BROWN HAIR ALGAE OUTBREAK! NEED HELP.......PLEASE

[fredso2003]

I have 2 10gallon grow out tanks that are tied together into 1 continous water system the setup is 6 weeks old.I went through 2 algae blooms already the first 1 was a green the 2nd was cyano{red},now this brown hair?Im skimming and my water parameters are all up to snuff . 0 phosphate levels. My calcium is 450ppm.My lighting in tank#1 is 1 40 watt flourescent on tank#2 it is 2 20watt p.c.'s. Tank #1 has the brown hair tank#2 does NOT!
Like I said the 2 are tied together via a power head pumping out and a gravity fed return with a regulator on it to ensure even flow>My question is the algae?Is it part of another/end of cycle or is from the different lighting?Any comments or suggestion's would really be appreciated? :?

PS-I also have 3 baseball size clumps of macro algae(i forget the exact name) for denitrifying purposes in tank#1) if that could be part of it?

 

[Anonymous]

Well, the macros will compete with tha algae, so thats not a problem.

Are you using RO water?

Here's an interesting experiment: can you swap the lighting fixtures?

 

[Johnsteph10]

I agree -- swap the lighting and see what happens. The macro may be outcompeting the other algaes...hmm.

John

 

[fredso2003]

I can and will swap the lighting tommorow at the next timer interval.Am I to be thinking this is nothing more than a lighting issue that is causing the brown hair bloom in #1 and not in#2 because the water parameters are identical??

 

[fredso2003]

PS-I forgot,I use only RO water for all water changes,and top offs are RO/VIA/KALK DRIP.

 

[melanotaenia1]

almost definately lighting if there are no excess nutrients in the tank. With the lighting parameters different on each tank, it would probably be easy to pinpoint what would be causing the problem. Possibly changing out the PC bulbs, that may help. The algae may eventually just go away over time as well as long as conditions are kept optimal.

Good luck

 

[rich2103]

Do you use R/O or RODI water purification. RODI works better at removing silicates than R/O which is the main cause to brown hair algae and other algeas. Also what type of declhorinator do you use than would also help the algae. What type of salt do you use because some have silicates in them. Do you have any clean up crews to help the algae to stay under control.

 

[fredso2003]

I use RO water,I use INSTANT OCENA salt mix and I dont use a "declhorinator?" I dont even know what that is? No clen up crew yet the system is only 5 weeks old.I hope this helps Its 4 days after my 1st. post I added a wooden air stone for better water agitation things seemed very still in there ,just to see if that would do anything and so fsr its still there I did not swithc the lights as was suggested I wanted to see if the circulation would do anything,The algae is still there but it does seem like its not getting worse? so I dont know?????

 

[Anonymous]

Since you're using RO water, you don't need a dechlorinator. RO takes the chlorine (chloramine) right out of the water for you.

How about your nitrite and nitrate levels?

 

[fredso2003]

NIRATES 0PPM. NITRITES 0PPM.

 

[Sprattoo]

All that algae IS the nitrates

I had Normal Output lights for a time and algae was a constant problem. Normal output flourescence loose the original color output after 2 or 3 months. looks like your due to change the bulb. Save yourself some $$ and switch both to 65W PC or better.

I have a 10G with an in-tank sump (cornered off with a piece of plexi) and a DSB probably about 6 or 7 gallons and I use 2 65W PC's.

looking at my leathers today one is literally Pulsing about every 3-5 hours up through the stalk and growing rapidly.

In the last week it has grown about an inch across it's head!!!!

 

[fredso2003]

I bought a 65watt dual bulb 1 10000k/1 atwnic on ebay problem solved.YEA!!!!!!!!!

 

[Baianotang]

hummmm nothing beats a good skimmer!

 

[Sprattoo]

Also agreeing with the skimmer but IMHO Lighting is primary.. The 2x65WPC will help.

If the 10G doesn't have a sump-like setup though the good guys (plankton, mysis, 'pods etc) might get skimmed out and it sounds to me like there will be a supply of Macro algae to get the nutrients.