Hang on back filter

[alhmba]

Hi everyone, i have a couple questions. I have been using a hang on back filter on my 55 gallon tank and wanting to upgrade the types of filtration i should be using. My tank has been going for 2 years and never been told about using ceramic filter medias and filter floss and etc. I just started reading and would like to get a good basis of what would be great for my tank.

Also the reason for the filtration upgrades, i am currently having a green hair algae problem. I had cyano and dosed with chemiclean. After chemiclean i had green hair go everywhere. I have a reef tank with only 2 fish, turbo snails, small snails, 2 sea urchins, and crabs but i cant get it under control. I scrub the tank with a toothbrush every day, change filters often. I had my levels checked by the LFS and they stated on the hanna checkers i had elevated nitrates. I have done water changes and everything shows normal but it still continues to grow. I see the green hair algae getting on my coral which i try to get it off.

i feel like to LFS doesn't tell you everything so this is why im reaching out to you guys to give better feedback and to educate myself

Need help!

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Hi everyone, i have a couple questions. I have been using a hang on back filter on my 55 gallon tank and wanting to upgrade the types of filtration i should be using. My tank has been going for 2 years and never been told about using ceramic filter medias and filter floss and etc. I just started reading and would like to get a good basis of what would be great for my tank.

Also the reason for the filtration upgrades, i am currently having a green hair algae problem. I had cyano and dosed with chemiclean. After chemiclean i had green hair go everywhere. I have a reef tank with only 2 fish, turbo snails, small snails, 2 sea urchins, and crabs but i cant get it under control. I scrub the tank with a toothbrush every day, change filters often. I had my levels checked by the LFS and they stated on the hanna checkers i had elevated nitrates. I have done water changes and everything shows normal but it still continues to grow. I see the green hair algae getting on my coral which i try to get it off.

i feel like to LFS doesn't tell you everything so this is why im reaching out to you guys to give better feedback and to educate myself

Need help!

White light, nitrates and phosphates are typical fuel for algae. You are going to need to cut back further if you want to slow down hair algae. I'd also recommend scrubbing not IN tank where it can blow around and settle somewhere else. I'm considering an aquascape 'upgrade' to less porous rock to make it easier to scrub off. I hate green hair algae, but once its there, its there. Just have to make it less likely to be noticable.

When the algae goes into filter and dies waiting on filter change, then its releasing the nitrates and phosphates it absorbed while alive, making more available fuel for the living green hair algae. This is why they say 'pull it out' because you want to get it out.

You don't mention your actual water parameters, but what a fish can tolerate for nitrates and what little is needed for algae, everyone has algae they fight to one degree or another.

A Simple Guide To Common Problematic Algae And The Means To Control It..

As we all know algae is inevitable in both Marine and fresh water aquariums and if not watched and without proper procedures for removal can quickly turn a beautiful aquarium in to something that resembles a scene out of a old Swamp thing episode. Some are easy to control some are a non stop...

www.reef2reef.com

Green hair algae: DERBESIA

This is one of the most problematic Algae that is most commonly seen through out the hobby and is also one of the hardest to control once it is established and can be a daunting task to get under control and remove and will quickly take over your system if given the right conditions..


ID: This Algae is very easy to identify it forms green tuffs on the rock work and glass normally in areas of low flow it should be a solid green/brown color with strands of ( hair ) flowing away from the base.

CONTROL: One of the easiest ways to control the spread and outbreak of this algae is to have aggressive skimming and control the amount of food you add to the system. This in conjunction with a regular water change and light use of carbon ( a good carbon ) will help you control the outbreak of this and many more types of algae. Also a Alkalinty of 8DKH or higher will help stem the development of this Algae.

WHAT FEEDS THE GROWTH OF (GHA)?
Green hair algae feeds off of phosphates as it primary source of food followed by nitrate's. So if you have a reliable pure fish food that is soaked and rinsed is one way to control the addition of phosphates to the system. Also the reason it is advised to not skimp on quality when it comes to activated carbon is that a lot of problems with algae outbreaks is caused by carbon re-introducing phosphates into the system after the carbon is used to its full potential. Also along with re-introducing phosphates a lot of activated carbons leach phosphates from the time they are added to the system. So Good carbon is a must to help fight Algae outbreaks.

REMOVAL:
A toothbrush is your best friend against this Algae and you should scrub the rocks with it after removing as much as possible by hand.

NATURAL PREDATORS:
This Green hair algae has very little natural predators

ALGAE AGAINST ALGAE:
A refugium is a natural way of removing Phosphates and Nitrates from your system. If done correctly a refugium can eliminate a lot of algae problems..Simple to set up and maintain all you need is a 6,500k light source And some chaetomorpha on a reverse or 24hr light cycle. This Algae will out compete other algae for nutrients and will not leach nutrients back into the system and will not go sexual..

 

[Fish Think Pink]

adding emphasis:

REMOVAL:
A toothbrush is your best friend against this Algae and you should scrub the rocks with it after removing as much as possible by hand.

 

[Tuan’s Reef]

What's does your current maintenance look like? Nutrient export is the name of the game.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

I do water change, then lift rock into bin/bucket holding water about to be thrown away, and there I scrub rocks... and then I double check I'm not going to throw out a fish, and if I need to catch fish I use net and return to tank and then I return scrubbed rock to tank... and the now very VERY green water change water gets tossed away

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

I’m doing an experiment now, where I glue the Hook part of Velcro to a Plastic Rod. Spin the rod to pick up the Hair algae. Just have to figure out what grade of Velcro, works best. BTW, to use the Loop part of the Velcro. Look at your doors to the outside, do you see light coming in at the Corners? Glue a piece of Loop Velcro to the door jam, where the light/leakage is at. If you still see light, glue a piece of loop Velcro on the door itself, so it presses against the other loop Velcro. Only use the Loop side, for this, not the Hook side.