Hair Algae

[PAS Photography]

Some my newest battle... Hair Algae. Im using Walmart ROdi water from the big pour it yourself thingys. Ive increased flow more by adding a 3 powerhead in my 75 gal tank. Im getting this stuff growing on my canister spray bars and intake tubes, plus on rocks not gettin blasted by the power heads. I thought maybe phospahtes but I only use good water (if walmart water is good?).
So what should my plan of attack be? get some phos. remover and add more flow? Who will eat this stuff cause my snails only eat it if its really short.


Paul

 

[auto_loader]

I would recommend taking several courses of action, some of which you might already be doing. First would be manual removal, as much as reasonalbly possible without tearing apart the tank. Then, phosphate media in a phosban type reactor is a very good idea and should give you some reasonalby quick improvement in the right direction. Also if you run any other external filters like carbon filters or such, make sure there clean. and dont let them build up with gunk. If you dont run carbon, you might want to try to run some for a while. Also you can drip kalkwasser, that can help, and keep your skimmer clean and tuned in. Ultimately, you need to do something to reduce what is causing the stuff to grow. Be careful not to overfeed. I would also run tests for phosphate and nitrate on your tank and also the walmart water. Get another source of water or an RODI if the water source is a problem.

 

[RobTop]

I agree with Mike. The pour your self water can be very suspect. We do not know when they have changed thier filters, it could be quite bad. In the long run a unit will be well worth your time. We have group buy offers from a few of our club sponsors. As Mike said, you want to do something to stop the growth, but some alge is always going to be present in our systems. What clean up crew do you have? Lots of cool stuff to help munch the stuff away.

 

[Bryan89]

Another issue with the water at the make it yourself places is that they usually use water from Rockford's water supply. Rockford's water has high iron content. The iron is about at a 5ppm level, which will turn your water rust colored. It is expensive to remove this iron. So, instead the city puts colloidal poly-phosphorous in the water to keep the iron in solution. The ro portion of most normal ro/di systems cannot remove this poly-phosphorous to any large extent. The DI can remove this, but it will burn out your resin relatively quickly. Also, this also may not show up on your phosphate test kits, so you will not know it is in your system. But, the algae can still use this phosphate and also the iron to encourage its growth. So it is a two part problem.

You can eliminate the phosphate by absorbing resin and by dripping kalk, which forces the phosphate out of solution for removal by a skimmer. Also minimize your feeding. Get more crabs and a larger protein skimmer. Finally, you can eliminate hair algae by denitrifying your tank via vodka additions.

 

[finfan4]

Vodka additions?

 

[kawicivic]

I dont know much about it but there are quite a few threads floating around about it... check otu the advanced topics or water chemistry forums

 

[Bryan89]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11700683#post11700683 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by finfan4
Vodka additions?

The addition of vodka in trace amounts can serve as a catalyst to the bacteria in your tank to enhance their consumtpion of nitrite and nitrate and convert that to nitrogen gas. That can lower nitrate levels in your tank and thereby decrease the algae as the bacteria out compete the algae for food.

The downside is a coating of bacteria on the glass of the tank until an equilibrium is re-established. But the end result is that the nitrate levels plumet.

I had to really experiment to get a good idea how to dose my tank, but it does work. I no longer need the vodka, it was a short term solution to some bad water from when my DI system put bad makeup water in the 400 gallon tank I have. Much more economical than multiple huge water changes.

 

[PAS Photography]

Ill be doing all of the above this week to try and reduce the algae hair. VODKA? thats my cure for single life lately ... when has that been a tank cure? If so Id have the best tank in the US, why didnt someone let me know sooner.

 

[Bryan89]

Paul,

If you are really interested in the Vodka method, PM me and I'll let you borrow a book on it. Just like in life, you can over dose on Vodka.