- Location
- Bethpage,NY
Hair algae problem
- Thread starter Jeff D
- Start date
as for syphoning the algae try this .when u do a water change take a 3/4 in tubing and use a rubberband to attach a toothbrush to the front end . as u brush the algae off the rocks syphon as much as u can.also any rocks u can remove clean the rocks with the brush best u can.once u crop down use blue hermits and astrea snails to keep it in check.also any water u replace via water chang or top off has to be phosphate free also try a kole tang great algae eater.
- Location
- Old Bethpage
Check this out. I just tested my tank water with ELOS phosphate test kit and guess what? 0. Yup, that is a zero. I also checked my tap water....0. And I also checked my Kold Ster-il water supply...0. W...T...H? I am gonna do a water change right now using tommy818's method to get as much hair out as I can. During this, I will also check my water makeup which I use Tropic Marin Pro Reef and see what comes up.
To be continued.....(dun, dun, duuuuun!!!...)
To be continued.....(dun, dun, duuuuun!!!...)
My understanding is the ELOS is a decent quality test kit, which means to me that you are not using the test properly. There is no way that your water has zero phosphates, let alone your tap water.
I'll repeat that, there is absolutely no way that your tank water or anybody else's tank water has zero phosphates. It just doesn't happen, end of story.
I agree with the toothbrush recommendation. Do not put a Kole Tang in your tank, unless you have room for it.
- Location
- Old Bethpage
Well Meschaefer, I guess the story has not ended
. As far as not using the test properly, Here's what I did... I rinsed the test vial with tap water..then rinsed the vial with tank water, then I filled it with 10ml of tank water, then I shook regeant A and added 2 drops, then I shook and added 2 drops of regeant B. I then shook it for 5 mins as per the instructions on the paper. (the color comparison card says to shake for 2 mins. So I conducted the test doing both ways). After the shaking, I then looked down the test vile against the white part of the color card and compared the colors. It showed 0. I just now finished getting rid of as much of the algae as I could, did a 10g water change using made up water with Tropic Marin PR and tested that water as well and it also showed 0. So, this is where I am now. If anyone can tell from my steps any mistakes i did, please let me know so I can do the test correctly and find out where the phosphate is coming from and finally beat this algea infestation. My only last resort is either borrowing a Hanna meter from someone or actually buying one which I really can't afford right now.(also, wife won''t be too happy either:shhhtropic marin has the highest phosphate of all salts coralife has the lowest although i wouldnt use it.agree with meschaefer all tanks have some phos living orgasims need it to survive.the key is to keep it as low as possible to prevent algae growth.
- Location
- Old Bethpage
Tommy, see anything wrong that I might have did with the steps I went through with the tests? Since they are pretty simple steps, I don't see how I could of screwed it up multiple times.:scratchch
i started my 125 plus 40 sump with jersey city tap water. Big time mistake. It wasnt until i dosed sugar and vodka that my battle with hair algae turned the tied. Now i have none. The key to this method is having stable parameters first, good PH, and a good skimmer. The premise is that the skimming will remove all the phos and nitrate absorbing bacteria that is grown from the vodka. My tank is good to go now.
- Location
- Old Bethpage
That vodka and sugar remedy has it's ups and downs. I've heard people swear by it, and some say it can cause more damage if not done correctly. I don't think I will take that chance but thanks for trying to help which is always greatly appreciated!!!
I had a sea hare die in my tank nothing happened to the tank. I have tons of carbon. Just in case. And after i Pulled him out I did a 20 percent water change. But that guy probobly died of over eathing he was like a Troy built lawn mower.
Also check the age of your test kit maybe it went bad.
Also check the age of your test kit maybe it went bad.
Last edited:
- Location
- Old Bethpage
The tests just came in today and the expiration date is Dec '09. But I was suprised that reagent B was a thick clear liquid. Guess that's their own "recipe". I wish those sea hares would say alive. They were the only ones that actually ate the stuff.
:eat:
If you have good carbon i wouldnt see a problem with putting him in the tank. I have one in mine right now. He keeps everything spic and span. I would bring the test kit back where you brought it and tell them it doesnt work. Tell them you tried it on your tap water and it came up with 0
most test kits measure inorganic phosphate which readily bloww into the atmosphere through good protein skimming.its when phos accumulates in the organic forms it causes algae blooms.most test kits dont measure organic phos so this is why your getting reading.if u have hair algae in your tank then there is high levels of organic phos in your water.the high ph of kalkwasser has a side benifit of precipitating phos from the water.though phos is essential for life a delicate balance between enough and to much exists in closed systems.
- Location
- Old Bethpage
The place where I brought it from is in CA...mail order. I guess I'm gonna have to give them a call and let them know i'm getting a reading of 0 and see what they say. I may try another sea hare if this stuff comes back. Maybe that phosban reactor will help now.
Last edited:
- Location
- Old Bethpage
You should of seen the look on my face when I got a 0 reading. If I saw any trace, at least I would of known where it was coming from. But getting that 0, multiple times, I sat there for a few minutes wondering "what do I do now". *Sigh*. Lol, I have this tank to alleviate stress and it's having the opposite effect.
- Location
- Old Bethpage
Thanks a bunch!!! I installed the TDS meter for shi** and giggles and to my horror(lol), the levels were the same for tap and filtered.:supermad: I think the problem is; 1. I have to change the catridges and 2. I think I had too much flow coming out from the dispenser where it shortened the life of the cartridges. Therefore I am going to install a pressure reducer once the new cartridges come in. So, this could be the reason for my bloom. I know the TDS will never show 0 because Kold Ster-il doesn't stop everything. But at least when I install the new cartridges I will be able to tell when they go bad. My jorney contunues.
Last edited:
- Location
- Old Bethpage
Well, the new cartridges came in today. I installed the pressure reducer, I installed the new filter cartridges and guess what? The damn TDS reading are the freakin same going in and going out. How can this be? There should be some TDS's that are being stopped by the filters and the numbers coming out should be somewhat lower than coming in. I am at ropes end. I have no clue what the hell is going on.:banghead:
Sponsor Reefs
We're a FREE website, and we exist because of hobbyists like YOU who help us run this community.
Click here to sponsor $10:
