Used Carbon to polish - now have LHA

[Civicman86]

Ok, being a noob I wanted to polish the water and added some carbon. The tank has been running for over 6 months and not one sign of algae...that is until I added the carbon (didn't rinse before adding).

So I did research and found the carbon can leach phosphates and thus hair algae. My question is though... I have removed the carbon and my tank is showing little to no nitrates. Can it be assumed that the algae will now kill itself off since the source of the phosphates are gone?

I do have a lawnmower Blenny that in hoping will feast on it.

I don't have a phosphate kit to get a reading on the water currently.

 

[mcgyvr]

The addition of carbon is NOT the reason for your hair algae..

A newer tank, feeding fish, light source,etc..... All of those contribute to it..

 

[nereefpat]

Coincidence would be my guess too.

 

[ReeferNoob4ever]

Get some turbo snails! That's always my answer and they mow it down IME.

 

[snowlynx]

will turbo snails mess up zoas while eating LHA?

I have few zoa frags with LHA. I did peroxide dip but it keeps coming back

 

[Tripod1404]

Used Carbon to polish - now have LHA

It turbo snails will not harm your zoas but they will probably not eat the hair algae in between them. You should get a phosphate and nitrate kit before everything else, if it's coming back, it means you have high nitrate and phosphate. Even if you get a turbo snail, they will continue to grow back as long as you don't get PO4 and NO3 under control.


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[billdogg]

If you have an algae issue, you have both phosphates and nitrates regardless of what any test kit might tell you. Eliminate the source(s) to get rid of the PO4. GFO in a reactor can help with that but be careful not to take out too much too fast. The most realistic option for lowering Nitrates is water changes.