Stumped with Hair Algae

goldenhurricane2 · Mar 16, 2017

So I've had an outbreak of hair algae in my tank... I'm not sure why or how as my nitrates are typically undetectable and my phosphates hover around 0.08. I do have a canister filter, but I religiously clean that bad boy every other weekend when I do water changes. I also alternate between carbon and chemipure blue every water change. Further, I have a phosphate reactor with GFO to help with phosphate levels since I have a canister filter.

I have a refugium on the back as well that houses a couple of pieces of live rock and some cheato. There is hair algae and some other stuff growing in the refugium, but I'm not sure if that's what's causing my issue in the main tank.

As far as a protein skimmer goes, I have a reef octopus HOB and it seems to be working well. By that I mean it's pulling pretty dark, gunky skimate that isn't all that watery.

I have two basic SB Reef Lights along with two T5 supplements for light above the tank (55 gallon) with a photo period of around 8 hours a day (blues come on, then whites, then T5, and then they go off in reverse order back down to just blue).

There is a little bit of cyanobacteria on a couple of rocks as well, but it seems like the hair algea came out of no where and has spread. Any ideas on anything I'm missing with this? I'm frustrated because I try to keep up with my due diligence with this tank, but this has be completely stumped.

Thank in advance!

Haim · Mar 16, 2017

Do you use trais elements?

sureal00 · Mar 16, 2017

Do you use ro di water
Is your tank in front of a window with lots of light
Do you have a clean up crew in tank

goldenhurricane2 · Mar 16, 2017

Haim said:
Do you use trais elements?

No I don't

Haim · Mar 16, 2017

Can you please send us pictures ?

goldenhurricane2 · Mar 16, 2017

sureal00 said:
Do you use ro di water
Is your tank in front of a window with lots of light
Do you have a clean up crew in tank

Yes I use rodi water, it's not in front of a window, and I have a clean up crew: trochus snails, turbos, bumble bees, a couple of emerald crabs, and a handful of hermits.

sureal00 · Mar 16, 2017

picture will help .

goldenhurricane2 · Mar 16, 2017

sureal00 said:
picture will help .

Alright I'll snap one later when I'm home. It's hard to see from the ones I have on my phone.

Haim · Mar 16, 2017

What is the TDS from the RO?

goldenhurricane2 · Mar 16, 2017

Haim said:
What is the TDS from the RO?

I'm not sure... I get it from a local reef shop.

Skynyrd Fish · Mar 16, 2017

Chances are it's in the water or salt mix. BRS has a sale on there ro units. Manual removal works best but is a slow road. How's it growing in your fuge? It should be nuts in there and not in the tank. Check your fuge light to make sure it's working at peak levels. If you pick up a ro unit add a float switch. You can put this on a Rubbermaid brute can from the hardware store. It will prevent over flow or flooding.

Haim · Mar 16, 2017

Recommend you buy one so u can control what u get from the reef shop

jason_mazzy · Mar 16, 2017

fluconazole

goldenhurricane2 · Mar 16, 2017

Skynyrd Fish said:
Chances are it's in the water or salt mix. BRS has a sale on there ro units. Manual removal works best but is a slow road. How's it growing in your fuge? It should be nuts in there and not in the tank. Check your fuge light to make sure it's working at peak levels. If you pick up a ro unit add a float switch. You can put this on a Rubbermaid brute can from the hardware store. It will prevent over flow or flooding.

Yeah it's growing like crazy in the refugium along with the cheato and some red looking hair algae.