Never ending green hair algae

[MikeyD1182]

So I've had my tank up and running for a year now it's the IM Nuvo 40 with the IM Ghost Protein Skimmer and upgraded Sicce 2.0 Return Pump, I use Reef Fritz Pro (blue box) i make my own rodi water which tests as 0 on TDS meter. The membrane, di resin, sediment and carbon on the aquatic life rodi system is all good and has been replaced a month ago, I do 8 gallon water changes weekly in a foodgrade bucket and I replace my filter floss weekly. I have 2 small clowns, a royal gramma, a tuxedo sea urchin and various snails (Trochus, Nassarious & Astrea) and I feed flake food every other day or sometimes a small amount in the morning and a small amount in the evening. No matter what I do I get excessive green hair algae growth and even tho I remove it manually I always get it back within a couple weeks. It primarily grows on the back wall and on my sandbed. I dont know what is causing, feeding, fueling, encouraging the gha but the sight of it makes me want to just quit reefing. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Reef-Tank]

I'm following too lol

 

[Dimmy007]

I did two things to combat GHA and I beat it. One I used flucanzole. It is fish and reef safe. We can take it as humans. It is a fungal killer. Secondly I installed a refugium. That way I grow the algae where I want. In my case I use Chaeto to eat up all the nutrients. Have not had GHA break out since.
I bought it from here.

Also this video is where I learned from it.

 

[MikeyD1182]

I appreciate the input, I've heard mixed reviews on the flucanzole some say it worked wonders for them, others say it killed there reef tanks and then theres the other people who say does in fact work and the people who negatively reviewed that product must have not followed the start to finish instructions properly. What I want to figure out is what is the root of the problem.

I did two things to combat GHA and I beat it. One I used flucanzole. It is fish and reef safe. We can take it as humans. It is a fungal killer. Secondly I installed a refugium. That way I grow the algae where I want. In my case I use Chaeto to eat up all the nutrients. Have not had GHA break out since.
I bought it from here.

Also this video is where I learned from it.

 

[Dimmy007]

some before and after of mine.

 

[Dimmy007]

I appreciate the input, I've heard mixed reviews on the flucanzole some say it worked wonders for them, others say it killed there reef tanks and then theres the other people who say does in fact work and the people who negatively reviewed that product must have not followed the start to finish instructions properly. What I want to figure out is what is the root of the problem.

The root of my problem was over feeding. Then the old food was leeched from the rocks and or stuck in my filter socks (which i no longer use). I know it is a stage that a cycle tanked has to goe through but mine lasted for way to long. That is why I went with the Flucanzole. For me it worked.

 

[Dimmy007]

Another route by melevsreef. video. Is yours on your rocks as well. If just the sand and glass a good cleanup crew should be very helpful.

 

[mta_morrow]

maybe I missed it, but what are your NO3 and PO4?

What test kits do you use to measure them?

Also, what is your lighting schedule?

 

[kendavjac]

Algae needs light, PO4, and Nitrate to grow. There are only a couple of ways PO4 and Nitrate enter your system, mostly top-off water and food. In some cases it is leached from the rock. If your water tests out at 0 TDS, then you are probably feeding to much. Flake food is very nutrient dense compared to frozen.

What are your levels for PO4 and Nitrate? how old is your tank?

Get your nutrients under control, and a couple of more clean up crew (not to many or they will starve to death when you don't have a algae problem), and manually remove it.

 

[davocean]

I usually avoid adding chems at all costs, and many times in the past I've taken care of HA by manual removal, scrubbing when needed(electric toothbrush or similar works well for this) nutrient export via fuge, skimming, good WC's, and in bad cases a 3 day lights out.

However, my present tank I got rock that probably should have been acid washed or treated before starting, as it just never ended growing HA no matter what I did, and it just got to the point I was not even able to enjoy my tank, so I did the fluconzole, and it worked like a charm.

One thing I would make sure is pull any macro, as it will usually die, and that can cause a nutrient spike, and my guess would be people having issues may have had issues for this reason possibly.

 

[MikeyD1182]

In the process of cleaning the tank and manually removing the algae from the sandbed and cleaning off all my frags from gha. Nitrates test at 10ppm phosphates at 0 and I use the api reef test kit. I run the Prime HD 9hrs per day & only both blues, uv & violet. I put on the white just for this picture. I normally run no white red or green and it's on a pre set from the ai prime / hydra at peak 60% and it ramps up 2 hrs, stays on 5 hrs then ramps down 2 hrs.

 

[mta_morrow]

API test kits serve a purpose when starting up a tank, or maybe if you run FOWLR.

You do not have zero nitrates and phosphates. If your readings were true, you wouldn’t have this problem as the algae need those to grow.

I would recommend a Hanna phosphorus ULR and a better nitrate test kit like the Red Sea or NYOS.

Until then, keep up with manual removal.

Also a week is a long time to go to change filter floss IMO.

I had an IM30L and used a filter sock on one side, and a cut to fit filter pad in a media basket on the other side. Both changed every 2-3 days. Otherwise it decays and adds nutrients.

I also ran a ghost skimmer.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Based on that picture, the rocks aren't a problem. It's the sand. I would recommend replacing that evil black devil with aragonite. That black stuff is iron based,(as well as containing gods knows what else) and it'll be hard to keep algae from growing on it until it all leaches out, which may never happen.

Natural reefs are made from aragonite rock and aragonite sand, and when you try and stray from this bad things happen.

 

[mta_morrow]

Based on that picture, the rocks aren't a problem. It's the sand. I would recommend replacing that evil black devil with aragonite. That black stuff is iron based,(as well as containing gods knows what else) and it'll be hard to keep algae from growing on it until it all leaves out, which may never happen.

Natural reefs are made from aragonite rock and aragonite sand, and when you try and stray from this bad things happen.

Very good point! It really bugs when I don’t pick up on things like that. There are a lot or those “black sand “ stories here.

 

[MikeyD1182]

Things look better for now, cleaned all my frags & sand bed. Thanks for the input on the "devil" black sand. I'm gonna upgrade tanks hopefully within the next 2 weeks & um gonna go with live aragonite. Will post pics & start a build thread when I'm closer to getting set up.

 

[jtl]

I will echo what others have said. Go easy on the flake food. Your PO4 and NO3 are much higher than you think because the HA is feeding on them. The most reliable PO4 tester is the Hanna Ultra ULR ( one of the best purchases I have made so far). Keep cleaning the rock with a brush and vacuuming the sand bed. I am not a proponent of any chemical treatments except is an emergency. I have done too much damage going down this path in the past. If you have a reactor run it with GFO for a while, if you don't have one think about getting one. They are cheap and nice to have on hand. I mostly use mine with carbon to keep the water nice and clear.

 

[MikeyD1182]

I have a reactor hanging on the side with a bag of chemipure blue in it right now. I read many reviews saying to leave it in the bag and others saying to cut open the bag and dump it in the reactor between some filter floss and sponge so it doesnt leak out. I chose to go with it staying in the bag it comes in because I can run higher flow through it without anything moving or rubbing against eachother causing dark dust.

 

[MikeyD1182]

What should I feed my 2 small clowns and royal gramma then if I'm to go easier on the flake food which I've been feeding sparingly already? I've read and heard from alot of resources that I should only feed a little mysis or brine shrimp once or twice a week as a treat to my fish and not as the primary source of food.

 

[jtl]

There are likely many opinions but I have good success feeding mostly mysis. I never feed brine shrimp because I don't think they are very nourishing or so I have read. I occasionally feed clam which is really good according to Paul B. Just make sure to leave in all of the "guts". I have some flake and pellet but I rarely use them. The pellets are nice to feed the crabs and shrimp once in a while.

 

[patrsnracn]

+ 1 refugium