Hair Algae Question

Vinh · May 23, 2017

I try very hard never to change too much at once and definitely refrain on making more than one change at the same time. Unfortunately I had no choice this time.

Around the same time my AI light died and my LFS that I get water from closed shop. I was forced to use an old light for now (until I can afford a new one) which only has a white or blue setting. So I use blue for about 6-8 hours a day. Corals seem to like it fine. Along with this I started getting water from a different LFS. Soon after these changes I started getting a lot more hair algae than normal. Even some on sand bed which I never had before.

I know that's not a ton of info and I don't have good water testing tools. So with that, which would you think is the major cause of the algae bloom, light or water?

I'm hoping water because I ordered a RODI that is arriving soon and will be able to do larger water changes than I have before.

saltyfilmfolks · May 23, 2017

You will like the Rodi. A simple test would have been the TDS meter.

Its possible the new light is on higher power, or has more red yellow and orange.

Vinh · May 23, 2017

Unfortunately light has on/off and white/blue. That's it. Hard to know what colors are in the blue but I only do about 6 hours really. When I had the AI I was ramping up beginning of day and down at the end of day for about 8 hours in total. Anyway, I'll start with the water changes using my own RODI and go from there. Hopefully improvements will come soon after so I won't have to rush to a new light.

Dr. Reef · May 23, 2017

Algae needs following to grow:

1. Wrong spectrum or excessive light or light hours.
2. Excessive feeding that leads to nitrate and phos which fuel algae.

So I would guess it's a mixture of both the lights and water. Probably AI were putting out 14k while this unit maybe 6k to 10k and lower the spectrum faster algae will grow.
New water maybe bringing in phos and nitrates along with feeding accumulation which all in turn will fuel algae growth.

Vinh · May 23, 2017

I'm definitely not overfeeding.

The blue lights are Actinic 460nm whatever that means.

saltyfilmfolks · May 23, 2017

Vinh said:
I'm definitely not overfeeding.

The blue lights are Actinic 460nm whatever that means.

Do you know the model of the light?

Vinh · May 23, 2017

It's a cheap light I started out with long ago...

https://www.amazon.com/Green-Elemen...sr=1-1-spons&keywords=Green+Element+EVO&psc=1

PanchoG · May 23, 2017

you got to have your water tested otherwise you would be doing things without knowing if you are affecting the root cause or making things worst... maybe not the advise you were looking for but I do think is the best starting point.

saltyfilmfolks · May 23, 2017

Vinh said:
It's a cheap light I started out with long ago...

https://www.amazon.com/Green-Elemen...sr=1-1-spons&keywords=Green+Element+EVO&psc=1

Yea thats not terrible. Prob 14 to 16k with less power depending on your old settings.

I would def reccomend test kits even API.
I use them. Even though I don't test much it good to see what has changed or what may have happened. Esp of the water had funk in it.

Vinh · May 23, 2017

I do have nitrate test but not phosphate. I agree testing water is the best approach.

Owning a RODI and increasing % water change was something I was planning before the algae bloom so it's a good first step regardless of test results. I'm just hoping it will fix the issue and I can hold off on a light purchase.

saltyfilmfolks · May 23, 2017

Yea the light should be fine. I've spoken to several folks here who have them and one of my lfs sells them and uses them

Vinh · May 25, 2017

Now that I have my RODI the plan is to do 40% bi weekly water changes for the next few weeks. Do I need to physically remove the GHA by hand or will it dissipate slowly (assuming the LFS water was the problem)? I've taken a toothbrush to most of it but it's not the easiest stuff to clear out.