Well guys the title says it all! I'm frustrated to the point of thinking about closing up shop on my tank. Please help me in not having to make that hard decision!
I have been dealing with the worst GHA for the past few months. Everything I have tried has not seemed to really work...
First some info on my tank:
I have a IM Nuvo 20 gallon that has been running for just about 7 months. Current stock is 2 ocellaris clownfish, Midas Blenny, Pom Pom crab, RBTA, and a slew of hermits and snails for a clan up crew. ( Turbos, astreas, nassarius, Nerite, margarita, cerith and red leg hermit crabs. None of which have touched the hair algae. I also just picked up a lettuce slug in hopes it would chow down but no dice. I'm going to return the critter to the store so he won't starve.
As far as corals go I keep softies and LPS.
Tank has about 20 pounds of reef saver rock and 20 pounds of tropic eden reef flakes.
As far as equipment goes I'm running everything pretty much stock. I have one AL Prime HD LED for my lighting, and I run poly filter and regular filter floss along with a bag of chemipure elite that I hang in one of the back chambers. I also run a single filter floss. For flow I have the stock return pump and I have one single powerhead/wave maker. I do not run a skimmer. I don't have sump of a fuge.
Now on to the issue. No matter what I have tried I cannot for the life of me get rid of this stuff. It's growing on my rocks and my sandbed. I have tried everything I can think of to include: reduce lighting, eliminating my red and green channels on my light, reduce feedings, H202 dosing, consistent water changes, raising my mag to 1600-1700, scribing my rocks out of the tank, picking away at the hair algae and a tank 2 day blackout. All of which haven't worked long term as it always comes right back. I also just tried dosing 400mg of fluconazole which hasn't shown any benefits. All of my fish and corals are happy and healthy. The only thing that looks unhappy sometimes in the nem.
Current water parameters are as follows:
Temp 78-79
Salinity 1.025
PH 8.2
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrates 20 ( it usually stays between 10-25.
Calcium 440. (I have been dosing calcium once a week because I was dealing with low levels, couldn't get it higher then 360ish)
Mag 1450
Alk 10
With all of that being said I know my water is very nutrient rich because I am seeing a lot of those q-tip sponges pop up.
I know I need to get my nitrates down. I have been trying to avoid using a skimmer becuase this tank is in the bedroom and I'm worried about it being too loud, however if that is what I need to do then I will do it. There are not a lot of skimmer options for this tank though.
So what do I try next? What should my next plan of attack be? I really enjoy my tank but all of this algae is really upsetting me since I cannot use my light like I want to my corals aren't growing as fast as I would like them too. I feel like I've run out of options.
The plan tonight is to scrub the rocks and pick out as much hair algae as I can (again) and do a large heathy water change while I clean the sand bed, change out all my socks, media and floss.
Other then that I'm at a loss... can anyone give any advice or tips or ideas? It would be GREATLY appreciated!! Thanks so much for reading! Sorry it was so long!! I'm desperate!
I have been dealing with the worst GHA for the past few months. Everything I have tried has not seemed to really work...
First some info on my tank:
I have a IM Nuvo 20 gallon that has been running for just about 7 months. Current stock is 2 ocellaris clownfish, Midas Blenny, Pom Pom crab, RBTA, and a slew of hermits and snails for a clan up crew. ( Turbos, astreas, nassarius, Nerite, margarita, cerith and red leg hermit crabs. None of which have touched the hair algae. I also just picked up a lettuce slug in hopes it would chow down but no dice. I'm going to return the critter to the store so he won't starve.
As far as corals go I keep softies and LPS.
Tank has about 20 pounds of reef saver rock and 20 pounds of tropic eden reef flakes.
As far as equipment goes I'm running everything pretty much stock. I have one AL Prime HD LED for my lighting, and I run poly filter and regular filter floss along with a bag of chemipure elite that I hang in one of the back chambers. I also run a single filter floss. For flow I have the stock return pump and I have one single powerhead/wave maker. I do not run a skimmer. I don't have sump of a fuge.
Now on to the issue. No matter what I have tried I cannot for the life of me get rid of this stuff. It's growing on my rocks and my sandbed. I have tried everything I can think of to include: reduce lighting, eliminating my red and green channels on my light, reduce feedings, H202 dosing, consistent water changes, raising my mag to 1600-1700, scribing my rocks out of the tank, picking away at the hair algae and a tank 2 day blackout. All of which haven't worked long term as it always comes right back. I also just tried dosing 400mg of fluconazole which hasn't shown any benefits. All of my fish and corals are happy and healthy. The only thing that looks unhappy sometimes in the nem.
Current water parameters are as follows:
Temp 78-79
Salinity 1.025
PH 8.2
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrates 20 ( it usually stays between 10-25.
Calcium 440. (I have been dosing calcium once a week because I was dealing with low levels, couldn't get it higher then 360ish)
Mag 1450
Alk 10
With all of that being said I know my water is very nutrient rich because I am seeing a lot of those q-tip sponges pop up.
I know I need to get my nitrates down. I have been trying to avoid using a skimmer becuase this tank is in the bedroom and I'm worried about it being too loud, however if that is what I need to do then I will do it. There are not a lot of skimmer options for this tank though.
So what do I try next? What should my next plan of attack be? I really enjoy my tank but all of this algae is really upsetting me since I cannot use my light like I want to my corals aren't growing as fast as I would like them too. I feel like I've run out of options.
The plan tonight is to scrub the rocks and pick out as much hair algae as I can (again) and do a large heathy water change while I clean the sand bed, change out all my socks, media and floss.
Other then that I'm at a loss... can anyone give any advice or tips or ideas? It would be GREATLY appreciated!! Thanks so much for reading! Sorry it was so long!! I'm desperate!