Just need to vent

[spencjw]

I have only been in the hobby for around 6 months. I have felt from all the videos and research I have done I was going well and it was fun and easy. Man was I wrong, I have been dealing with hair algae and I can’t figure out how to beat it. I get turned around with the guidance or tips I get from web searches, videos and forums. I don’t know if the algae is throwing off my numbers. I know that the algae will come back if I don’t get my numbers in check but I feel like I can’t truly know what they are or get them in check until the algae is gone but I can’t seem to get rid of them. I plan tomorrow to take my rock out and in old tank water scrub all the algae off the best I can and replace. Right now my nitrates are at 2.3, phosphate at .01, my alk is crazy low 6.4 (new Hanna checker so hope doing right) by calcium is 600 and mag is 1450. It’s a 25 gal lagoon. I use Red Sea blue bucket. All and all up to this point it has been pretty good. I feel like this is where the true learning and test comes. Thanks for the vent, wish me luck.

 

[Miami Reef]

Algae can only see the nutrients they are in contact with. In this case, it is very low nitrate and phosphate. Nutrients aren’t the cause here. What type of herbivores do you have?

 

[spencjw]

Algae can only see the nutrients they are in contact with. In this case, it is very low nitrate and phosphate. Nutrients aren’t the cause here. What type of herbivores do you have?

I have two clown fish, royal gramma, a sand goby and pistol shrimp, an Emerald crab, couple snails and hermits. So you don’t think it’s from the parameters?

 

[spencjw]

Algae can only see the nutrients they are in contact with. In this case, it is very low nitrate and phosphate. Nutrients aren’t the cause here. What type of herbivores do you have?

I have two clown fish, royal gramma, a sand goby and pistol shrimp, an Emerald crab, couple snails and hermits. So you don’t think it’s from the parameters?

I only feed once a day in the evening, I do a fourth of a cube of frozen mysis shrimp.

 

[Damage12]

Don’t panic, relax, don’t chase numbers. Everyone of us deals with these algae problems with a new tank. Your tank is in its infant stage. Could take 6 months to a year to get past this. It’s part of the process.

Use good husbandry practices. Do weekly 10% water changes, use RO/DI water. If you’re not using RO/DI water from your home system, go buy one. You can manually remove some hair algae, couldn’t hurt.

Again, Don’t chase numbers. Good husbandry and proper water changes will eventually prevail.

Good luck and enjoy the ride!

 

[Miami Reef]

You might receive a few upcoming suggestions that the algae is seemingly hoarding a stash of nutrients that only they have access to... Try to look past those posts. I would try manual removal (scraping), but also plenty of herbivores like Mexican turbo snails.

 

[Damage12]

I only feed once a day in the evening, I do a fourth of a cube of frozen mysis shrimp.

Make sure you defrost and rinse the mysis in Ro/di water a few times before adding to tank. Forget about parameters right now. Just work on good husbandry. Parameters will follow.

BTW, There is no quick fix.

 

[56longroof]

One thing that's not stated for its importance enough is a good clean up crew. And alot of them with plenty of diversity. You would be surprised at how well certain critters are at keeping a tank clean. Try Reef Cleaners and message them for suggestions.

 

[56longroof]

Make sure you defrost and rinse the mysis in Ro/di water a few times before adding to tank. Forget about parameters right now. Just work on good husbandry. Parameters will follow.

BTW, There is no quick fix.

Why? I feed at least 6 cubes a day plus some of my homemade and never rinse anything. I feel there is absolutely no reason for this.

 

[The Wannabe Reefer]

As mentioned by other members, for me, after 9 months, I was able to get rid of the hair algae with manual removal using a toothbrush, a variety of clean-up crew, turbo snails, etc., sea urchins worked the best.

 

[Lou City Reefing]

Mexican turbo snails and a tiger conch really decimated my hair algae issue in about half a week

 

[Ziggy17]

Make sure you defrost and rinse the mysis in Ro/di water a few times before adding to tank. Forget about parameters right now. Just work on good husbandry. Parameters will follow.

BTW, There is no quick fix.

There’s no need to rinse the frozen food. It doesn’t add to nutrients.

 

[Ziggy17]

Turbos were the only herbivore that would touch the hair algae. Made super short work of it. They are literally hair algae heroes.

 

[Ziggy17]

Why? I feed at least 6 cubes a day plus some of my homemade and never rinse anything. I feel there is absolutely no reason for this.

You are Correct. There is no need to rinse.

 

[Damage12]

Why? I feed at least 6 cubes a day plus some of my homemade and never rinse anything. I feel there is absolutely no reason for this.

Have you seen the cloudy water the cubes sit in after defrosted? Can’t be good for water quality. I prefer a low nutrient system. Haven’t had the need for a clean up crew in my system in over 20 years. Clean up crews are a band-aid, not a fix to why excess algae is growing.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Can we see a picture of the algae? Some algae in a ref tank is normal, some people exaggerate about the amount of algae. It will help to see.

Also tell us about your filtration system please. How many fish do you have in what size tank?

 

[Ehder]

Being in the hobby for many many years, hair algae is a good thing. It means you have the right light and mostly the right setup for corals. Hair algae can take many months to subside. But why? It takes that long for other things in your tank to outcompete the algae. It thrives on nitrate and phosphate which you alreayd know. So what else thrives on those things? Focus on that and you will succeed.

For me, i add additional bio media (like bio balls or live rock) to my sump. I also dose carbon to help with the uptake of phosphorus and nitrifying bacterias. Red sea has a solution that helps with this but i have always felt it is just carbon dosing. So get some extra distilled vodka and start slowly. Your hair algae will eventually subside with diligence.

Also try to add more pods. They love hair algae

Other notes, i know folks say to not chase numbers but a good range of a healthy tank is 10-20 nitrate and 1-2 phosphate. I use the 10 to 1 ratio. This comes in later with harder to keep corals.

 

[Elira_6301]

I have only been in the hobby for around 6 months. I have felt from all the videos and research I have done I was going well and it was fun and easy. Man was I wrong, I have been dealing with hair algae and I can’t figure out how to beat it. I get turned around with the guidance or tips I get from web searches, videos and forums. I don’t know if the algae is throwing off my numbers. I know that the algae will come back if I don’t get my numbers in check but I feel like I can’t truly know what they are or get them in check until the algae is gone but I can’t seem to get rid of them. I plan tomorrow to take my rock out and in old tank water scrub all the algae off the best I can and replace. Right now my nitrates are at 2.3, phosphate at .01, my alk is crazy low 6.4 (new Hanna checker so hope doing right) by calcium is 600 and mag is 1450. It’s a 25 gal lagoon. I use Red Sea blue bucket. All and all up to this point it has been pretty good. I feel like this is where the true learning and test comes. Thanks for the vent, wish me luck.

For hair algae, I got some sea hares. They have been wiping it out. I think they can help you a great deal..dont feel beaten down. You will get rid of it. I truly know what you feel right now.

 

[Nor'easter Reefer]

Why? I feed at least 6 cubes a day plus some of my homemade and never rinse anything. I feel there is absolutely no reason for this.

+1

 

[Nor'easter Reefer]

Cuc or herbivores fish. You probably could do it solely with manual removal and extremely diligent nutrient control, but thats not the easy way, nor the natural way. The ocean has everything it needs. Snails and fish. Small urchins are powerhouses as well as long as you have your frags glued down and dont mind them munching coraline as they go as well. Eventually you grow some much you really dont care anyways.