some tough algae

[ducati1212]

So 2 weeks ago I broke down my main tank - scrubbed all the rock removed and installed new sand bed - turned on my skimmer and a filter and put a sheet over the tank. No light at all.

There was some (a few small) clumps of hair algea or bryopsis on a few of my pump cables and on the heater. after 2 weeks I peek under the towel for the first time and the algae is still there and bright green and healthy looking.

Thats some tuff stuff no wonder I had trouble getting rid of it.

[fishnut321]

wow... the only thing i have ever heard of killing it off is raising your magnesium, are you running any gfo?

[ducati1212]

I am not. I have a skimmer and added a charcoal filter (no bio wheel) and 40 lbs of live rock in a 30 gal tank.

[fishnut321]

think about adding one, phospahte is one of the limiting nutrients that algae needs to grow, remove it or lower it significantly and algae will have a harder time growing. Ive seen tanks covered completely in hair algae be reclaimed through good maintencance and the addition of phosphate reactors.