raising no3 and po4 to address hair algae?

[SeeFu]

I've spent several months trying to fight a green hair algae issue. I've tried adding CUC, chaeto and reducing my feeding, but I can't seem to beat this hair algae. My parameters are

115 gal total water volume
sal - 1.026
ph - 8.1 - 8.2
alk - 8.1-8.3
cal - 430-450
mag - 1400-1450
NO3 - 0.38 - 1.5
PO4 - 0 - .01

CUC - 50 snails

I've always tried reducing my NO3 adn PO4 as a way to fight the hair algae, but it doesn't seem to work. Is it possible I need to increase my NO3 and PO4? I've got a bottle of vibrant ready to dose, but i'd like to keep that as a last resort.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I don't think there is any rationale to think that increasing nutrients will reduce green hair algae unless you spur the growth of other organisms that outcompete it for something (space, trace metals, etc.). In general, I've not seen evidence that this reduces algae.

 

[SeeFu]

that's what i figured. i'm just trying anything at this point to see if i can get it more under control

 

[t5Nitro]

Following. Im dosing phos for coral health. My nitrates alone stay up pretty well to 20-25 without dosing. If you find a way to beat the gha with maintaining appropriate levels of these nutrients to keep our corals healthy then im all ears!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Using herbivores often works best.

 

[highest_tides]

Are you physically removing it?

 

[SeeFu]

Using herbivores often works best.

i've got a yellow tang, blue tang, and the 50 snails. should i be adding more snails?

 

[Earthquake]

i had that issue. What i did was Black out the tank with black plastic bags so no light could penetrate for 3 complete days. i did this at lights out one evening. once lights were out for one hr i added Dyno X and removed skimmer top and let tank run like so for the following days. it did the trick. my tank was overrun with green hair algae. upon recovery i found that broadcast feeding coral food is the biggest culprit. for me anyways. hope this helps.

 

[t5Nitro]

agree with above although it won't solve your problem. My 2 tangs graze all day and manual removal turns into a return to full force gha in a day or two. I've heard success with vibrant and fluconazole treatments. Have not started either of those yet.

 

[highest_tides]

I almost got to a blackout but when I physically removed and watched all my feeding it cleared. I had GHA for about 2 months before it clearing. It's definitely tough to constantly do everything you can and see no progress...then one day it stopped..like removing and cleaning constantly starved it out.

 

[GainesvilleReef]

Adding phosphates and nitrates alone will not eliminate algae. You need to have something outcompete it. I started turning my skimmer off for 3-4 hours at night. My nitrates and phosphates raised a little on there own and stabilized. The algae slowly started to disappear. It's now gone. Plus the corals are very happy and growing.

Our skimmers are too good at removing the only thing that can truly outcompete it. Turning it off at night allows the bacteria to multiply without competing for the nutrients with photosynthetic competitors. It's counter-intuitive and not what I have been used to doing for the last 8 years. I am also not carbon dosing, running competing algae, or any nitrate or phosphate removers. The tank is just settling into a happy place. Sometimes you have to get out of the way and let nature do its thing. This hobby teaches me something new almost every day.

Here is a link to a video where the concept comes up. Dr. Tim explains this 5-10 minutes in.

Dr Tim's video

 

[SeeFu]

yea i've had my skimmer off for 3 hrs every night now for a few weeks.

 

[Pistondog]

I've spent several months trying to fight a green hair algae issue. I've tried adding CUC, chaeto and reducing my feeding, but I can't seem to beat this hair algae. My parameters are

115 gal total water volume
sal - 1.026
ph - 8.1 - 8.2
alk - 8.1-8.3
cal - 430-450
mag - 1400-1450
NO3 - 0.38 - 1.5
PO4 - 0 - .01

CUC - 50 snails

I've always tried reducing my NO3 adn PO4 as a way to fight the hair algae, but it doesn't seem to work. Is it possible I need to increase my NO3 and PO4? I've got a bottle of vibrant ready to dose, but i'd like to keep that as a last resort.

You have to outcompete the dt light with your refugium light.
Get a strong pink horticulture led, mount close to the water for best par.
You might get gha in your chaeto, but better than dt.

 

[SeeFu]

am i better off leaving the chaeto light on 24/7?

 

[neiltus]

manually remove. Get more critters to eat or stir it up. more manual removal till your really good with that toothbrush, BEFORE a water change.

Paired Lawnmower Blennies.

While detritivores they do munch on anything. Mine keeps my back glass spotless.

 

[Pistondog]

am i better off leaving the chaeto light on 24/7?

Rabbit fish is your friend with the blennies. Lawnmower or starry

 

[Dan_P]

I've spent several months trying to fight a green hair algae issue. I've tried adding CUC, chaeto and reducing my feeding, but I can't seem to beat this hair algae. My parameters are

115 gal total water volume
sal - 1.026
ph - 8.1 - 8.2
alk - 8.1-8.3
cal - 430-450
mag - 1400-1450
NO3 - 0.38 - 1.5
PO4 - 0 - .01

CUC - 50 snails

I've always tried reducing my NO3 adn PO4 as a way to fight the hair algae, but it doesn't seem to work. Is it possible I need to increase my NO3 and PO4? I've got a bottle of vibrant ready to dose, but i'd like to keep that as a last resort.

Wild ideas. Is It possible you have the wrong snails or water conditions for snails?

I have had tremendous luck with golf ball size Mexican turbos. They ate every visible phototroph in my 75 gallon fish only system, even scraping what looked like coralline algae from the overflow box. They are strong and can plow up things. They have so thoroughly denuded the aquarium, I have resorted to feeding them to keep them alive. My system temperature is 70 F, which makes me wonder and ask about snail appetite and conditions.

 

[jccaclimber]

Wild ideas. Is It possible you have the wrong snails or water conditions for snails?

I have had tremendous luck with golf ball size Mexican turbos. They ate every visible phototroph in my 75 gallon fish only system, even scraping what looked like coralline algae from the overflow box. They are strong and can plow up things. They have so thoroughly denuded the aquarium, I have resorted to feeding them to keep them alive. My system temperature is 70 F, which makes me wonder and ask about snail appetite and conditions.

How many in the system? I’ve never had stunning luck, but I’ve never had very many either.

 

[blasterman]

Turbos will make short work of all but the thickest HA

 

[SeeFu]

i've got about 50ish snails right now. will be adding an additional 20 trochus snails this weekend.