Help! I can't seem to gain on gha problem!

[ThaBeast]

My tank suffered a nasty hair algae outbreak from a multitude of issues, worst being a failed skimmer and leaky sump. I believe I have all the issues repaired, but can't seem to get ahead of this gha.

Here's the current tank setup: New Phoenix 14k's running 6 hrs/day; new Geismann 22k t5's running 12 hrs/day; Deltec ap702; small geo reactor full of fresh phosguard; large geo reactor full of rox carbon changed monthly; 200 micron filter bags changed as needed; chaeto in small fuge lit 24 hrs/day (not looking so good); changing 30g water 3-5x per week; tunze wavebox for flow (6101 slaved is waiting for replacement part); top off water supplied through geo kalk reactor; ro/di water 0 tds & verified 0 phosphate/0 nitrate with test kits; feeding wrasses & anthias a tiny pinch (tiny defined as 8-12 medium pellets) of NLS 3x daily; ph 8.2-8.3 daily swing; salinity 35ppt. I'll post test params later when girlfriend is home and can verify my color matching skills (or lack thereof).

I'm beginning to think I need a total tank teardown (YUCK--I don't have the space for that and my local reef buddy is having surgery so he can't keep animals for me) or perhaps a sea hare??

What have you guys done to beat the green monster??

 

[redtop03]

chaeto needs some lights out time and a strong flow,16 to 18 hrs of light is plenty for it,run it of reverse lighting cycle from the tank to help with PH swing

once you get your chaeto to start growing,it'll take up most of the nutrients that are feeding the GHA...the sea hare would help too but probable starve after the GHA is gone

here's a short video of my chaeto factory,just to give you an idea of how much flow my chaeto has and it grows like a weed

[video=youtube;0swLeG-NsLg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0swLeG-NsLg[/video]

 

[ThaBeast]

I will put the chaeto light on 16hr/day light cycle right now, I have (had) one spare outlet on my Apex. I have ~ 1500gph on my chaeto, is that enough flow?

Thank you for the advice!

 

[redtop03]

should be plenty of flow,is it tumbling/spinning the chaeto ?

when it's spinning in there it helps to get even lighting to it and it'll do better

 

[akabryanhall]

I'm about to follow this regimen
Green Hair Algae can be conquered!

 

[oigimsar]

I am in the middle of the battle with you. Here is what I have done over the past 6-8 weeks and I am finally seeing results:

1) find the source of the problem
2) added reactor running GFO
3) added chaeto to refugium
4) manual removal - this is a pain but I think it is an important step. If it is too long the animals I add to deal with it seem to ignore it.
5) sea hare - this guy is awesome. He is largely nocturnal and every morning I wake up to a new patch he has cleared away. I will pass him on to a fellow reefer when he is done in my tank. My LFS is also willing to take him back for credit.
6) regular water changes with good water source
6) I was planning on adding some turbo snails this weekend.

Finally, every method I have read about requires patience. It takes time but in the past couple of weeks I have seen significant improvement.

HTH.
Good luck.

 

[ThaBeast]

Has anyone seen turbos eat hair algae? I've had them in the past and while the turbo seemed to stay busy eating (never had hair algae before) he sure knocked a bunch of stuff over/around

 

[Electrobes]

I'll tell you what.. the best way, albeit not the friendliest, is manual removal, toothbrushing, and water changes. Do this religiously until it's all gone... and you'll win. Also make sure the causes really are what you think they are. It took me about 3 month to literally be free and clear of GHA. I basically was trying to leach out the phosphates from the rocks by being fairly nutrient poor. Once the algae got thick enough I would take out all the rocks, with corals on them, and tooth brush the hell out of it. Rinse in old water (The rocks) and put back into the tank to later do a water change. It's long, tedious, etc but it's guaranteed to work.