Hair algae issues that just wont go away...

[alexshefchik]

As most of you know I have been slowly selling off most of my chalice collection but was thinking of just keeping some easier, "cheaper" corals... Anyways I am still having hair algae problems its been going on now for about 5 months. The tank has been set up for a year now and the first 7 months I had no algae. In order to try and solve the problem in the last two months I have changed my lights, moved a light that was close, that I thought may have created to much light in the tank, reduced my lighting schedule an hour to 7 hours, got rid of alot of rock and opened up my landscape to increase flow, started dosing amino acids, I do water changes once a week using tropic marin salt, I got rid of 7 fish so now only have 3, I have a SWC 150 skimmer, I cant get chaeto to grow either, I started running dual reactors with Po4x4 in both reactors, I run carbon. Honestly I dont know what else I could do to solve this problem, I have literally tried everthing. If anyone has any reasonable advice I would appreciate it cause I am out of plausible reasons for the algae. Oh and on a side note I had an alk swing 5 months ago and had alot of bleaching since my corals have basically all come back and look better then ever (even with this algae outbreak).
My parameters read..
Alk 8 Hanna Meter
Mag 1350
Nitrate 0
Phosphate 0 Hanna Meter

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated!!

 

[boxer]

I had the same problem and still have a small amount in my tank where detritus settles. But the only way i was able to gain control of it was to turn into a crab and constantly remove it when I did water changes, and in-between water changes. I feel for you but it has taught me patients and ive some what grown to except it.

 

[kschweer]

Have you tried dosing peroxide? I know some people that have had success doing so. The dosage is 1ml per 10 gallons of water. This thread should help...https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52084

 

[alexshefchik]

I may be a little old school but i dont want to start dosing vodka or things of that nature.. I mean I see people running no skimmer or anything and just doing water changes and having no algae! Also I have a ton of crabs and snails in this tank to also clean up any extra food or debris. And for each water change I try to syphon out as much algae as I can. I literally have tried everything except for dosing vodka and stuff in that nature. My biggest issue is that I did not have it for those first 7 months and now i do. UGH

 

[MBG75]

I have heard of bumping up mag. Haven't done it myself.

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[VegasRick]

When all is said and done phosphates is still the limiting nutrient for algae.
Whats your source water? Maybe need to change DI more often. I have to change mine every 100g
Change your gfo more often

 

[MattL22]

U made good changes except why dose aminos? Id stick with low bio load and add a Seahare continue wc and po4x4 and give it time !

 

[MBG75]

Too much amino will fuel algae.

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[alexshefchik]

Ok I will stop with the amino's my acros just love them and have made a big difference in their growth. Also I use the local grocery store RO water and i checked all parameters and TDS and all were good. To make matters more puzzling my roommate has a tank not even 2 feet away from mine, barely runs a skimmer, has 7 fish, same size tank, uses same water, and same salt and has not one sign of algae.. I mean isnt that discouraging...

 

[alexshefchik]

U made good changes except why dose aminos? Id stick with low bio load and add a Seahare continue wc and po4x4 and give it time !

I added one seahare and it ate a little algae then stopped and died 3 days later.... Got another one did not eat any hair algae and died a week later.. I also just added an urchin to hopefully help but is not eating any either.

 

[BillyC]

I've heard of this problem happening from used live rock. If you got the rock from someone who had extremely high phosphates for extended periods of time, the rock will absorb the phosphates. If that's the case, now that it is in your tank it could be leeching the phosphates.

 

[allabout]

Are you positive it is GHA? I thought I was fighting that and losing badly, then I found out it was dinoflagellates, not GHA. Made a huge difference - know your enemy! Also sometimes dinos can be poison to animals that eat it.

 

[alexshefchik]

I've heard of this problem happening from used live rock. If you got the rock from someone who had extremely high phosphates for extended periods of time, the rock will absorb the phosphates. If that's the case, now that it is in your tank it could be leeching the phosphates.

I have heard this as well but I have had this same live rock for almost three years now. I have thought of that being the problem cause I did dry it all out, so of course there is gonna be some phosphates but I let it cure and cycle for 3 months and then it was good for 7 more months in my display until about 5 months ago. So I dont think it would have waited that long to leach them.

 

[alexshefchik]

Are you positive it is GHA? I thought I was fighting that and losing badly, then I found out it was dinoflagellates, not GHA. Made a huge difference - know your enemy! Also sometimes dinos can be poison to animals that eat it.

I just looked up dinoflagellates and it does not look like it to me I can post a picture if you guys want but i am about 95% sure its hair algae.

 

[jcJokr]

You have done all of the corrective actions you can. As stated I would at this point cut your amino dosing in half as well as your feeding. I've had this same problem and the only thing you can do is wait. Correcting negative affects takes time, two months may not be enough time. I find it strange that your phosphates and nitrates are 0 and you are still getting this algae growth. You might want to check with another test set, maybe your getting a false reading. I would just keep going with small water changes once a week, running GFO and Carbon, watching the amount of food and amino your adding and keep removing it when you clean and give it time. You should start seeing some slowing of growth and then eventually it will go away. Sometimes tanks just go through weird cycle and then it gets past it and looks better than ever.

One last after thought, make sure no one is using any cleaning products around your tank. Sometimes over spray will get into your tank through the air and cause issues like this. It's not enough to kill anything but causes negative affects. I caught my wife using glass cleaner on the outside of my tank once....aahhhhh...

 

[alexshefchik]

Thanks for the advice! I have checked the test for nitrates and phosphates with not only hanna meters, but api test kits and salifert test kits. I rarely ever feed my fish anymore too, but I will reduce the amino to maybe a few drops a week. As far as the cleaning elements my roommate knows better and if it was anything in the air she would have algae too. Its just a crappy situation. I also thought maybe that the algae was starting to get a little better but once again has exploded in the last week.

 

[Steven R]

U made good changes except why dose aminos? Id stick with low bio load and add a Seahare continue wc and po4x4 and give it time !

I agree with the seahare I added one for a small amount of hair algae and he made quick work of it now i feed him par boiled romain lettuce

 

[alexshefchik]

I agree with the seahare I added one for a small amount of hair algae and he made quick work of it now i feed him par boiled romain lettuce

I wish mine worked like that, like stated in the previous post I have tried two but neither worked

 

[kschweer]

Dosing peroxide is different than vodka or vinegar dosing. It's not something you will be doing indefinitely. Just until you get the HA under control. It will start to kill the HA and the snails and crabs will usually start to eat it once it starts dying off. My guess would be a week or a little more.

 

[alexshefchik]

Dosing peroxide is different than vodka or vinegar dosing. It's not something you will be doing indefinitely. Just until you get the HA under control. It will start to kill the HA and the snails and crabs will usually start to eat it once it starts dying off. My guess would be a week or a little more.

Ok sweet I will look into it a little more! I guess I was being ignorant and thinking it was along the same type of dosing. Thanks!