Beep'ing Green Hair Algae

[Ernie C]

Update:
25 gal water change yesterday. Things still looking pretty good, I continue to occasionally touch up areas of the rock but it is very manageable. Continue to dose nopox and it may be starting to show results as nitrate has come down.

I tested the water before the water change:
No3 4ppm
Po4 0.0
Kh 10.1
Ca 450
Mg 1560
Ph 8.21 avg
Tmp 78
SG 1.026

Took a little video.

Nice. How'd you manage three tangs that get along? [emoji50]

 

[spiritwalker]

Nice. How'd you manage three gangs that get along? [emoji50]

Bought them young and put all 3 through quarantine together. Then added them all to the display tank together. The PBT is the tank boss and there is sometimes some posturing but they get along pretty well.

 

[JohnPeck]

24/7, you can yes, especially if you are attempting to reduce no3.
Once you get no3 down to your target level you can then reduce the lighting period.
Yes, opposite cycle to display for oxygenation & maintaining pH

@Scrubber_steve Can you recommend a cheap but good light for a homemade algae scrubber for a small sump area. Should be room for a 4x6 maybe 5x6. Thanks

 

[Scrubber_steve]

@Scrubber_steve Can you recommend a cheap but good light for a homemade algae scrubber for a small sump area. Should be room for a 4x6 maybe 5x6. Thanks

Hi John. No I can't recommended any specific light, I make my own. I can tell you that red 660nm LEDs are the only necessary spectrum needed to grow green algae, (a 4/1 to 8/1 ratio with blue is ok).
You should look for an even screen coverage of light, & aim for 1Watt to 1.5Watts of red, per 4 square inches of screen area, per screen side. Hope that helps.

 

[JohnPeck]

Hi John. No I can't recommended any specific light, I make my own. I can tell you that red 660nm LEDs are the only necessary spectrum needed to grow green algae, (a 4/1 to 8/1 ratio with blue is ok).
You should look for an even screen coverage of light, & aim for 1Watt to 1.5Watts of red, per 4 square inches of screen area, per screen side. Hope that helps.

Awesome! Thanks!

 

[Scrubber_steve]

Awesome! Thanks!

Just remember to be patient in waiting for algae to self seed on the screen. It can take quite a few weeks - months. A bit like getting a strong bacterial colony established, it takes time.
A new bare screen needs a lower light intensity to get the algae going. The 1 to 1.5W per 4 inch square is recommended for a screen that has a mature algae growth established. So if the lights you get aren't adjustable intensity wise perhaps initially keeping them at a greater distance fom the screen will help, or a temporary diffusor can help. good luck.

 

[spiritwalker]

Rigged up a little pressure washer using a pump and a syringe on the end of a hose. Worked really well to detail every nook and cranny of my rocks. Was able to get in and around my frags as well.

 

[spiritwalker]

Heading into the weekend... things are looking pretty good. I feel like I have the upper hand and enjoying my tank again.

Continue dosing nopox.

I increased my photo period an hour on each and just extended the ramp up/down time. I'll slowly increase it and monitor results. I'd like to get back up to 10 hrs.

I noticed that I can not hardly find any pods. I did find one in my overflow so I assume there are more but I'm guessing I has a pod die off along with the other inverts at some point. I counted about 5 snails remaining. Hermits and the cleaner shrimp still kicking.

As usual, I'll be testing water this weekend and will likely do a water change.

Got a Coralview lens so here is an updated pick of the tank.

 

[Ernie C]

Awesome. Looks great. Most of my algae is gone but have some diatoms and or dinos now. Nothing crazy but here and there. Corals are getting back some color so at least that’s good. Hopefully as long as it doesn’t get any worse it will balance out soon.

 

[JohnPeck]

Just remember to be patient in waiting for algae to self seed on the screen. It can take quite a few weeks - months. A bit like getting a strong bacterial colony established, it takes time.
A new bare screen needs a lower light intensity to get the algae going. The 1 to 1.5W per 4 inch square is recommended for a screen that has a mature algae growth established. So if the lights you get aren't adjustable intensity wise perhaps initially keeping them at a greater distance fom the screen will help, or a temporary diffusor can help. good luck.

Thanks man! I guess we know why "scrubber" is in your name!

 

[spiritwalker]

Weekend update. Things still looking pretty good. Continue to touch up areas of the rocks with a brush. The need to do this is diminishing. Also used the pressure washer to blow off the rocks prior to a water change today.

Water parameters:
Alk 10.5, Ca 450, Mag 1560, NO3 6, PO4 0.01, salt 1.025, 78*, PH 8.19

Continue to dose nopox. Have not been running gfo for a while. Phosphates remain in check but nitrates have been stubborn.

I added some new cuc on Sat. 2 nice sized emerald crabs and 5 peppermint shrimp. Seeing small aptasia appear occasionally and hoping the shrimp will take care of the ones I cant see. I also got a lawnmower blenny and put it in Quarantine and will be running it through tank transfer method over the next 12 days. Also added a bottle of tiger pods to my fuge.

 

[spiritwalker]

Stepped up my pressure washer game. Found a waterpik locally for 10 bucks. Worked great for cleaning up around frags and in hard to reach spots. Hose is a bit short and the resivour is a bit small. Might make some modifications to it.

 

[TedsReef]

I found a great way to eradicates 90% of the algae in my tank. It's easy for me because I only have a 20g and one fish. But, I put the fish in QT then stop all feeding in the DT for 2-4 weeks. Hair algae is the first to starve out and with your CUC working they'll gain speed quickly. Most corals will be fine surviving off of light for that period of time. If you could borrow some tanks (if needed) and put your fish in them it'll work. Just add the fish back 1-2 every couple of days to give the bacteria a chance to catch back up to the bio load.

 

[spiritwalker]

I found a great way to eradicates 90% of the algae in my tank. It's easy for me because I only have a 20g and one fish. But, I put the fish in QT then stop all feeding in the DT for 2-4 weeks. Hair algae is the first to starve out and with your CUC working they'll gain speed quickly. Most corals will be fine surviving off of light for that period of time. If you could borrow some tanks (if needed) and put your fish in them it'll work. Just add the fish back 1-2 every couple of days to give the bacteria a chance to catch back up to the bio load.

I could see where that would work. I don't think I could catch my fish without ripping apart my tank. Lol

 

[xRippeRx]

Where does one get food grade hydrogen peroxide besides ordering it online?

 

[Toomnymods]

Where does one get food grade hydrogen peroxide besides ordering it online?

Got mine from a health food store..

 

[spiritwalker]

Well, things are looking great. I didn't do any rock cleaning since using the water pick. Overall, I am super happy with the results and think I have beat it.

My refugium looks like a science project gone wrong. Maybe give it a good cleaning next weekend.

I continue carbon dosing but did not test water this last weekend. Hope to get it done in a couple days.

As you will see in the pics there is one quarter sized tuff of hair algae in the back of the tank that remains. It's only there because I have not brushed that area. I'm curious if the lawnmower blenny will eat it once it comes out of quarantine in 3 days.

The tangs have become much more active at picking at the rocks since the hair algae went away. What ever that stuff was I dont think anything was eating it.

The 5 peppermint shrimp and 2 emerald crabs I added a couple weeks ago are doing great. Aptasia are gone.

Feeling stoked.

 

[spiritwalker]

Water test yesterday.
78*, alk 10.1, cal 450, mag 1560, no3 4, po4 0.01, SG 1.026, ph 8.2 avg.

Hair algae problem seems to be beat. There is some light cyano showing but nothing to worry about. My sump has some crazy looking stuff growing in it. I'm going to give it a good cleaning today as part of a water change.

 

[brandon429]

I've really linked this to many, so that they can see what you earned for your tank. Neat how the nutrient cycling portion went to the sump, seems new invaders perhaps dislodged in cleaning relocated to a much more preferable place than live rock, easy access

It looks so heathy, investment reclaimed.

 

[spiritwalker]

I've really linked this to many, so that they can see what you earned for your tank. Neat how the nutrient cycling portion went to the sump, seems new invaders perhaps dislodged in cleaning relocated to a much more preferable place than live rock, easy access

It looks so heathy, investment reclaimed.

Nasties definitely moved to the sump. Doing a big cleanup now and hoping to do some fragging. Once settled, I'll grab a full tank shot and some detail pics and we'll call this battle over. In the meantime, here is a pic of an emerald crab cleaning up around some zoas.