RowaPhos and Hair Algae?

GlassReef

Got Reef
Premium Member
Has anyone noticed a correlation between the use of RowaPhos and an outbreak of HA? I had been using BRS's HC GFO and never had a problem with HA. Then I bought into a group buy for RowaPhos, due to the great price. Since then I've been having a bit of a problem with a short brownish green HA all over my sand bed and most of the rock. All my params are excellent. The only thing that corresponds with the HA start is the RowaPhos. So, again my question, as this happened to anyone else?

Thanks for any input.
 
Yes, the LFS I one worked for order like a 5 pound bucket of RowaPhos at one time. Every tank we used it in had a massive hair algae outbreak within a month. We took out all the rowaphos and after a few good water changes the algae didn't return. I'm pretty sure at one point my boss contacted the manufacturer and found out there was a "bad batch" that got out, similar to the "bad batch" of IO salt I suppose.

So yes, you aren't just imagining things. There is a correlation.
 
Hmm... it was quite awhile ago. Maybe up to a year. We stopped using it after the hair algae outbreak. We used Seachem's PhosGuard from then on. Although I've read/heard a lot about the "aluminum" problem of PhosGuard, we never had issues on the dozens of tanks we maintained, and I've never had a problem with it in my home tanks.
 
FWIW I always had algae problems when I ran ROWAphos. I switched to BRS HC GFO and it totally wiped it all out in under 2 months. I had been trying for almost 2 yrs to get rid of this brown wafer algae I had. Nothing worked but BRS hc gfo. The ROWAphos had zero effect and I always had algae when I used it. Not only the BWA but Red Turf algae also.

And it wasn't a bad batch I got, because I ran it continuosly for over 2 years. And still had problems, but I couldn't figure out what was causing the problems. As soon as I stopped running ROWAphos and started running BRS HC GFO my tank never looked better.
 
I was actually very suprised when I finally put 2 and 2 together. And that was the only thing I changed so I am %100 positive thats what was going on. I am not sure if it was a by product of using the ROWAphos itself or that it just didn't remove any or enough PO4.
 
I also had and still have a hair algea problem with ROWAphos. I thought that was the best stuff you could buy.
 
Here is a before picture from when I ran ROWAphos.

TankBWA1.jpg


Here is an after picture of just under 2 months of BRS HC GFO use. The Brown Wafer Algae literally fell off in big clumps.

BWAafter.jpg


You can still see some of the algae in the second pic. There is even less now since that picture is about a week old.
 
I have used ROWAphos for a while and had problems with brown wafer and red algae. Never thought the Rowa could be the cause.

You guys have convinced me to switch. What is the BRS HC GFO and where can I get it? I tried searching but I am unsure who makes it.

Thanks
 
I tried everything you could think of trying to get rid of the brown wafer algae. I was shocked when it started just falling off when I switched GFO.

I have also found that Sally Lightfoot crabs eat it. But they couldn't make a dent in the amount I used to have. But between them and the BRS HC GFO its starting to go away finally.
 
I had a lot, but the main thing it did was out compete coralline for real estate in several places. Plus it wasn't my favorite look. I solved the problem when I got a new tank.
 
I was pretty close to ripping this tannk apart over it. It didn't bother the corals, it was just ugly. And it was so annoying to put a lot of time and effort into an ugly brown tank.
 
This is quite interesting. I never have had a problem in the past with hair algae so I never bothered measuring my phosphate levels until about a year ago out of curiosity. With an elos kit they were .75 last August! I've been running at least 250ml of rowaphos and changing it at least every 4 weeks since then (I've also bought a larger skimmer and doubled my water changes). I've brought my phosphate level down to .01 so far but now I'm having a lot of trouble keeping hair algae under control. I find that if I blow torch it off a rock really well it wont come back but the amount in the tank that I cant torch just keeps growing and thriving. Once my current supply of rowaphos is finished I'm going to give some of the BRS HCGFO a shot and see how it does.
 
I was beating on some alage in my tank, and after i started useing Rowaphos the problem has exploded. Not saying that is was the rowaphos that caused it but what everyone is saying, sounds to be what happened to me :(
 
My Phospahates levels were at .03 measured by Salifert. Purchased a Phosban reactor two weeks ago and added Rowaphos. Levels are still at .03 two weeks later with the addition of new brown hair algae. Will be switching to Phosban or BRS.
 
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