it sounds like you need it.

 

[Sk8r]

One part off the problem is simple: you have a lot of phosphate and most of it won't show up on tests. It's in the algae. The other part of the problem may be water quality coming in with it; or you may have rock or sand with a lot of phosphate bound in it that slowly releases as you grab what's already floating around. The best answer is GFO. And patience, and changing the medium monthly until you get relief. I have some rock like that, and now and again it gives me a bit. NoPoX may also help but you do not use NoPoX and GFO at the same time.

 

[Crooked Reef]

Get a pincushion urchin. You will still need to fix the underlying issue of what is causing the algae outbreak, but it will eat the hair algae and you won't need to scrub the rocks again. I got one and it cleaned out the algae in a couple of weeks. After all algae is gone you will either need to trade it in or supplement its diet, but they are neat creatures. I have kept mine.

 

[Bpain05]

I run Purigen and Phosguard and have zero hair algae issues.