Green Hair Algae? And trying to make my tank more hospitable for corals...

[bradejoe]

This is my first big post - I've always been worried about sounding too dumb on this forum to post anything longer than a quick 1-2 sentence question, but here it goes...

So I'm thinking I have a green hair algae problem, which doesn't seem to be all that uncommon from various threads and internet research. I have had this tank up and running for about 4 years. Had been FOWLR for the first couple of years. Then of course I got the "coral" bug and have tried making the switch. In doing so, I recently have purchased some new equipment and have been in a transition period of "switching out" all the new toys. I now understand why everyone talks about "building" their tank rather than "renovating".

Long story short, here's what I'm now running...
46 gallon bowfront
Eshopps PF300 overflow
Aqueon Proflex Sump Model 1 (only one that would fit in my stand - no time to build a sump since my old canister filter was leaking).
Current USA Orbit Marine LED Light
Tunze Comline 9001 Protein Skimmer in middle chamber with Chaeto.

Fish Stock: two ocellaris clowns, royal gramma, cleaner wrasse, yellow-tailed damsel and two black damselfish; various snails (astraea, nassarius and ceriths) - I have had the clowns and gramma since the tank was set up, damsels were added about 3 years ago (went from 20 gallons to 46 and at the time was going on color, not temperament), cleaner wrasse added about 4 months ago.

Coral Stock: One small hammer coral and 5-6 small colony polyps (kind of bland and not very colorful).

Today's Numbers - I use API test kits. I think the numbers are "accurate" - I am colorblind, but am pretty good with these tests. I have been using them for 15+ years and have become pretty good at judging my numbers (when my wife is home I usually have her double check them for me).
USG 1.025
pH 8.0
NO2 0ppm
NO3 5.0ppm
NH3 0.50ppm
Ca2+420-440ppm
kH 8-9dkH
PO4 0.25ppm

I've been seeing my NO3 drop since switching from the canister to the sump (used to always be 20-40 ppm). In addition to the nitrate dropping, I've been scrubbing rocks and manually removing what algae I can - my next step is pulling the rock out for complete scrub downs. Am I on the right track? Other things I should be doing? Tips and advice for making this home better for corals? Any tips on what kinds of coral? My wife wants that "instant" color burst of a fully matured tank, and I'm trying to remind her that I can't make changes too quickly.

Addendum / Afterthought - and I am using RO/DI water - had been simply using tap water up until a couple months ago on my water changes. Also using Instant Ocean Reef Crystals.

Any thoughts, opinions and/or assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[bif24701]

Buy Vibrant Reef Aquarium Cleaner. It works! Get it now! Pay extra for faster shipping so that you can get that algae out faster, lol. No kidding thought the stuff really works.

 

[thaitopher]

Tank looks great! The only thing I would suggest would be that you might consider adding a phosphate reactor. .25 ppm is a bit higher than it should be and might be the cause of your algae problems. I hear .06 ppm is a better range

 

[bradejoe]

Buy Vibrant Reef Aquarium Cleaner. It works! Get it now! Pay extra for faster shipping so that you can get that algae out faster, lol. No kidding thought the stuff really works.

Stupid question... will using something like this nuke all the chaeto too???

 

[randy4083]

Yeah it will kill the cheato they talk about that on the vibrant thread but you can take the cheato out while dosing the vibrant and that stuff is really good stuff because I dose it and my tank is crystal clear because of it

 

[O'l Salty]

Unfortunately Vibrant hasn't helped me at all with GHA.

 

[Davies13]

I'm not familiar with the lights, can you turn the red led's off? I turned the red right down on my AI Hydra's and the algae disappeared (quickly eaten and stopped growing).
Maybe look at getting a sea hare. It will make short work of the algae.
Also, maybe look into a fish that grazes on algae, my peacock wrasse, goldrim tang and pygmy angel graze all day off of the rock.

 

[Oldreefer44]

Have used

 

[Oldreefer44]

Have used Vibrant and it did work. However, also agree with the comment on PO4. Once I got rid of the GHA I was able to stop the Vibrant treatments and have been able to stay algae free just by using a reactor.

 

[A&NReef]

Here's a link to someone who claims to have found a cure for green hair algae
Hope this helps
Sounds very promising

 

[bradejoe]

Vibrant arrived today. Will keep my fingers crossed and follow up with how things go. Thanks for the help. May go with the -azole if it doesn't work.

 

[bradejoe]

Update - so the Vibrant has been slowly taking care of the GHA, but I am starting to get some cyano on my sand bed. Also noticed something else popping up on my rocks - no new additions as far as coral, fish, rock, etc. are these hydroids? Are they somehow related to me dosing with Vibrant? Thoughts?