Hair Algae!!!

Modemagic

Modemagic

Premium Member
Hey all, I've got a problem that I cannot seem to get rid of. In my 55 gallon reef, I have a nasty hair algae problem. Seems it's growing everywhere and I can't get rid of it. Harvesting, water changes, everything I do doesn't seem to help. Anyone have any tips/tricks?

I'm sure my levels aren't what they should be, but I do dose the tank with calcium, iodine, and alkaline as needed. Phosphates are typically a bit high, as well as nitrates.
 
Re-evaluate how much you're feeding or whether you can do it more cleanly (rinsing frozen foods, not dumping in all at once, etc), get your skimmer going well, get rid of any filtration equipment that traps detritus (looks like your sump is designed to do exactly that), use a section of your sump to grow chaetomorpha and in the meantime you could dose a carbon source to reduce the nitrates and think about partitioning a section of your sump for a deep sand bed if you don't already have one.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14408331#post14408331 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by musty baby
Re-evaluate how much you're feeding or whether you can do it more cleanly (rinsing frozen foods, not dumping in all at once, etc), get your skimmer going well, get rid of any filtration equipment that traps detritus (looks like your sump is designed to do exactly that), use a section of your sump to grow chaetomorpha and in the meantime you could dose a carbon source to reduce the nitrates and think about partitioning a section of your sump for a deep sand bed if you don't already have one.
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Is it possible to run carbon with a reef system? I thought it pulled out the nutrients that the corals need? I do not have any bioballs in my filter at this time. (or ever). I do have a filter pad in there that I change every couple of days though.
 
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You can spend a lot of time and $ trying to solve that. In my pretty crappy opp. Ive learned that deep & narrow reef tanks do poor in general. Due to a lack of surface area per volume of water, poor gas exchange @ the surface. I owned a 46 gallon for a few years. In my 3 years w/that tank I tryed everything under the sun to eleminate my hair algea w/little to no effect. A few suggestions are more water volume, more frequent water changes w/good H2o RODI, less actinic lighting, or just save your money over the long run w/ wasted chemicals and water changes/RODI filters, and get a Denitrator! This is a pretty awsome set up w/ little maintanence. I love mine and always test >5 ppm Nitrate, 0 ppm Phosphate. And It keeps my Calcium juiced @ 450ppm. It is a little$ up front but you will love it. Here is a link to my denitrator, and keep a eye peeled on RC for sale fourm for used units! Either way good luck w/the hair Dave

http://www.midwestaquatic.com/PRODUCTS/sulfur_denitrifier.htm?gclid=CN-4tanm4pgCFSXaDAodthRIdA
 
4x65 PC's - the two actinic bulbs will be a week old tomorrow. the two daylights will be replaced in the next day or two. Speaking of lighting, I'm sure this will open a can of worms up, but how many hours a day should the lights be running?
 
He was not referring to activated carbon, he was referring to a carbon source sush as vodka, sugar, vinegar etc.... You could also run GFO, it's usually phosphates that cause the algae problems. But you can run activated carbon in a reef, you don't have to run it continually, but it does help keep the water from yellowing. If you do regular water changes you don't need to worry about it removing trace elements.

Janna
 
I do a water change weekly on this tank. Would a UV sterilizer be helpful with this? I'm not familiar with them, or how they work/what they do. Any schooling would be appreciated.
 
A UV sterilizer won't help a nitrate/phosphate problem.

By the way, I didn't think to mention it before, dosing sugar in my experience works very, very well, but your skimmer will have to be going strong for there to be any benefit.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14415939#post14415939 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by musty baby
A UV sterilizer won't help a nitrate/phosphate problem.

By the way, I didn't think to mention it before, dosing sugar in my experience works very, very well, but your skimmer will have to be going strong for there to be any benefit.
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Dosing sugar? How much/how often? What's the logic behind this?
 
? Im trying to set up a fuge on my tank right now so im not much help. But I think that the link is very good at showing all filtration methods, and some other options.
 
Modemagic, I have a Sea Hare that I'm done with. Mowed my 180 down in no time. It's not a cure, but it will do fantastic until you get a fuge going. I'm in Bureau County Il. When you get the refugium set up, I've always got chaeto. John
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14426570#post14426570 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by johnike
Modemagic, I have a Sea Hare that I'm done with. Mowed my 180 down in no time. It's not a cure, but it will do fantastic until you get a fuge going. I'm in Bureau County Il. When you get the refugium set up, I've always got chaeto. John
Click to expand...

If you'd like to get rid of him and what you want for him, let me know. Obviously I'm in the QC, Bureau county if memory serves is roughly Princeton IL, yes? I'm not beyond road trips.
 
It's yours as long as you pass it on when you're done with it. PM me with your number, and I'll catch it next time it sneaks out in plain view. I was actually hand-feeding it last night after I found a hunk on one of my returns. You could sneak a frag or two my way if you wanted. Road trips are fun, you can meet the rest of the Redneck Reefers and do the tank tour. John
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14433095#post14433095 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by johnike
It's yours as long as you pass it on when you're done with it. PM me with your number, and I'll catch it next time it sneaks out in plain view. I was actually hand-feeding it last night after I found a hunk on one of my returns. You could sneak a frag or two my way if you wanted. Road trips are fun, you can meet the rest of the Redneck Reefers and do the tank tour. John
Click to expand...

PM Sent! ;)
 
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