Green hair algae

[Lenny_S]

Hmm...they just turn on and off...they are t12 vho

The long light cycle is definitely a contributor. And if the bulbs are old that will make it even worse as the spectrum in old bulbs tends to favor algae. 8-12 months is what I've seen as the typical maximum life for bulbs. Since they aren't on an electronic ballast where they can be ramped apparently, I'd cut the photo period down to 4-6 hours and change the bulbs.
The next thing to take a closer look at is feeding. What to you feed the livestock, how much, and how often?

 

[domination2580]

So leave my lights on for like 4-6 hours? And I feed lrs reef frenzy, mixed with garlic, selcon, marine snow, phyto when I have it...and I feed about every two or three days

 

[Lenny_S]

So leave my lights on for like 4-6 hours? And I feed lrs reef frenzy, mixed with garlic, selcon, marine snow, phyto when I have it...and I feed about every two or three days

What are you stocking in the tank? Sorry for asking so late, I assumed this was a FOWLR tank.

 

[domination2580]

I have bubble tip, carpet, ricordea, frogspawn, hammer, polys, zoas, and a moon coral

 

[domination2580]

Then my livestock, yellow tang, blue hippo, royal gramma, green mandarin, red scooter Blenny, coral beauty, orange stripe goby, reef lobster, coral banded, cleaner shrimp, emeralds, emerald starfish, tiger serpent starfish

 

[Lenny_S]

The feeding doesn't seem off to me with the info provided. Stick with reducing the photo period and see if you have an improvement after a month or 2. If the nitrate isn't also dropping by then you may want to consider adding a bio pellet reactor, I've had a lot of success when I use one in combination with high quality rock and a refugium with macro algae.

 

[domination2580]

The macro just sits in the sump

 

[Lenny_S]

The macro just sits in the sump

That's fine as long as you have a good 6000k-8000k light on it... Preferably on a reverse photo period from the tank lights. That will help with PH stability and feel free to run that the other 18 hours if you reduce the display down to 6 for example.

 

[domination2580]

Well wouldn't I wanna run for like 8 hours a day?

 

[domination2580]

I have a daylight t8 on it 6.5K daylight bulb

 

[Lenny_S]

Well wouldn't I wanna run for like 8 hours a day?

Run the light on the macro in the sump the entire time the lights in the display tank are off. The macro algae will absorb far more nitrate while the lights are on. A 6 hour rest for the macro is plenty.

 

[domination2580]

Sounds good.I'll change my dt light to 8 hours and the sump 16

 

[domination2580]

So I've set up my tank lights to run from 12 to 8 at night

 

[RareEarthCorals]

Suggest

If your lights are controllable for spectrum the green spectrum LED should be zero.
Control you nitrates ( several ways to do this) I used pond martix in a bag in my sump.
Phosphates should also
be controlled use chemical or phosphate media in a bag.
Clean what green hair you can manually. Try removing the rocks and scrubbing with a new toothbrush and tank water.
Increase Magnesium up to 1600.
Dial back you lights to six or seven hours full spectrum max.
Get a good clean up crew once you have cut back most of the algae. Trocus, Turban, Mexican Turbos snails of all kinds into the tank.

 

[RareEarthCorals]

ohh just saw you have VHO, get rid of those and go LED.

 

[domination2580]

It's money that's the issue dear Watson...money. I'd love to and I'm working on getting a 120 set up and with leds but it takes time

 

[RareEarthCorals]

Money or answers, both require commitment.

 

[domination2580]

Yeah well there are answers without a lot of money sir.

 

[brandon429]

Post a full tank shot

You don't have to have Algae in the tank while you adjust any param it's easy to kill. My lighting is power compact from 1999 one step down from vho, five steps down from LEDs and still algae free I killed it three years ago and it's not come back. Post pics of your tank it's prob an easy initial kill then your nutrient reductions will lessen grow back

 

[domination2580]