Green Hair Algae help!
- Thread starter Longnose Hawkfish
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The light your using is fine, just a bit of a shock to your system.
Do the total black out to kill the algae off. You won't have to scrape anything away, it will all die off. Hopefully your running a skimmer, as this stuff gets nasty in the water column and the skimmer works overtime to get it out. If you don't, then you will have to do a large water change after the lights out period to get the junk out of the tank.
Do the total black out to kill the algae off. You won't have to scrape anything away, it will all die off. Hopefully your running a skimmer, as this stuff gets nasty in the water column and the skimmer works overtime to get it out. If you don't, then you will have to do a large water change after the lights out period to get the junk out of the tank.
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Longnose Hawkfish
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Ok thanks! I'll start this maybe tommorow. And so it will all be in the water flow the algae? Just to confirm I won't have to scrape it off the rocks? And I don't have a scimmer but I'm fine with doing a large water change. Will my corals be fine? Thanks. 
The algae will die off, skimmer usually take tlcare of the free floating garbage when this is done, your going to have to monitor your water quality while your doing this, as I've not advised on a tank without a skimmer. The algae dies off into liquid form, I can tell you it makes a mess out of the water quality if not skimmed off, so its a must to monitor your params and do a water change if you see them jumping up.
As for the light, I'd just leave it where its at, if it didn't burn up your corals, I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around the idea that it caused the hair algae. But that's just my guess.
As for the light, I'd just leave it where its at, if it didn't burn up your corals, I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around the idea that it caused the hair algae. But that's just my guess.
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Longnose Hawkfish
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Ok would doing 1/2 gallon water changes over the coarse of the three days help keep water quality fine? And so do you think it is the light problem or no that's causing the algae?
The water changes at that pace will certainly help.
I think the initial lighting blast may have started it, but if it didn't bleach out your corals, it couldn't have been that bad. Unless you just got those corals after you got the light.
I think the initial lighting blast may have started it, but if it didn't bleach out your corals, it couldn't have been that bad. Unless you just got those corals after you got the light.
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Longnose Hawkfish
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Ok then I will do that. And I got my light before I got the corals and after a week of having my light I got crazy algae blooms. 
and the lfs was using the same lights for their corals. Because I don't see how my levels could be off. Umm, all my corals should be fine? And what about my fish? And so the algae turns into liquid form? Does it have to be total blackout or can I have some of my lights on in my room when i am doing homework? You have been a great help.
and the lfs was using the same lights for their corals. Because I don't see how my levels could be off. Umm, all my corals should be fine? And what about my fish? And so the algae turns into liquid form? Does it have to be total blackout or can I have some of my lights on in my room when i am doing homework? You have been a great help.
Most would blanket the tank, there should be no ambient light in the tank. You can feed the fish daily, thats not a problem. The fish and the Corals will be fine during this period, ya just gotta think, does the sun shine in the ocean everyday? When storms come and go, is it just within a few hours? 3 days is quite alright for your tank.
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Longnose Hawkfish
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Ok cool. And also, the algae turns into a liquid form, correct? You have been a major help. and if I do 1/2 gallon water changer maybe like every 4-6 hours would this be fine since I don't have a skimmer?
and if I do 1/2 gallon water changer maybe like every 4-6 hours would this be fine since I don't have a skimmer?
Yea, the algae kinda dissolves as it dies, like corals do. 1/2 gallon water changes starting the second day should be fine, I don't think that every 6 hours would be needed, but im not sure about that part. Your water params will tell you whats needed. Definately on the third day you will be doing a large change to get the rest of the junk out.
Your friend is dead wrong. Your corals can go longer than 3 days without light. Gonna tick em off, but no, there are just to many people out who have done this and can attest that it does indeed work, and will tell you that the tank is sparkling clear when its done. No harm to their corals.
Right on. We got the before pictures, make sure you get the after pics for us.
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Longnose Hawkfish
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Hey reeding madness I was a little curious about what you would recommend to block out all light. And also I might have to push back the blackout a couple days because I ran out of saltwater and I need to go get some more. Thanks!
Most people use a blanket or something of that nature to go around the tank.
