Green Hair Algae help!

[Longnose Hawkfish]

Hey everyone! I have a biocube 14 with pretty much stock setup except I have a kessil a140w light. My water parameters are fine and I constantly do a 30% water change weekly, but the hair algae keeps growing. It's really ugly and every time I remove it within two days it's back. My local fish store says it's my light that is causing it to grow, because for the past year I only had one of the biocube bulbs working and I just switched to a new light. I really want the algae gone but don't know how to do it. Is the black out method good? Thanks! Any advice would help me greatly!

Have a good night.


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[Reefing Madness]

Yea the black out method will work. Then I'd test your water immediately after the 3rd day, to find out exactly what your phosphates are reading. They gotta be in there somewhere, something is feeding that.

 

[NanaReefer]

That's a lot of light for that size tank! How far from the waters surface is it placed?
Have you done any mods to the filtration system? Also what is your water source?


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[Usctom]

You could dose 1ml of hydrogen peroxide per 10 gallons for a couple of days.

 

[Longnose Hawkfish]

Thanks reeding madness. And I have no clue what's feeding phosphates, I don't feed my fish a lot and when I do feed I make sure they eat everything. I also have some phosban stuff in the sump.


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[Longnose Hawkfish]

Nana reefer, yes it is a lot if light and it's about 6 inches maybe. Also I have done no mods and my water source is the same as my lfs.


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[Longnose Hawkfish]

Usctom, would that kill corals?


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[Reefing Madness]

Usctom, would that kill corals?


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No, its another method of killing it. But its a bit more tedious than that. Its another method.

 

[NanaReefer]

Well first I'd be testing the LFS water for PO4's and TDS. Makes no sense to use Peroxide if your still adding the cause. 2 major things algae needs to grow, light & nutrients. To much light with high nutrients + PO4 source and you have algae. Find the cause then you will have a permanent cure


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[Longnose Hawkfish]

Ok because I don't want to harm my corals, and ok I'll test there water tommorow after school and actually it could also be my purified water I add to my tank. It's supposed to be "purified" but I'll check that also. And is my light too much for that tank? My corals love it. thank you all for responding so fast!!!

 

[mike007]

If you are having problems with hair algae it is caused by excessive nutrients wheter that be from overfeeding or phosphates. You need to test for nitrates and phosphates. You also need to make sure you are using rodi water and test it also for phosphates. You have to find the cause or you will continue to battle this problem.

 

[Longnose Hawkfish]

Hey mike, when I do test my water, all my levels are were they should be. Also about 3 weeks ago I switched my light, would the chane in spectrum affect my growth of algae? And I know it is not caused because of food because I do not feed my fish a lot. Thanks

 

[Reefing Madness]

Ah, if you just switched light, thats your problem. Your tank needs to get used to such intensity. Its not to much, but it is if you didn't acclimate the tank to it.

 

[Longnose Hawkfish]

Ya I didn't acclimate the tank to the light. I just put it on and let it stay on for 10 hours a day. So that could be my problem? If so should I just wait it out? Thanks again!

 

[Reefing Madness]

Just waiting won't kill off what grew. You should kill it off, then adjust your lighting to 20% and raise it 10% a week to acclimate.

 

[Longnose Hawkfish]

So what would be the best way to kill it? And I don't think the kessil light adjust.

 

[NanaReefer]

So what would be the best way to kill it? And I don't think the kessil light adjust.

Any way you can raise the light itself. Higher up from the waters surface?


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[Longnose Hawkfish]

Ya I could move it up some, but would it have to stay there or could I eventually bring it back down?

 

[Reefing Madness]

You can throw screen over the tank, in layers. Taking a layer off every week. That will help you some.
And to kill it, I'd do the lights out for 3 days. I don't much care for throwing in chems unless theres nothing else to do.

 

[Longnose Hawkfish]

Ok so should I do a blackout first or put the screens over! Also if after the black out will I have to scrape off all the algae? And will this harm my corals? Thanks! Oh, what could I use for screens?