Hair Algae outbreak

[NYCMAN]

Hello - I am an experienced reefer but just started a new tank with 1/2 artificial dry rock and 1/2 live rock from Florida and local tanks (2x). Tank system volume 100G after rocks, etc.

I have a massive hair algae outbreak on a tank that has been running for 30 days. Most is brown/rust colored, some is green.

Facts - 1) RODI water is 0.00. Tested with BRS inline, separate inline, and hand tester after 4 stage. Phosphorous 0 with Hanna, Nitrate HR 0.00 with Hanna, Alk 9.3 with Hanna. Using Chemipure Elite, Roxx carbon, and Matrix in sump. Reef Octo skimmer doing a job. UV running.

I have 2 Kessil AP9Xs that I have been ratcheting down. They are now 100% blue with intensity maxed out at 10%. It was more white and higher intensity until last weekend.

Question, is it simply the lighting intensity and the hair algae fully absorbing the nitrate and phosphate bring them to zero measurement? Keep toning down the lights? I have been doing 10% water change every day for last week.

 

[musel101]

Hello - I am an experienced reefer but just started a new tank with 1/2 artificial dry rock and 1/2 live rock from Florida and local tanks (2x). Tank system volume 100G after rocks, etc.

I have a massive hair algae outbreak on a tank that has been running for 30 days. Most is brown/rust colored, some is green.

Facts - 1) RODI water is 0.00. Tested with BRS inline, separate inline, and hand tester after 4 stage. Phosphorous 0 with Hanna, Nitrate HR 0.00 with Hanna, Alk 9.3 with Hanna. Using Chemipure Elite, Roxx carbon, and Matrix in sump. Reef Octo skimmer doing a job. UV running.

I have 2 Kessil AP9Xs that I have been ratcheting down. They are now 100% blue with intensity maxed out at 10%. It was more white and higher intensity until last weekend.

Question, is it simply the lighting intensity and the hair algae fully absorbing the nitrate and phosphate bring them to zero measurement? Keep toning down the lights? I have been doing 10% water change every day for last week.

I think you’re overdoing it it’s part of the cycle first you start off with this brown slime then green hair allergy comes in and then eventually that dies off. I think you just need a good biodiversity to outcompete nutrients in your system, and take those nutrients away from the green hair algae.

 

[BigMonkeyBrain]

Hello - I am an experienced reefer but just started a new tank with 1/2 artificial dry rock and 1/2 live rock from Florida and local tanks (2x). Tank system volume 100G after rocks, etc.

I have a massive hair algae outbreak on a tank that has been running for 30 days. Most is brown/rust colored, some is green.

Facts - 1) RODI water is 0.00. Tested with BRS inline, separate inline, and hand tester after 4 stage. Phosphorous 0 with Hanna, Nitrate HR 0.00 with Hanna, Alk 9.3 with Hanna. Using Chemipure Elite, Roxx carbon, and Matrix in sump. Reef Octo skimmer doing a job. UV running.

I have 2 Kessil AP9Xs that I have"

Lasse said:

"Lack of grazers (CUC)--on the other hand--gives direct algae problems regardless of the nutrient levels in a newly started aquarium. In a tank with well-established corals, they will compete with the algae for the nutrition and the CUC will not be as important. Put your money into a large, diverse, and good CUC at the start instead of a lot of measuring equipment--it is both more fun and more efficient. When you know what you want to do with your aquarium—yes--then you can start manipulating different parameters, but let it run for 2-3 months (at least) beforehand."

15 Steps to Starting a Saltwater Aquarium: The Lasse Method