problems with algae need help

[JoshLov07]

i have a 75 gallon reef tank that was doing fine now it is covered with hair algae i believe.The algae is covering the back of my tank and on my powerheads and protein skimmer pump. i got some stuff for it but it hasnt helped what do i need to do?

[sir_dudeguy]

first what color is it?

this is not uncommon AT ALL for new tanks, which yours is only 6 months old... a lot of times, its just a phase that new tanks go thru. other times its because there is a problem.

what are your nitrates and phosphates at? algae eats off of both of these. some will say that long light hours will cause it..thats not completely true..there has to be a source of nutrients (nitrates and phosphates) for it to grow...the long light hours (also old pc bulbs change spectrum which does this too) will just make it grow faster.

so check your levels...if they're good, then go to the next thing...

what is your cleanup crew? snails? hermit?

in my experience, hermit crabs dont really eat the algae..they just scavenge for food...but snails are better for the algae..

get about 6 or so cerith snails...2 of them completely took out the bronw algae in my 55 in four days lol...i'd recomend them.

i've also got turbos, but they dont really make a clean job of the algae...they just make weird patterns in it that bug the crap outta me lol. but they will eat some of it yes..i think its recomended 1 turbo per 20 gallons of water or somethin like that.

theres some other snails out there, but ime, those are the 2 main ones that will eat algae.

hope this helps and...

WELCOME TO REEF CENTRAL!!!

mike

[JoshLov07]

i did have my aquarium in another room then moved it to where theres more sunlight i talk to a local aquarium owner he said it will have to go through a cycle again

[Dazza888]

i think it's probably an excess of phosphate ... i had same prob when i had new tank ... the hair algae started off just a sml turf here and there n within a week it invaded the entire tank ... wat i did was get a couple of sea hares (ugly but very effective) to eat up the hair algae n then install Fr with rowaphos to soak up any new excess phosphate ...

[sir_dudeguy]

why would a tank go thru another cycle just because you move it? i think your lfs is wrong on that one lol...just doesnt make sense to me.

it probably is the nitrates or phosphates that are feeding it.

phosphates can come from flake food, the goo/liquid that is in any frozen food like mysis shrimp (when thawed out) and stuff like that...dont stop feeding whatever you're feeding..just cut back maybe.

but i suggest just doing a water change to see what your levels are at.

[JoshLov07]

oh yea the color of the algae is green it also has little bubbles on it

[sir_dudeguy]

but why would it go thru another cycle if you just move it? even if there IS more sunlight...light doesnt have anything to do w/re-cycling a tank.

[JoshLov07]

i dont know thats what the guy just told me im just wanting to know how to get rid of it doi just need to buy some snails or is there a chemical i could buy cause its basically covering my whole tank