Green Hair Algae

[kareem7989]

I have 55gal tank with a wet/dry filter (hang on the back pre filter) about 50 lbs of live rock. I have lost 4 fish recently.over aperiod of 3 weeks... they just disappeared from my tank... i searched the sand .. no luck....

Also th egreen hair algae is driving me nuts.... I do water changes, ph is 0... I was using 2 bio wheel filters... (switched to the wet/dry yeaterday...) what steps can i take to resolve my problems.... I have a Uv sterilizer, and protein skimmer...

 

[jusreefin]

Is this a reef tank or FOWLR?? When you say PH do you mean Phosphates I hope?? How old is the set up,size of skimmer, etc.?

 

[Len]

:welcome:

You really don't need bio-wheels or wetdrys if you have LR in this tank. I'd remove these components. Your LR and skimmer will do their duties better and without detriment to your water chemistry.

What are you using to top off your evaporated water with? if you do not have a reverse osmosis filter yet for your freshwater, I highly recommend you get one. You have a nutrient problem coming from some place, and it is most likely the input water used to top off and mixing saltwater (for water changes).

If your tank is relatively new (under a year), some algae problems may occur and go away on their own after the tank is better "balanced." Make sure you're doing everything right during this time: water changes (with good water and good salt), continued protein skimming, feeding in moderation, etc.)

There are too many causes for fish deaths that it's hard to tell you what is happening. Are there any symptoms prior to them dying? Do you hear clicking sounds in the tank? What types of fish are dying? There's a good chance the algae bloom you see is the dead fish's decaying in the tank and leeching nutrients back into the water.

Hopefully we can help you get to the bototm of this.

 

[kareem7989]

The Ph = Phosphate....


I top up with distilled water.(Mixed with kalkwasser).. purchase at walmart.. (states purified through r/osmosis..) Should I add more live rocks and remove the bioballs from the wet/dry?.. i Just added 20 blue leg hermits. (read on the forum that they will help)

 

[pwj1286]

dude...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PH <----this will teach you about pH and its daily occurences.

Your phosphates (PO4) is a reading of 0. pH should be 8.2-8.4

*Do you have a pH testing kit?

*How do you top your water off with kalkwasser? *Gallons at a time or a drop per second?
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[kareem7989]

I put a little kalkwasser in daily as top off... I have a ph test kit

 

[pwj1286]

ph kit for testing a solution's basic or acidic properties? Or is that ph kit for phosphate? You know that ph does not = phosphate...correct?

Hang in there with the chemistry. You will get it. As far as the hair algae...you need a RO unit for your sink to make RO water for you. That will help a whole bunch. If you are dripping Kalkwasser, you should not have phosphates (PO4). Kalkwasser precipitates them (kind of like canceling them out) so they can not be used as food for algae and such.

Getting it?
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