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View Full Version : Hair algae problems Big set up useless


Mandarin7777
05/04/2008, 01:18 PM
Hi everybody, i have been in the hobby for about 4 years now. 8 months ago, i have started a new system. Everything was fine but 2 months ago, i started to have have big problems with hair algae.

Here is my complete description of my tank.

150 gallons main tank
75 gallons sump
10 gallons refugium

Filtration system and others

200 pounds of live rock
Close loop with Barracuda pump 4000 gph with 5 exit on the top of the tank. (Each loc-line exit are oriented on the top of the tank so there is many circulation on the top less on the bottom)
Skimmer rs 250 euro reef
Super Skimmer 3004 with venturi and genx2400 pump
Kent reactor with Rowasphos
Cheatomorphea in the sump and in the refugium(Don't grow ???)

Lighting system
3 x 250 watts gieseman bulb 20000k (9 hours a day)
2 T-5 super artinic blue (10 hours a day)

Livestock

2 True percula
6 Chromis
1 Blue hippo Tang
1 Bicolor blennie
1 Cardinal bengai
1 Cleaner wrasse
1 Green mandarin
1 Royal gramma
1 Cleaner shrimp
1 Bubble anemone
1 Blue linkia

Many corals sps lps and soft ones

Here is my parameters

Test kit use: SAlifert

Temperature 79-82
Salinity 1.024
Calcium: 480
Magnésium: 1130
Alkanity: (2.5 Low a little bit)
Ph 8.06-8.25 Night-Day
Phosphate 0 ???? ALgae
Nitrite 0
Nitrate:0 ?????Algae
Ammoniac:0

One important point is that i have completely remove my sand bed in my tank 2 months ago . Of course, i know that this move may have screwed my sytem. (Note: I did it on 5 water changes)

I have try 3 seahare many type of snails but nobody seems to eat it
Could somebody tell me what's going on????

If any of you have any tricks to fight those f..... hair algae

Please help

rogergolf66
05/04/2008, 01:24 PM
I would test your phophates with a different test kit as that test kit can't read phophates very well. See if a LFS has a hanna tester for phosphates.

also

I would concider adding a remot deep sand bed to the tank


as far at the macro not growing try a different light source

Roger

stingythingy45
05/04/2008, 01:33 PM
I noticed every piece of equipment needed but(RO/DI) unit.
Did I miss this?
It seems like all your equipment listed is basically to remove things that you have in your water to begin with.
You'll notice no Phosphate or nitrate reading as the algae is using it up right away.

BeesGoneWild
05/04/2008, 01:44 PM
Check this link out. Theres 14 things you can start doing to battle algae. Hair algae is a pita and it takes a while to get control off so be persistant and give it time and follow these tips.

http://www.brettsreef.com/?p=8

Hop
05/04/2008, 01:53 PM
You probably won't see much of a reading on your po4 since most kits pick up inorganic po4 rather than the organic po4 that your algae is consuming. Then if get have a kit that measures the organic po4, it is always low because the po4 is bound up in the algae, rocks and sandbed.

The link Bees posted is a good start, but IMO HA needs to be attacked from several sides. Nutrient import control, maximum nutrient export efficiency(Skimming, flow and denitrification), while doing heavy waterchanges, siphoning the crud out of the tank and increasing water changes with quality RO/DI water. Some critters may eat it, but the reality is that something has built up some po4 and needs to be remedied, whether that is the rocks or the sandbed or both.

This is just from my experience since the normal measures didn't work, I elected for a two part tear-down and rock cooking. The years of improper husbandry could not be saved by the last two years of proper husbandry:D

This is JMO based on the last few months of labor trying to rid my tank of this stuff and finally winning:lol:

Hop
05/04/2008, 02:03 PM
Oh and since it's your first post...

[welcome]

sabbath
05/04/2008, 02:13 PM
Some have said that Higher Mag levels help as well.

seanb1
05/04/2008, 03:07 PM
tear that stuff out with your hands, it really helps.

i think people just let it die off and when it does it just adds nutrients to the water keeping the cycle going.

pull it out.

stuccodude
05/04/2008, 03:24 PM
WE have have a similiar set up except i have t5's and i run a uv. i for whatever reason have never had a algea bloom and i started with tap water and my cheato dont grow either, good luck

JBuffetReefer
05/04/2008, 05:34 PM
I've noticed that if I pull out as much of it as I can, then do a 20% water change, it should start dieing off. hope that helps.
good luck.

bob124578
05/04/2008, 05:58 PM
Obviously there are many ways you can pursue this...

Personally, I suggest a day without light in the main tank once a week. And kick down the amount of time they are on -- as long as you dont see problems with any corals. Keep the refuge light on 24 hrs.. Verify the lights over the main tank are not old. Add many Cerith snails -- and a dash of iron to get the Chaeto to kick start. You may want to add Caulerpa to the refuge as its easier to grow.
You can also keep a ball of Chaeto in the main tank that wont spread out crazy -- it would cover you if for whatever reason the main tank is favoring algae growth. Without finding the specific reason you can remedy the situation. Obviously the hair algae is keeping the bad nutrients low enough to keep your water clean enough for the corals -- so you just need to get the system to shift over to the macro's.
I would be more concerned about why the micro algae is sustaining rather then the macro algae -- rather then the cause of hair algae (obviously its nutrients.)
And with a Tang and a Mandarin -- I would always be keeping macros in the main tank -- chaeto in corners for bugs -- and gracilaria and Ulva for the tank. These will keep you fish happier and compete with the hair algae. Pinning Gracilaria and Ulva in high flow areas will be great for the time it is there before being eaten by the tang.