Chaeto effective for GHA?

[Salt Creep]

Hi, still kinda new to the forum so I'm sorry if this is in the wrong spot.

I recently set up a 75 gallon tank with a 20 gallon sump. The rock I used was bought from a local reefer and was sold as acid-washed and ready to go. The past couple days I have noticed some hair algae starting to cover the rocks, which I think may have survived the acid bath. I was thinking about going to pick up some Chaeto tonight, but never had a fuge and not sure how much I need to actually make it effective, and if it will even be that effective. I was also looking into carbon dosing, but want to use that as a last resort.


Tank Specs

RO/DO water with new filters testing at 0 TDS
RO SX200 skimmer
~5,200 GPH of flow
BB tank and sump
240W Bridgelux LEDs... full-spectrum... 9 hours/day

I am currently feeding about a quarter-sized piece a day of LRS Reef Frenzy to:

4 Blue/Green Chromis
2 O. Clowns
Lubbock's Wrasse
Lawnmower Blenny
Kole Tang

My params are perfect jk

Alk - 9
Ca - 440
Mag - 1360
PO4 - dont test... if I have algae I'm sure there is some in there.
Ammonia - undetectable
Nitrite - undetectable
Nitrate - undetectable


Anything I am missing?

 

[beaslbob]

If you get any macro growing in a refugium and kill the lights in the display no algae can survive in the display.
By adjusting you can get the macros consuming the nutrients and starve off the other algaes.
my .02

 

[Salt Creep]

I also forgot to mention I am running GFO and carbon in a reactor. Just started that when I noticed the algae coming a few days ago though.

So would there be any negative impact of running the light on the chaeto 24/7? I'm thinking of just getting a clip on reflector from Menards and a standard CF light for this. Would that work fine? Is there a certain amt of chaeto to start with vs. total water volume?

 

[beaslbob]

I hear that macros like all plant life do better with a lights out each day. but that said I have ran mine 24/7
algae does will with standard cf spiral twist type incandescent replacement bulb. I prefer the 6500k on my FW planted tanks though. Be sure to use the actual wattage not the eq. watts when sizing and try for 4-5 watts/gallon of refugium.
I also dosed a little iron (ferris gluconate tablet dissolved in an old soda bottle with a capful added each week). Supposed to help macros at the expense of the green hair type algae.
Finally, I would stop using the gfo so the macros can get phosphates down.
If cyano shows up in the display (usually after nitrates have dropped) Kill the display lights and suspend feedings until it dies off. then resume with less display lighting and feeding and adjust till the macros thrive and the cyano doesn't come back.
my .02

 

[Steven@]

New rock, no matter how it was cured will leach and GHA is common with the start up of a new tank or rock work. Macro takes time to get established and work as a reduction of phosphates. You want fast results but moving to fast and making too many changes does not allow the tank to cycle and mature. It takes time to find a balance of food/nutrients added and exported. GHA is a part of the natural order of tank maturing and becoming established. When I add a new piece of rock, GHA will start to grow on that rock even though it is no where else in my system.

 

[Dan1789]

Yea Gha comes, but then it goes when the tank balances out. Make sure you're not feeding too much, do regular water changes and you'll be fine.

 

[Salt Creep]

This is not new rock... I bought it as previously used, acid-bathed rock. I don't think I moved too fast setting this up... maybe with the coral because I had no other options, but not the fish. This is my 4th tank now and I added the fish slowly to allow bacteria to populate. All my levels (ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate) are undetectable. Fish are happy, coral, clams, and anemone all doing great! I have just never seen a bloom of hair algae like I am seeing in this tank. It was not there at all 4 days ago, and then all of the sudden it is growing very quickly on the tops of all the rocks. I am trying to get a hold of this before it becomes a huge problem. I started using GFO, but only 1/4 of what is recommended for my tank size to start with. I will stop using GFO for at least a while to see how the Chaeto responds.