Algea outbreak

[sfortener]

I'm having some type of hair algea outbreak in my tank, and I'm not sure what it is. I personally have never experience such an outbreak, it almost looks like some type of grass growing. My tank has been only recently set-up as reef tank since October, but I have had this tank as a fish only for seven years.

This problem started about a week ago and it is all over my live rock and all of the glass. The strange thing is that my snails and other clean up critters are not tuching the stuff, and its covering my hole tank. I have reached in with my hand and pulled out some of it, but it is very difficult to get off the rocks. This grass like substance is not soft, but is has a rougher feel to it.

Does anyone have an idea what this is and how to get rid of it?

 

[Anonymous]

I can't be completely sure what type of algea you have, but it sounds like you have a nutreint problem of some sort.

Tell us more about your setup so we can help you solve your problem.

Tell us your tank size, filtrations type, skimmer type, sump , lighting, DSB, how much live rock, type and quantity of fish, snail, crabs, and corals, what type of water do you use? tap, RO, RO/DI, what are your water change habits, what are your water quality parameters? phospate, nitrate, calicum, alk, PH, and how old are your children! :wink:

Oh yeah, one more thing. How much and what do you feed your tank?

Louey

 

[sfortener]

I have a 40 gallon reef tank, with a 96W power compact lighting system. I'm not sure if you are familer with GARF and their product GARF Grunge, but I have about 5 pounds of the grunge on top of 2 inches of sand. I also have a protien skimmer, but I can't recall the type. Currently I only have one clown fish in my tank, and a couple of colony polyp. I also have about 10 snails.

That's all I have for now, I'm currently at work and I don't have any of my water quality test readings .

 

[Lurshy]

Could you post any pics? Also check your phosphate level, anything measurable will generally feed algea.

 

[Anonymous]

I just started havin a similar problem develop within the week. My tank has been up for 7 months now with very few problems. It is a 29 gallon Fish/Invert tank (no corals) yet. I am combating it in the following ways.

10% water change(distilled water)

Replaced phosphate sponge and carbon(it was overdue by about two weeks)

Removed my Canister Filter) my ph was low(7.8)perhaps the filter was dumpin acidic water in the tank.

added Ph buffer to bring PH up

Increased Skimming

Stirred up sandbed and filtered the crap out with my Powerfilter and skimmer.

Cleaned my sponge filter in my Aquaclear 200

Plan to add some live bacteria to take up the food that the algae needs to thrive

 

[LittleFish1]

Facing the same problem with Hair Algae now. It started 2 months ago. Mine is a 29gal & it's up for 13 months now. Using UGF, Canister & Protein skimmer. All water param is good except NO3 at 100mg/L. I was told NO3 is the main problem. Have done 25% water for a few time without much improvement. LFS suggested a major water change. A few website suggested the same. Will do a 50% water change this weekend. Btw, I was also told that my Bio-rings in the canister is the main culprit. When the tank matured, the canister (with bio-rings) became a "Nitrate Factory". I would suggest you test for NO3 & Phosphate.