Green Hair Algae Continued

[charles1]

50 gallon tank
>1 Rio pump
>1 penguin filter with biowheel. Also have filter
>floss and activated carbon containers. Rated for a 75
>gallon tank.
>I use RO water
>6 hours of light a day
>50 lbs of live rock
>Some mushrooms and polyps.
>1 mandarin goby.
>once a month add phytoplankton.
>
>Have tried yellow eyed tang, pacific blue tang, both
>blue and red hermit crabs, turbo, margarita, astrea
>snails, emerald crabs, sea urchin, water changes,
>green hair algae remover (container from exotic
>aquarium)
>
>Have also changed lights. 40 watts each, 1 asatate
>and one daylight.
>
>I am sick of pulling the green hair off of the live
>rock. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
>for taking your time to help!!!

I keep doing water changes and the Nitrates are going down slowly. Removed filter floss, biowheel and activated carbon. I still need to get live sand and protein skimmer. Any advice on a good protein skimmer?

 

[old ron]

Hello Charles, don't get frustrated--get serious. (what is an asatate light?)
why have you chosen normal output lighting? if you only use lighting 6hrs/day is the tank in the dark the balance of the 24 hrs? what is your
po4 testing out at? do you chk your RO water for po4? what is the nitrate testing at ? how long has your system been up?what feed are you using? how much? how often? is it all being consumed? Who is the phyto for?how much do you use at a time? I will have other questions but answer the above for now. Hair algae is one of the easiest nusience algaes to eradicate, takes time and doing the correct things. I will stick with you on this if we click. OK? Penguin filters leave a lot to be desired. are you considering this a reef tank? perhaps Berlin type? Be typing atcha

 

[ecoman001]

Try a skimmer like a remora pro!

 

[wombat1]

Here's another good thread Charles:
http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=6997
read,read,read!!
Matt

 

[dale nilson]

I suggest getting rid of the biowheel. They are nitrate factories.
How much circulation do you have? What kind of urchin? Some do not eat much algae, pencil urchins seem to prefer sponges. I have had good luck with Mespilia Globulus, but the hair has to be removed manually if over 1 mm. They just like the short stuff. Your post does not give much info on lighting, but in my experience, hair algae grows well if there is insufficient lighting for corraline types. Kalkwasser drips help, too.

 

[Lurshy]

Lawnmower Blenny - cool fish, will clean up rock in short order.

 

[Anonymous]

I agree that you need a longer photoperiod and stronger lights. Bio-wheel needs removing. Keep the carbon and lose the floss. Drip kalk. Add a kicka$$ skimmer. Continue to remove by hand throughout the process.

 

[Mogo]

- test water for phosphate levels
- photoperiod short but this is helpful in eliminating some algae problems.
- some standard r/o filters will not remove high silicate loads. Invest in
a good one that does.

 

[brandon4291]

Wombat, what a neat thread referral. that was very informative.

b429

 

[wombat1]

I can't take credit, it's just from the Discussion FAQ

Brandon, I'll be happy to refer you as much as you like if you overnight UPS me one of your nano tanks :twisted: :twisted: