Algae Question

[ReefMan75-20-15]

Hello all. I am new to this board. I am having the worst time with this green hair algae. I have been battleing it for a few months now and I am am at a loss with it. I have been pulling all that I can out and doing 20 gallon water changes evey week. Running Phosguard and changing that once a week also. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Tank parameters are.
75 Gallon
Wet/Dry w/o media
Prizm Skimmer
130 watt pc lighting (50/50 10K/03 Actinic)(new bulbs)
Temp. 76 deg.
PH - 8.3
Salinity 1.025
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5
Calcium 400
Phosphates .1
Also running Chemi-Pure.

 

[Anonymous]

Well, you can try adding some urchins, such as a tuxedo urchin, I have had very good luck with urchins eating algae.

Of course, if you can get your phosphates even lower that will help, but sounds like you are doing what you can.

Since your wet dry does not have any media (can I call it a sump then?? ) you should think about putting a light on it and growing macroalgae in there, which will compete for nutrients with the HA and probably get rid of those phosphates.

 

[ReefMan75-20-15]

Well I have though about that but I do not have enough room to grow anything down there. I have my return pump and my skimmer in the sump. I guess I could always put the skimmer back on the tank and drill the sump, and fit it with a bulkhead, but..... I am planning to purchase or make a refugia in the near future. But for now this algae is overgrowing the tank and I do mean overgrowing. More and more everyday. It does not even slow down. I recently added 200 snails to try and help me out but it seems like they do nothing. SO I have been thinking of adding another 200 or so. What do you think of this?

 

[Anonymous]

Do you have a ro unit. If not you should seriously consider getting one. I've been battling hair algae for awhile. Now then got my RO unit the hair algae is starting to diminish.
_________________
Friend Advice Forum

 

[ReefMan75-20-15]

No I do not have an RO unit but at the LFS they sell RO/DI/DI water. Either premixed or just fresh water. So I use that.

 

[Gaffes]

I recently added 200 snails to try and help me out but it seems like they do nothing. SO I have been thinking of adding another 200 or so.

This may be contributing to the problem, as this much life will put a pretty heavy biological load on your tank.

I am guessing that you have alot of nutrients in your tank that are feeding the algae. How are you doing your water changes? I would advise getting a RO/DI unit, or pre-mixing your water in a rubbermaid trash container. I use a 55 gallon rubbermaid in a closet with a powerhead. The whole thing cost me about $40.

 

[Anonymous]

Are the trustworthy. If not asked them to test the freshwater that they claim is RO DI with their TDS meter in front of you. And if they say they don't have one. I would seriously doubt their trustworthiness.
_________________
Mercedes Ponton

 

[ReefMan75-20-15]

Lately I have been using the premixed water from the store where it is stored in a 200 gallon tank with a few pumps in it to circulate the water. I bring it home from the store suck some water outta the tank and dump the new water in. It is RO/DI water so there should be no problem. Do you really think that the snail could be making the agae grow this much. As I previously noted the water conditions these seem fine to me. Although I am almost certain the I am getting somewhat of a false reading since the algae is so abundant in the tank. If this is so I would assume that adding another 200 would not be advised. Maybe take some out???????? I am so confused on what the heck to do. I feel like taking all the rock out and buying new rock. Espiciall since I can get it very very chaep,

 

[Anonymous]

Well, if you already have 200 in there, I certainly wouldn't add more of the same species of snail. In a 75, 200 snails is plenty plenty.

Many herbivours are particular about what type of algae they eat, so perhaps you should try another type. I think a tuxedo urchin would be a good thing to try. What kind of snail are you currently using?

 

[Anonymous]

New rock won't solve your problem.
_________________
Honda Express

 

[Anonymous]

What kind of livestock do you have in this tank?

 

[ReefMan75-20-15]

Well if i remove all of the algae that is on the rock that is in there why would taking all of the rock that is in there out and putting new rock in not solve the problem? As for live stock I have a purple tang a sixline wrasse and a cleaner shrimp. I normally only feed every other day but the past month or so I have been feeding once a week maybe twice a week.

Oh, the snails are turbo snails.
And if taking out the roc that has the algae on it will not work what will?

 

[Anonymous]

Well if i remove all of the algae that is on the rock that is in there why would taking all of the rock that is in there out and putting new rock in not solve the problem?

remember was their algae in the tank when you put the rock in the first place.
_________________
Spyder VS2

 

[ReefMan75-20-15]

No there was no algae in the tank previously. This tank has been up for 3 yrs now. This is the first time I have ever had algae in the tank except when I first started it up. I started having problems about 4 months ago and I have been tryinng to rid the tank of it ever since.

 

[Anonymous]

don't feel too bad. People have been battling with this question for years myself included. The key is trying to prevent the nutrients that fuel its growth. That's why I recommend getting your own ro unit. And then you can monitor it yourself without taking the word of your lfs. That has been the single best tool I've used in war on algae.
_________________
Spyder Rodeo

 

[Gaffes]

Are the 200 turbo snails still alive? I was just thinking that having another 200 of those probably means some dead snails -> pollution. Besides, turbo snails, I think, only eat really short algae - not long hair algae.

I know that urchins would help to eat some of it, but a better strategy would be to find the cause of the algae bloom. That algae has to be geting fertilizer (nutrients) from somewhere.

 

[Droggy]

When you do water changes ,vacuum the rocks and algea while you remove water.Does your tank have plenty of turbulence in it?Add some power heads to stir the water up a little more.Do you add Kailwasser?
Start adding and get your readings up higher than they are now and maintain them there for several weeks.

This one worked for me !!!!!!! Your lights need to be looked at as well, how old are they?It may be time to renew them.Try and incorporate as many of these and you will beat it. :wink:

 

[fishfanatic2]

Hair algae is a hermit crab's favorite thing. Try about 50 of them, like the blue-legged ones, and that should work. Those turbo snails might not even touch the hair since they specialize in diatoms. Urchins will eat some, although I got one for their cool looks! Removing the rock won't do a thing since the algae cells are now also suspended in the water. 200 turbos in a 75 is a little much, they will produce a rather large bioload.

Hope this helps!

 

[ChrisRD]

Hey Reefman - welcome to Reefs.Org!

About the hair algae - sounds like you've gotten some good feedback so far. IMO 200 snails is WAY too much for your system and that is probably making things worse. Also, as mentioned, your top-off/water-change water could also be a source of the problem.

Also, I agree with the suggestions above that dripping kalkwasser will help and that hermits can eat it (although I don't like hermits much for other reasons). Stronger skimming would also help to lower nutrient levels.

A couple of other questions...

How much/what kind of live rock do you have?
What are you using for substrate?

 

[Chooch]

My third attempt at posting. In addition to nutrient reduction and following the already mentioned good advice, scrape and siphon as much hair algae out as you can when you do water changes. Hair algae seems to perpetuate itself so when you remove as much as possible it seems to be less dominating in the aquarium. IME snails and crabs won't touch long hair algae so reducing it to stubble helps them finish the job. Also regularly "storm" the tank to suspend detritus for removal by the skimmer of occassional filter pads. Drip kalkwasser. Also consider using one of the new iron hydroxide PO4 removal products such as PhosBan or Rowaphos. Watch your feeding but don't starve your fish.