Green hair algae

[sredzins]

So I know this one has been beat to death on this forum but my green hair algae probably has gotten way to out of control. Last week I scrubbed all of it off my rock and siphoned it out and now it looks back to the way it was. Its a 50 gallon tank

I feed every other day, pellets and make sure the fish eat every single one (o. Clown and a blue damsel)

Lights are on for 8 hours a day

I use ro/di water with 35 lbs of live rock and 1 koralia 750 and a 425

I run puri gen and chemipure elite and have my skimmer pulling stuff out every day. No sump

I know these practices aren't normal, (I should be feeding more and the puri gen and chemipure is alot) but I need to get rid of this stuff.

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[mike007]

Have you tested water parameters? If so what are they? As we have stated in many threads before algae has to have nutrients to thrive. When they are in excess algae tends to get out of control.

 

[sredzins]

My phosphates are fine and my nitrates aren't super high and have been to this point before without the kind of reaction. My question is where could the excess be coming from? I don't feed much and do 5% water changes a week and there hasn't been any new additions that could cause any die off

 

[mike007]

Do you have corals and if so do you feed them? I had a problem feeding a liquid coral food and starting getting some algae so i cut back and it went away. Also i started carbon dosing and never have had any issues with algae again.

 

[mr_bigl]

My phosphates are fine and my nitrates aren't super high and have been to this point before without the kind of reaction. My question is where could the excess be coming from? I don't feed much and do 5% water changes a week and there hasn't been any new additions that could cause any die off

Phosphates are low because the hair algae is using them.

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[Reefing Madness]

Black out your tank for 3 days. That'll get rid of it. Then test immediately on the 4th day for Phosphates, that'll tell you straight up what you have in the tank. The HA will be gone at that point, and your skimmer would need a good cleaning out, as it will work overtime on the third day.

 

[sredzins]

I tried that but my skimmer was turned off as I was on vacation when I blacked it out. I'll try it again with the skimmer running at all times. But if I haven't added anything and don't over feed, use rodi and do regular water changes... what in the world could be causing this algae? I'm going to pick up some chaeto to help fight it off.

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[Reefing Madness]

Is it Hair Algae or Bryopsis? Which is a clean water algae.

 

[sredzins]

Its the green hair algae. And the tank isn't new so I really just can't figure out what is causing it. Its mostly under the power heads so I'm thinking it could be a flow issue

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[Birddog]

IMHO your nitrates and phosphates are high. What has helped me is a reactor with gfo for the phosphates, dosing with RedSea NOPOX and turbo snails. The snails graze on the stuff, but beware turbos are like bull dozers in that they knock corals from your LR if they're not well encrusted or glued.

 

[sredzins]

I'm sure they are high. But instead of covering the problem I want to fix it. I don't know what could cause it.

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[Reefing Madness]

Ok, so you don't overfeed your tank. But what do you feed? Does it contain phosphates?

 

[sredzins]

I feed formula 2 pellets. My clown is like a dog and sits at the top so I basically hand feed him. So nothing hits the sand bed

 

[kateater]

What goes in must come out. I had a fish that would beg for food. It was so cute so we fed it one pellet here one pellet there. Easy to unintentionally over feed fish with good personalities. Have to tested your RODI water? Maybe time for filter change or membrane change.

 

[sredzins]

I haven't invested in a rodi system yet so I have to buy from my lfs and being suspicious I had them check it and I check it before every water change. I'm sure you can see where my frustration is coming from. I have checked everything and cannot come to the bottom of it.

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[kateater]

I haven't invested in a rodi system yet so I have to buy from my lfs and being suspicious I had them check it and I check it before every water change. I'm sure you can see where my frustration is coming from. I have checked everything and cannot come to the bottom of it.

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my experience with LFS RODI water is they dont maintain filters enough. I would say that is your root cause.

 

[sredzins]

How do I check if its good or not? Have them run phosphate, nitrate and tds tests?
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[kateater]

How do I check if its good or not? Have them run phosphate, nitrate and tds tests?
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Only way I know how to check it. I test TDS before and after DI resin that way it lets you know if filetrs, membrane or DI resin is exhausted. RODI system is a small investment for home use (As far as reef tanks go) and simple to install.

 

[kateater]

What kind of salt? Use any water conditioners? Silica can cause algae

 

[MHG]

So I may have missed it but what are your nitrates at? Green hair algae is nitrates, brown is phosphates......so I am assuming you have some nitrates but that is not bad by itself because your corals want a little nitrates... What is your cleaning crew and do you have lots of Ampipods at night? The only place I see hair algae is on my frag plugs where the Ampipods, emerald crabs can't get to it. It grows real fast. When I place the hairy plug in the rocks i wake up to clean plugs. My nitrates are 2... So a good cleaning crew, to include a lawn mower blenny and you will probably be fine. If it is out of control, algae fix marine works great..