Rocks covered in white and hair algae

J062682l · Nov 12, 2014

Title says it all. It almost seems like all the rock that is hit by the lights dead on have turned white , and most had hair algae , all parameters are cool 1250 mag, 490calc, 11 kh
Ph 8.1 salt. .024 all others 0 except a lil bit of phosphate. But it's he lowest possible color kn chart ,running ocean revive t247 I believe it's 60 blue and 40 white , skimmer runs day and night and fills 1/2 of a 2 liter soda , dark wet skim! The algae is crazy !! Also I'm about to overhaul my tank, should I keep all or most of rock,,, or should I get rid of it ?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Nov 12, 2014

Is this a new set up?

The coralline on rocks often largely dies off when first added, for many reasons, including being in very different lighting than it originated in.

Nutrients can be kept low by rapidly growing algae. I'd look to intercept those nutrients before the algae gets it. So look for some way to reduce nutrients, such as using GFO, or dosing organic carbon or growing macroalgae.

J062682l · Nov 12, 2014

Old tank new LEDs

Randy Holmes-Farley · Nov 12, 2014

Maybe you light shocked the coralline.

J062682l · Nov 12, 2014

I started them low like 20% white and 40 blue. In the last 6 months I went up to 40 white 60 blue

Randy Holmes-Farley · Nov 12, 2014

Unfortunately, I have no idea how that compares to what they were experiencing, but if it is only happening in the brightest locations, I think the light is an issue, at least temporarily.

J062682l · Nov 12, 2014

It's crazy over the last 6months I've added LEDs , and some wp25 and moved a bit of rock for flow and this has been the white rock and hair algae is the outcome

Randy Holmes-Farley · Nov 12, 2014

FWIW, algae problems can also get worse with a lighting upgrade, but reducing nutrients is usually the key except for certain algae which continue to thrive even at low nutrients, such as valonia or bryopsis.