Hair algae?

[vsciacca]

I’m thinking this is hair algae but not 100% certain. I can’t seem to get it under control and it’s getting very frustrating. I’ve been syphoning it out and trying to brush it off rocks when I’m doing water changes, but it always comes back a couple days later (sometimes faster). Point is I’m so tired of looking at it and at times it seems like my corals are affected by it as well.

Currently, I’ve reduced feeding to every other day, but I still dose redsea ab+ every day at the recommended amount for my tank size. I have a filter sock that I change every 2 weeks, skimmer, and refugium. I also recently started using carbon, but it’s carbon that I had still from when I had a freshwater tank so it’s probably not the best option for my reef tank (pretty sure it’s api brand). I run the violet and blue channels on my lights at 100% and the white at 10%. Alk is 8.2, calcium 420, mag 1180 (trying to get this higher), nitrates and phosphates I don’t know exactly because I don’t have a Hanna.

Tank is 16 gallons with a 10 gallon sump and is about 1.5 years old. I live in asheville nc so went a month without power after the hurricane back in October which caused a lot of instability in the tank. Algae was a little better before that but has been extremely difficult to conquer since. I’m hoping someone can help me get a handle on this algae. Open to all suggestions, but want to avoid any “quick fixes” like chemicals because my corals and other stock seem to be happy right now. The photo of the whole tank was right after meticulously removing as much algae as possible and doing a water change. Thanks in advance.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Changing the filter sock every 2 weeks would contribute to the problem, it is holding rotting food for 2 weeks until you remove it. I don't see a single snail in any of your pictures, algae grows where there is lack of algae grazers. Get a bunch of turbo snails and other grazers to work on it. I see a return and a small powerhead in the tank, leads me to believe you have low flow, algae loves low flow, so perhaps increase the flow. Fix your skimmer to wet skim while you have the algae issue. Basically keep a low level of dissolved organics and high level of algae grazers.

I don't believe in decreasing the feeding to fight algae, its not the fishes fault, and starving them will eventually lead to starving corals and possibly other problems.

You should be aware of nitrate and phosphate if you are fighting algae.

Good luck

 

[vsciacca]

Changing the filter sock every 2 weeks would contribute to the problem, it is holding rotting food for 2 weeks until you remove it. I don't see a single snail in any of your pictures, algae grows where there is lack of algae grazers. Get a bunch of turbo snails and other grazers to work on it. I see a return and a small powerhead in the tank, leads me to believe you have low flow, algae loves low flow, so perhaps increase the flow. Fix your skimmer to wet skim while you have the algae issue. Basically keep a low level of dissolved organics and high level of algae grazers.

I don't believe in decreasing the feeding to fight algae, its not the fishes fault, and starving them will eventually lead to starving corals and possibly other problems.

You should be aware of nitrate and phosphate if you are fighting algae.

Good luck

Changing the filter sock every 2 weeks would contribute to the problem, it is holding rotting food for 2 weeks until you remove it. I don't see a single snail in any of your pictures, algae grows where there is lack of algae grazers. Get a bunch of turbo snails and other grazers to work on it. I see a return and a small powerhead in the tank, leads me to believe you have low flow, algae loves low flow, so perhaps increase the flow. Fix your skimmer to wet skim while you have the algae issue. Basically keep a low level of dissolved organics and high level of algae grazers.

I don't believe in decreasing the feeding to fight algae, its not the fishes fault, and starving them will eventually lead to starving corals and possibly other problems.

You should be aware of nitrate and phosphate if you are fighting algae.

Good luck

Are you suggesting no filter sock or just more frequently changing it out? As for clean up crew I have two turbos a few ceriths 8-10 hermits a shrimp and an emerald crab, but I can get a few more turbos. They’ve definitely been the most effective. I added a power head two days ago to help with the flow because I definitely had low flow in some areas, so hopefully that helps. I will go back to a more regular feeding schedule. Should I be rinsing the food before feeding them? I’m currently using frozen mysis shrimp. Also, I think it’s time to bite the bullet and get a couple of Hanna testers for phosphate and nitrate. Thank you for the help.

 

[Pistondog]

2nd the no filter sox.

 

[vsciacca]

2nd the no filter sox.

So basically, no mechanical filtration at all?

 

[Pistondog]

So basically, no mechanical filtration at all?

My sump has a black mesh filter before the return pump to catch snails.
Thats it.

 

[Pistondog]

I should say the sump came with a 200 micron filter sock that i ran for a year. Then took it out.

 

[vsciacca]

My sump has a black mesh filter before the return pump to catch snails.
Thats it.

I have the same so maybe I leave that and remove the sock. I’ve never run no filter sock so I guess that could be part of this issue I’ve been trying to tackle for a year now

 

[Pistondog]

Been 6 years or so with no sox.

 

[vsciacca]

Been 6 years or so with no sox.

I appreciate the advice

 

[Pistondog]

Youll appreciate not cleaning the sox even more.

 

[vsciacca]

Youll appreciate not cleaning the sox even more.

One of my least favorite pats of maintaining the tank lol

 

[Dr. D]

I’m curious why having no mechanical filtration would help with hair algae?

 

[Pistondog]

It was suggested that not cleaning the filter sox more often than every other week would allow them to be a trap for rotting food. Some believe nutrient control will aid in mitigating gha.

 

[BristleWormHater]

So basically, no mechanical filtration at all?

I shove in a clump of filter floss and replace it every week, don't bother with socks anymore.

 

[Reef.]

So basically, no mechanical filtration at all?

I would not do that, socks need to be changed every 2-3 days or the stuff you have collected in the sock will rot and add more nutrients for the algae to grow.

Even with low nutrients you still get algae, you need clean up crew to eat it, i would also stop adding coral food, sort the issue out then consider feeding corals

Keep nutrients down will go along way to help but you will still get some, when you see it, remove it straight away, slowly you will win the battle, adding more corals helps too, the more space the corals take up on the rocks the less room for algae, there is not one thing that will fix an algae issue but a few smaller measures.