Very frustrating hair algae problem

[LMSquire]

The 0.6 started your issue, and now it’s taken hold.

Time for manual removal and large CUC.

Yeah I’ve been pulling it for months and I quadrupled my cuc.

 

[LMSquire]

I will say one thing- where my tank currently is, it gets about 2 hours of direct sunlight through the windows in my living room each day. Do you think that may have something to do with the problem?

 

[Reefahholic]

I will say one thing- where my tank currently is, it gets about 2 hours of direct sunlight through the windows in my living room each day. Do you think that may have something to do with the problem?

People will tell you that, but once its established getting strong light from sunlight, 14K Halides, or 100% blues with a little white light (15-20%) algae is gonna grow no matter what.

 

[Cali Reef Life]

Whens last time you checked rodi membrane or filters? Could be source water have you tested?

 

[Solo McReefer]

Whens last time you checked rodi membrane or filters? Could be source water have you tested?

Good point

And
Is the cartridge going the right way?

Something sounds off in this scenario

For poops and giggles, check the nitrate and phosphate of your fresh salt water?

 

[Ghostbuster]

This is what I’m thinking I need to do at this point.

I don’t recommend this at all… You will be changing the chemistry in your system again… trust me, I know from experience. Go with manual removal, possibly leave off or significantly reduce your display tank lights for a week to reduce hair algae growth. Monitor your PO4, PO3 numbers; 0.15 and 44.4 isn’t terrible at all. You don’t want to zero out your PO4, that’s for sure. I do weekly 15% water changes, and you’re right, it doesn’t help reduce the nutrient lvls but the coral seems to love them. I use GFO; it helps reduce phosphate the best! But start out with half the amount recommended for your tank size, put it in one of those nylon draw string bags in your sump with water flow over it. Keep using your algae scrubber (I use chaeto myself with a light over it 24/7). It might be a couple months to resolve but it will; hang in there. Lastly, monitor your Alk lvl using the GFO… tends to bring it down.

 

[VintageReefer]

My tank is across from sliding patio doors and catches sunlight from sunrise to noon and I don’t grow nusicance algae on the rocks or sand. Only film on the glass.

People say direct sun can cause it but I feel it depends on conditions and the tank itself. I can see sunlight contributing in theory, but in my experience it doesn’t. So I would have to conclude - “not always” but easy to rule out by covering window/doors with cardboard held by painters tape for a few days just to see if any impact

 

[VintageReefer]

Also I would say your cheato scrubber is a powerful tool and to me it sounds like it’s offline. It’s not working. Something is wrong. If you don’t have to harvest for 5-6 months then that means it’s not growing cheato which means it’s not pulling nutrients. Do you know how fast cheato grows?

This is my cheato fuge on my former setup

It had a clip on 26w day spectrum lamp. I believe power compact

I would harvest 1 or 2 of these extra long sandwiches bags, per week

And that’s not even in a macro reactor which should be growing it faster and more efficiently

I would troubleshoot the macro reactor and use natural filtration to help with the issue.

FYI my entire tank is filtered solely by algae, live rock and sponge. I don’t do water changes, don’t run a skimmer, no carbon dosing. Algae is a powerful filtration method if you use it right. Not saying your using it wrong. I’m saying something’s broken or missing it just not working properly

 

[Dom]

Hi all,

My 90 gal RSR g2 is having serious hair algae problems. I am sure this has to do with the insane nitrate levels, which I cannot seem to lower despite changing out some rock, vacuuming the gravel, and getting a parabellum chaeto reactor. I thought the chaeto reactor would help, but it isn’t.

Any advice would be much appreciated. I am preparing to move houses, and I am planning on setting up a 300 gallon water box in the new house to transfer my creatures into, but I am really doubting my husbandry abilities here. Levels are as follows:

Alk - 8.2

Po4 - .15

No3 - 44.4

No2 - 0

Ph- 8.2

Amm - 0

Calcium - 315

Mag - 1110

I know my Alk, calcium, and magnesium are a bit low. I am slowly I creasing dosing of all4reef. The po4 I have been using phosphate e because it was so high at one point (.60) and the nitrate I just can’t seem to figure out. Thanks everyone.

Do you do water changes? If so, how much and how often?

 

[Joe.D]

I had removed my GHA as best I could in my 2 year old 75g display. My PO4 and NO3 were lower than yours and it still grew back. Tuxedo urchin took care of it in a little over a week. He’s still going strong 6mos later - no more GHA. Not much coraline left on rocks either.

Urchin has been great, though he did take out a chalice while scrubbing away.

 

[nursedude]

Could we consider a lights out period after a large manual removal and water changes. Maybe a week? Let the other animals outcompete the hair algae. Maybe the cuc will start to catch-up too in the early growth stages of the algae. Could you reduce the lights for a time period after? How heavily is the tank stocked?

 

[LMSquire]

Whens last time you checked rodi membrane or filters? Could be source water have you tested?

Ok this may be it. I have had my brs 5-stage rodi for about 8-10 months and haven’t changed out any of the filters. Perhaps this is the issue.

 

[LMSquire]

Also I would say your cheato scrubber is a powerful tool and to me it sounds like it’s offline. It’s not working. Something is wrong. If you don’t have to harvest for 5-6 months then that means it’s not growing cheato which means it’s not pulling nutrients. Do you know how fast cheato grows?

This is my cheato fuge on my former setup

It had a clip on 26w day spectrum lamp. I believe power compact

I would harvest 1 or 2 of these extra long sandwiches bags, per week

And that’s not even in a macro reactor which should be growing it faster and more efficiently

I would troubleshoot the macro reactor and use natural filtration to help with the issue.

FYI my entire tank is filtered solely by algae, live rock and sponge. I don’t do water changes, don’t run a skimmer, no carbon dosing. Algae is a powerful filtration method if you use it right. Not saying your using it wrong. I’m saying something’s broken or missing it just not working properly

Yeah perhaps. I didn’t harvest for that long period of time not because I didn’t need to but because I was recovering from major surgery. So by the time I did harvest it for the first time it was packed completely. Been a few weeks now and it’s not ready again. Maybe I need to add more than 7 drops of the iron/manganese formula which I’ve been using?

 

[LMSquire]

Could we consider a lights out period after a large manual removal and water changes. Maybe a week? Let the other animals outcompete the hair algae. Maybe the cuc will start to catch-up too in the early growth stages of the algae. Could you reduce the lights for a time period after? How heavily is the tank stocked?

I could, sure. I have a few torches, a branching cyphastrea which is gorgeous but doesn’t actually grow, a couple of anemones, and some chalices and mushrooms and zoas gardens. I have about 8 fish.

 

[LMSquire]

I had removed my GHA as best I could in my 2 year old 75g display. My PO4 and NO3 were lower than yours and it still grew back. Tuxedo urchin took care of it in a little over a week. He’s still going strong 6mos later - no more GHA. Not much coraline left on rocks either.

Urchin has been great, though he did take out a chalice while scrubbing away.

Yeah I need a tuxedo urchin. So many places have been out of them. I’m going to keep looking.

 

[VintageReefer]

Yeah perhaps. I didn’t harvest for that long period of time not because I didn’t need to but because I was recovering from major surgery. So by the time I did harvest it for the first time it was packed completely. Been a few weeks now and it’s not ready again. Maybe I need to add more than 7 drops of the iron/manganese formula which I’ve been using?

in my tank, 75g + sump, I dose 7 drops pure manganese daily. As a reference/comparison

I don’t dose iron but was considering, I have an icp I need to send in

What product are you using

 

[littlefoxx]

A dollabella sea hare will have it eaten in no time, same with mexican turbo snails!

 

[biotex]

I feel your pain. What I've been doing is a lot of what's already been posted, and I'm finally winning the battle. My tank is only 15g though, so things happen faster for me.

1. Increase CUC, add tuxedo urchin, astrea, turbo, and algae eating fish, focus on diversity as well as numbers.

2. GFO in media reactor. For me, 1gram per 5g is the magic ratio to not bottom out phosphates.

3. Physically remove as much algae as possible prior to 20% water change weekly.

4. Corals will look sad because the GHA is taking all their nutrients. You can: add a bunch more corals (counterintuitive, but more corals= more competition for the algae), dose aminos (I use Red Sea AB+), and dose manganese for your lps on top of regular feeding.

5. Make sure you're feeding live and frozen food only. Dry food has high phosphates.

6. Micro-dose vodka to promote bacteria that out-compete gha. I use 1 drop (~50uL) per 5g once a week after a water change. You can go higher, but there's a risk of bottoming out nutrients and getting dinos.

7. Lower your photoperiod to 6 hours and drop the intensity by 5-10%.

Even if you only stall the growth of GHA, the CUC should be able to outcompete it at some point. It has taken me a month to see GHA decline in my tank. The algae is turning gray and detaching from the rock by itself. Good luck!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet ?
What is your phosphate level and how are you testing ?
Is tank at or near a window?

add some snails such as :
Astrea
cerith
turbo grazer
trochus

A Pencil urchin

8-10 Caribbean blue leg hermits

 

[LMSquire]

Good point

And
Is the cartridge going the right way?

Something sounds off in this scenario

For poops and giggles, check the nitrate and phosphate of your fresh salt water?

This is a good idea. And I am way past due for a filter change. Ordered new ones from brs that should be here tomorrow.