Hair Algae

[Rob.B.]

Have had a recurring issue with hair algae on my Caribsea Liferock, I originally had a Biopellet reactor in the aquarium since day one. I started dosing Nopox about 2 months ago and my problem is increasing not decreasing.

When dosing Nopox should I have removed the pellet reactor?

 

[andrewey]

Any reason you are running two different sources of carbon?

 

[Rob.B.]

Actually I thought it would be a benefit since the Caribsea is basically cement and not actually live rock. And as most thought the Nopox would resolve the problem.

I am in the process of removing the Liferock, and going to BRS reef saver once my order comes in.

 

[andrewey]

I think there might be some confusion here. Nopox is simply a carbon source, the same as the biopellets. The carbon allows additional bacteria to grow which are removed via skimming. In the process, the growing bacteria incorporate some of the nitrate and to a lesser degree phosphate in constructing new cells. These are not the same as nitrifying bacteria. Therefore, carbon dosing is not an effective means of growing additional nitrifying (the bacteria that we talk about with live rock) quicker- actually if anything it might be counter productive. Therefore, I'm not really sure why you would be dosing two sources of carbon and moreover, it should be completely independent of anything to do with live/dry rock.