Help...what is this algae

hyperionfall · 04/27/2015, 05:00 AM

90 gallon....RO/DI water used for everything...octopus 150 int skimmer...chaeto in sump.....santa monica HOG 3...2 percs 4 damsels and a few cleanup crew critters.... This tank has been up for 4 weeks now. It went through its cycle nitrates where at <.25 ppm phosphates <.02 ppm...it had some brown diatom growing but it looked normal for startup as it eats the silicates....we noticed the pump that we where using for the returns was not working right. Turns out the flow was only about 100 GPH, put a new pump on and the flow is now about 650GPH. After a day and a half bubbles started forming on everything and the algae took off growing.

what is this and what do I do?

Thanks,

Lee

Kyle461 · 04/27/2015, 12:06 PM

Looks like the start of hair algae. Run media to lower the phosphates and starve it out. I have been battling HA for a good month or so now. I installed a media reactor and will run GFO to help lower phosphates.

bnumair · 04/27/2015, 12:11 PM

its hair algae and is normal at the end of cycling tank. i would cut off any feeding and also cut down lights. make tank dark and dont let nitrates and phos build up. Adding a clean up crew at this point when u have no ammonia and nitrites and under 50ppm nitrates.

hyperionfall · 04/27/2015, 03:21 PM

Nitrates are .2 ppm and phosphate is .5 ppm. I am running phosban now but may need to change media. I had decided to shut off lights for a few days (no stonys yet thankfully). Skimmer is producing good skimate. Ordered an algea cleanup crew and should be here tomorrow (no LFS).
How long can I go without feeding do you think? I hate not feeding them.

hyperionfall · 05/01/2015, 09:51 AM

Ok did blackout for 3 days and all fixed. All tests are nominal actually optimal and no sign of the dreaded algae. will keep an eye on it. I think what happened is when I upgraded my pump the higher flow rate really stirred up the soup and bam.
Thanks for all of the good advise. Will post pictures soon.

04/27/2015, 05:00 AM	#1
hyperionfall Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 20	Help...what is this algae 90 gallon....RO/DI water used for everything...octopus 150 int skimmer...chaeto in sump.....santa monica HOG 3...2 percs 4 damsels and a few cleanup crew critters.... This tank has been up for 4 weeks now. It went through its cycle nitrates where at <.25 ppm phosphates <.02 ppm...it had some brown diatom growing but it looked normal for startup as it eats the silicates....we noticed the pump that we where using for the returns was not working right. Turns out the flow was only about 100 GPH, put a new pump on and the flow is now about 650GPH. After a day and a half bubbles started forming on everything and the algae took off growing. what is this and what do I do? Thanks, Lee

04/27/2015, 12:06 PM	#2
Kyle461 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Corpus Christi, TX Posts: 438	Looks like the start of hair algae. Run media to lower the phosphates and starve it out. I have been battling HA for a good month or so now. I installed a media reactor and will run GFO to help lower phosphates. __________________ Nadie me paga en chicles!! Build Thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2485917 Current Tank Info: 40 gallon breeder (2/17/15); 20L 3-chamber sump; Tunze Nano ATO; Hydor 320gph return and Circulation 850 gph; Coralife Super Skimmer 125 G; Marineland 24"-36" Reef LED

04/27/2015, 12:11 PM	#3
bnumair Dr. Reef at ur service Join Date: May 2009 Location: Tulsa, Ok, USA Posts: 7,751 Blog Entries: 15	its hair algae and is normal at the end of cycling tank. i would cut off any feeding and also cut down lights. make tank dark and dont let nitrates and phos build up. Adding a clean up crew at this point when u have no ammonia and nitrites and under 50ppm nitrates. __________________ Water Quality: NO3 0,Phos 0,Cal 440,Alk 7.5,Mag 1300 "Reef Fast, You Crash, Reef Slow, You Pass" Mike's Reef 3:16 Current Tank Info: 350g DT,95g sump, 50g Frag tank, 4800gph return 4x Sea swirls. 6x AI Vega Color. 200# Pukani rock, dual recirculating skimmer, Biopellet, GFO Carbon rx's, Cal rx. Closed loop. 1.5hp chiller, genesis renew. Apex & RKE

04/27/2015, 03:21 PM	#4
hyperionfall Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 20	Nitrates are .2 ppm and phosphate is .5 ppm. I am running phosban now but may need to change media. I had decided to shut off lights for a few days (no stonys yet thankfully). Skimmer is producing good skimate. Ordered an algea cleanup crew and should be here tomorrow (no LFS). How long can I go without feeding do you think? I hate not feeding them.

05/01/2015, 09:51 AM	#5
hyperionfall Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 20	Ok did blackout for 3 days and all fixed. All tests are nominal actually optimal and no sign of the dreaded algae. will keep an eye on it. I think what happened is when I upgraded my pump the higher flow rate really stirred up the soup and bam. Thanks for all of the good advise. Will post pictures soon.