Hair Algae HELP!!!

[stoneriff]

I'm at wits end with my hair algae issue. I have a mixed reef 120 tank. I've used 3 different Salifert Phosphate test kits, and they all read 0. I've cut down my feeding to a bare minimum. I use Ecotech LED's set at 14K and 50% intensity. All my other parameters are spot on, except my alkilinity is at 9.2. Other wise everything seems in order. I have a great Skimmer. I change filter socks every other day. I do a 15% water change every 10 days to 2 weeks.
Will shutting my lights off for a week help? Would that hurt my corals?

Any suggestions? I'm running out of options.

 

[prattreef]

Check your RO/DI effluent for PO4. It is possible that the hair algae is using up the PO4 giving you a deceptive in tank reading. Are you running GFO or using a Lanthunum Chloride PO4 remover?

 

[TRDfan]

I too have a GHA issue and after a lot of trial and error, I've come the sauce of it. It was my RODI putting out 3ppm water. Now I'm waiting for my 5 stage BRS unit to get to me )

 

[TUSI]

Your phosphates or nitrates are showing zero cause the hair algae is feeding from them and that's y it's showing zero. R u running GFO and do u have a large cleaning crew

 

[empire]

Read this-- Phosphorus exists in two primary forms in seawater: as inorganic phosphates, especially orthophosphate, and as organophosphate forms. Orthophosphate is readily taken up by algae and is active in inhibiting calcification. The organic forms may or may not be available to organisms such as algae. Aquarists can readily test for inorganic orthophosphate using a standard aquarium phosphate test kit, but testing for organic phosphorus compounds is considerably more tedious. Moreover, if there is an algae problem, then the algae may be consuming the orthophosphate as fast as it enters the water, thereby masking the issue. Consequently, many reef aquarists may not recognize that they have a phosphate problem, only that they have an algae problem.

 

[TUSI]

Read this-- Phosphorus exists in two primary forms in seawater: as inorganic phosphates, especially orthophosphate, and as organophosphate forms. Orthophosphate is readily taken up by algae and is active in inhibiting calcification. The organic forms may or may not be available to organisms such as algae. Aquarists can readily test for inorganic orthophosphate using a standard aquarium phosphate test kit, but testing for organic phosphorus compounds is considerably more tedious. Moreover, if there is an algae problem, then the algae may be consuming the orthophosphate as fast as it enters the water, thereby masking the issue. Consequently, many reef aquarists may not recognize that they have a phosphate problem, only that they have an algae problem.

Well said

 

[TommyP]

+1 on checking the TDS as well coming out of your rodi water. This happened to me when i had my 55 gallon and it was bc of a bad rodi unit. Best of luck
3 days no lights won't really hurt (treats cyano etc.)

 

[Cibo]

Get you mag up! I could not get rid of mine until it did!

 

[Arnaldo24]

+1. On the mag. Use the KENT brand for some reason is the 1 that works. I had a horrible case of bryopsis. Took me 1 week and all of it is gone.

 

[stoneriff]

Check your RO/DI effluent for PO4. It is possible that the hair algae is using up the PO4 giving you a deceptive in tank reading. Are you running GFO or using a Lanthunum Chloride PO4 remover?

I am running GFO. I have an Air, Water, Ice Typhoon RO/DI unit. I will change all filters tomorrow, and clean out my water containers. I use two grey Brute 25 gallon containers. I'm also going to turn lights off for a few days.
Any other suggestions are appreciated.

 

[akma]

I was hit with bad hair algae. Covered my whole tank.

I used blue rx phosphate remover to try to get rid of phosphates floating around then I used marine algaefix to kill the hair algae. Only problem was I wasn't exporting enough of the hair algae that was dying and I got hit with cyano. But after rowaphos and few water changes that's finally going away as well. How much rock do you have? I also took the rocks out during water changes and shook them in the waterchange bucket to help get rid of debris and junk.

 

[rambler67]

how often are and what are you feeding? i would check to ro water to make sure ypu are getting 0 tds and up the water changes to 20% weekly. try scrubbing and removing as much hair as posable

 

[66rick]

i had a major issue with hair algea also. after trying a few different things with no success i went to the extreme and took out all my rock 50 lbs and soaked them in bleach then rinsed them in regular tap water then in RO water. i let them dry out for 2 days i have a 60 cube i changed my filters in my 5 stage and did a 35 gallon exchange. i also put in a phospan reactor. its been 3 weeks now and no signs of the return of hair algea. i have a clown a hiipo tang and a trigger that stayed in the tank during the whole process with no problems. ggod luck to you i know how frustrating this problem can be.