GHA Battle...what might I be missing?

[joe-ejs]

Hello.

I have been battling a Green Hair Algae problem in my 30GL AIO for several months. If I remove it manually, it comes back in about a week. I am hoping for suggestions on something I might be missing that is causing it. Here is an overview:

30gl AIO...Dual overflow with Tunze Skimmer
- Monthly water changes - usually about 30% - RO/DI water with TDS=0
- Tank has pretty high bio load - all softies and LPS..no SPS - probably about 24 frags on racks in addition to main rock setup. Frags are all Zoa's for the most part. Various other softies in the tank rock structure.
- Phosphate / Nitrate both read 0 with Hanna Test Kits - I know there is Phosphate present as the Algae is consuming it
- I added two AIO filter socks in the overflow chambers to catch everything - 2 weeks in. Prior I was using Polyfilter in standrack.
- I have two power heads at bottom of tank plus the return pump
- Lighting - AI Hydra32 running white at 10% and blues about 120%
- (2) Clownfish in the tank..no other fish
- Many CUC's. Tried as part of algae maintenance but doesn't seem to help
- I feed the fish pellets 2x day and uneaten pellets land in filter socks.

In summary, more nutrients are being imported than exported = phosphates and algae. Any suggestions as other things to try would be much appreciated.

 

[Treefer32]

One thing often overlooked is testing you're newly mixed salt water (for water changes) for phosphates? My water change water was at .03 ppm Phosphates with fresh DI Resin and new RO filters. Just was what it was.

Next, phosphates get bound to rocks really really easy. You're algae grows on rocks, consuming the nitrates as they're leached from the rocks. So, even if water is testing zero now for phosphates, there's some coming from the rocks.

A couple ways to deal with this:
1. Run GFO (could be costly, but on a 30 gallon tank, may not take that much).
2. Take the rocks out and scrub them thoroughly in water change water and rinse in new salt water then place back in tank.
3. Use Hydrogen Peroxide directly on the patches of hair algae.
4. Reeflux works on Hair algae, but takes time. It's a chemical that blocks photosynthesis processes in macro algae. Follow instructions and follow up with a water change when it's done. For hair algae, allow 2-4 weeks, vs. the normal 7-10 days for Briopsis. You will see the hair algae eventually turn from bright green to almost gray in color as it dies. But, it's extremely slow!
5. Are you sure it's hair algae and not Briopsis (sp?) If it's briopsis Only step 4 will work, steps 1-3 will prevent it from growing back, but won't get rid of it completely without reeflux (in my humble experience).
6. You can try things like Phosphate-e (Lanthinum Chloride) Im that small a tank, a very very very low dose is needed. Follow instructions. And dose it in your filter sock. It will bind and cause phosphate to be easier to be filtered out very rapidly. Just be very careful using this route - follow instructions on bottle.
7. Find a way to add on a refugium for chaeto or something like that.

I run an algae turf scrubber and grow tons of algae in that, however, not a single strand of hair algae grows in my display. Growing it elsewhere reduces available nutrients for it to take hold on the rocks.

 

[fish farmer]

Do you have a pic of your tank ?

And when you feed your clowns how much food is it exactly?

 

[brandon429]

we have corrected maybe 100 of those jobs before, I noticed you aren't using our method, it's easy for that size tank

 

[Jekyl]

we have corrected maybe 100 of those jobs before, I noticed you aren't using our method, it's easy for that size tank

Haven't looked through your rip clean threads as I think algae is usually a maturity thing rather than something the reefer is doing wrong. Which time is sometimes the best course of action.

After the rip clean, do people just have issues with algae all over again?

 

[brandon429]

lets track these select 6 to see,

click on their name

select find all posts, read updates on system:

Algae Identification

Any opinions on what type of algae this is growing on my rocks and sand bed?

www.reef2reef.com

that is the best, most valid question you could ever ask someone touting an algae control method. 100% support that inquiry and thank you for it

WVU isn't trackable, they left the site it seems

but gator is, check his succession from the thread. we are two years post

the most recent update is a 1 year tracking after a rip clean of dinos and a little gha.

 

[Garf]

lets track these select 6 to see,

click on their name

select find all posts, read updates on system:

Algae Identification

Any opinions on what type of algae this is growing on my rocks and sand bed?

www.reef2reef.com

that is the best, most valid question you could ever ask someone touting an algae control method. 100% support that inquiry and thank you for it

WVU isn't trackable, they left the site it seems

but gator is, check his succession from the thread. we are two years post

the most recent update is a 1 year tracking after a rip clean of dinos and a little gha.

Gator hasn’t logged on since Mar 22 either.

 

[Dburr1014]

If your not getting po4 on a test kit... Why would someone recommend gfo or lanthium??

Algae uses ammonia also.
Why do you think your bio load is high?

Pic of tank? Pick of algae?

 

[joe-ejs]

 

[brandon429]

What a fantastic reef

Do NOT alter your tank chemistry around the tufts of algae, per your corals your params are perfect

Don't change them to starve targets, grazers handle that in nature and when missing, we're the grazer

Only handle that issue manually, directly, not with chemicals or param changes it's in perfect balance

Having that small amount of hair algae means your reef is balanced, not unbalanced. Unbalanced reefs can't grow coral like that.

To add in reactive grazers risks disease wiping all your fish

Work by hand can't kill all your fish

 

[Hot2na]

Direct answer to the original question of this thread : an algae scrubber

 

[fish farmer]

That looks like bryopsis, I see little feathery ends on some strands.

 

[Troylee]

You’re dealing with byropsis not hair algae.. there could be some mixed in a I guess but for the most part from your pics the feather like structure is a dead give away of byropsis..

 

[joe-ejs]

What a fantastic reef

Do NOT alter your tank chemistry around the tufts of algae, per your corals your params are perfect

Don't change them to starve targets, grazers handle that in nature and when missing, we're the grazer

Only handle that issue manually, directly, not with chemicals or param changes it's in perfect balance

Having that small amount of hair algae means your reef is balanced, not unbalanced. Unbalanced reefs can't grow coral like that

Thanks for the feedback Brandon429. So one think I am considering is to add a Refugium in one of the back compartments of the AIO. Problem is space is 3"W x 4"D X12" tall. Is that enough space to grow Macros to have an impact on the algae?

As for grazers...maybe I need to add more...any specific suggestions what to add? i have some now but maybe need to add more?

 

[brandon429]

This tank could stand to reduce light levels, helping lessen growback once the algae is made gone, and the corals won't mind

After repair drop your overall light power 20% and maintain that eight weeks in assessment

 

[Dburr1014]

I think it's hair and bryopsis. You can take a piece out of each where I circled and put it on a white paper towel and spread it out as well as you can. Then take pictures of that and post.

 

[joe-ejs]

You’re dealing with byropsis not hair algae.. there could be some mixed in a I guess but for the most part from your pics the feather like structure is a dead give away of byropsis..

So if it is in fact Byropsis, as I continue to be the human grazer to remove it, what other options are there to win this battle?

 

[brandon429]

Don't add grazers unless they're fallowed its a disease risk

Macros won't help, those are both indirect options

They just work when lucky, but luck won't fix every tank do the direct control hard work option so you can detail what needs detailing and not affect huge corals

You don't have a nutrient issue causing this prior stated

 

[fish farmer]

So if it is in fact Byropsis, as I continue to be the human grazer to remove it, what other options are there to win this battle?

It looks like a lot are on frags that can be removed. Can you scrape, remove frag disk, spot treat with hydrogen peroxide? @brandon429 maybe?

 

[Troylee]

So if it is in fact Byropsis, as I continue to be the human grazer to remove it, what other options are there to win this battle?

Raising mag, cutting lights down and continue to pull by hand or there’s a few snails or sea hare that might eat it up for you… only other way is chemicals.