I have a 120 reef tank which has gone through several algae cycles. After almost a year I am still fighting this nasty Filimentous algae. This stuff is everywhere and without weekly pruning and ripping, it would over grow everthing. I recently went on the offencive and added 8 sally lightfoot crabs and 8 more blue legged hermits. I need help as to what to do to control the growth. I dose Kalkwasser whenever the sump is low (3-4 times a week) and I try to keep the pH up. I have tried to boost the pH to 8.4 raise the DKH (its around 4meq/l) raising the protien skimmer tube (to skim more), and introduce fish that eat the algae. Please give help as to what else I can do.
Explosive Filimentous Algae Growth
- Thread starter Tangy2006
- Start date
Hair algae? It can take several months for an algae bloom to deplete all the nutrients in your system that it needs. The best advice I can give you is this:
Know what's in your source water. Take a sample of your source water to your lfs and ask them to test it for phosphates and nitrates. If there is any measurable level of these purchase an RO/DI unit. Weekly 15% water changes with RO/DI water as your source will help reduce the nutrient content in your system drastically. It takes time but it will help, I promise.
Be sure that the skimmer you are using is big enough for your tank. That was part of my problem, my previous skimmers were just too small and didn't remove enough of the organics in the tank.
Be sure that you have good flow. Not tons of flow, just good flow. Avoid dead spots in your tank, and a surge device or oscellation device of some kind such as a scwd or a sea swirl, may make it more difficult for hair algae to find a place to latch onto.
A good quality phosphate sponge such as Phosban by Two Little Fishes, RowaPhos or Salifert phosphate killer (not eliminator, killer) will go a long way to reducing any phosphate content you have in the system, and removing a food source for many types of algae.
Wait it out. Remove as much of the algae as you can during water changes, or, if you have a sump, you could stuff a media bag full of filter floss and attach that to the end of your siphon hose. Drop the bagged end in the sump, siphon to your heart's content. This removes the algae and nasties, without removing as much water.... well, at least in theory. I haven't tried this myself, but I am going to give it a shot this weekend.
Lastly, good luck. If you get any more information that might help us figure out what's causing your algae problem, pass it along.
J.
Know what's in your source water. Take a sample of your source water to your lfs and ask them to test it for phosphates and nitrates. If there is any measurable level of these purchase an RO/DI unit. Weekly 15% water changes with RO/DI water as your source will help reduce the nutrient content in your system drastically. It takes time but it will help, I promise.
Be sure that the skimmer you are using is big enough for your tank. That was part of my problem, my previous skimmers were just too small and didn't remove enough of the organics in the tank.
Be sure that you have good flow. Not tons of flow, just good flow. Avoid dead spots in your tank, and a surge device or oscellation device of some kind such as a scwd or a sea swirl, may make it more difficult for hair algae to find a place to latch onto.
A good quality phosphate sponge such as Phosban by Two Little Fishes, RowaPhos or Salifert phosphate killer (not eliminator, killer) will go a long way to reducing any phosphate content you have in the system, and removing a food source for many types of algae.
Wait it out. Remove as much of the algae as you can during water changes, or, if you have a sump, you could stuff a media bag full of filter floss and attach that to the end of your siphon hose. Drop the bagged end in the sump, siphon to your heart's content. This removes the algae and nasties, without removing as much water.... well, at least in theory. I haven't tried this myself, but I am going to give it a shot this weekend.
Lastly, good luck. If you get any more information that might help us figure out what's causing your algae problem, pass it along.
J.
It's pretty common :wink:
Have you tried a search here yet on hair algae?
There or tons of threads on the subject!
Check out our FAQ's as well:
http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=7679
Mitch
Have you tried a search here yet on hair algae?
There or tons of threads on the subject!
Check out our FAQ's as well:
http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=7679
Mitch
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