Sudden hair algae bloom

tjc348

New member
I recently started getting some serious hair algae in my sump where my live rock and Macro algae is contained. Now I am starting to get it in my main display. Have hair algae on my overflow, brown algae on my powerheads, outake, and sand is turning brownish.

I did just add a new T5 HO lighting fxture to my tank. Maybe this is the cause? my tank is 110 gallon, 18" front to back, 24" deep, and 60" long.

I got a nova extreme 8 bulb fixture from someone on craigslist. The bulbs on this fixture are about 1 year old, and I currently only have 6 running. I upgraded to this light from a 4 bulb regular t5 fixture.

I was running my sump light on at night, and my main display tank light on for 11 hours a day. Yesterday I changed my timer to 8 hours a day instead of 11 to hope it will cut back on the algae. Im not going to run my sump light for a few days either.

I run RO water in my tank. My nitrates are 30 ppm, and my phosphates read 0.

Any ideas of what the algae could be from? Should I let it's run it's course or will it only get worst? I've had a small outbreak of this stuff when I first started my tank and it went away on its own, but this outbreak seems worst.

I've read from people that they recommend scrubbing it, and then I've heard from others that you should disturb it or it will get much worst
 
How long has it been since your tank cycled? What are your water perameter redings from your test kits? Could you post a picture?
 
My tank is about 4 months old. I'll try to post a picture in a minute. Just had surgery and can't get around very well at the moment.

My water param readings are

Nitrates: 25-30 ppm
nitrites: 0
ammonia: 0
ph: 8.2
calcium: 380
phosphates: 0
KH: 7 (low)
magnesium" 1350

I also did add a few of my DIY live rocks, but most of my tank is full of them. I've had most of them in there since day 1. I was getting the hair algae in the sump before I added them though
 
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The live rocks I made are taking awhile to get covered with coraline algae. I noticed that they have turned brownish from the sand residue on the rocks, but the coraline is slowly growing on them. I guess it's just going to take awhile. My glass is starting to get alot of spots
 
Do you use just RO water, or RO/DI water?
Make it yourself or from an LFS?
What is the TDS of the water?
 
Total
Dissolved
Solids.

In basic terms, it is a way to tell how clean the water is, and how well the RO/DI "maker" is working. It should be at 0 -- using a hand-held TDS meter. Without knowing the TDS of the water you are using you have no idea if it the cause of your issues or not.
 
I recently started getting some serious hair algae in my sump where my live rock and Macro algae is contained. Now I am starting to get it in my main display. Have hair algae on my overflow, brown algae on my powerheads, outake, and sand is turning brownish.

I did just add a new T5 HO lighting fxture to my tank. Maybe this is the cause? my tank is 110 gallon, 18" front to back, 24" deep, and 60" long.

I got a nova extreme 8 bulb fixture from someone on craigslist. The bulbs on this fixture are about 1 year old, and I currently only have 6 running. I upgraded to this light from a 4 bulb regular t5 fixture.

I was running my sump light on at night, and my main display tank light on for 11 hours a day. Yesterday I changed my timer to 8 hours a day instead of 11 to hope it will cut back on the algae. Im not going to run my sump light for a few days either.

I run RO water in my tank. My nitrates are 30 ppm, and my phosphates read 0.

Any ideas of what the algae could be from? Should I let it's run it's course or will it only get worst? I've had a small outbreak of this stuff when I first started my tank and it went away on its own, but this outbreak seems worst.

I've read from people that they recommend scrubbing it, and then I've heard from others that you should disturb it or it will get much worst

The older bulbs in new fixture may have shifted spectrum and now supplying the spectrum what is needed for the HA to grow plus you already were primmed with high nitrates. Since you bought them off craigslist there is no telling how old they REALLY are.

I'd switch your bulbs out ASAP and also find out what is causing the high Nitrates (too much feeding, poor filters/water).
 
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