PDA

View Full Version : Green Hair Algea?????


Airborne
02/18/2009, 10:33 PM
How can you have it if you test with Saliferts and your Nitrates are 0ppm and Phosphates are 0ppm?

MH is on for 8 hrs and the Actinics are on for 10.

THX

Jason Donohoe
02/18/2009, 10:36 PM
When GHA is growing it uses up the phosphates and nitrates so quickly that it is not uncommon for them to test at zero. If you have GHA you have a phosphate problem. Your lighting schedule seems fine to me.

hijinks
02/19/2009, 06:44 AM
does you tank get any direct sunlight? that was my problem

tropical hawaii
02/19/2009, 07:47 AM
I alos have the same problem and its driving me nuts.

swearint
02/19/2009, 08:29 AM
I had that same issue and it took a multi-pronged approach to get it under control. You did not post your current setup, so you may already be doing some of these. Are you using RO/DI water and a good salt mix? Pick and vacuum out as much of the algae as possible as often as it grows back. Good skimming is a must. Use macro algae such as Cheato in your sump, I used a 24/7 lighting cycle in the beginning, and then later a counter cycle once things improved. If you have a gravel bottom, clean it often. Use a reduced lighting schedule temporarily until you get things under control. I left my actinics on a 10 hr schedule and kept the MH off, again only temporarily. BTW, how old are the bulbs? Once I got the algae under control, but not entirely eliminated I added a GFO reactor as well as GAC. Finally, I added some banded trochus snails and an urchin. I already had some hermits, but had been reluctant to use snails, they always seemed to fall into inaccessible areas and die, making the problem worse. These banded trochus though are amazing little acrobats, very flexible and can turn themselves over better than any others I have used. They are also very fast and voracious. They cleaned the tank so thoroughly that I took the GFO offline so they don't starve.

Thats all I can think of, hope it helps. It's frustrating, but you can eventually prevail.

Todd