<<<Green Hair Algae Problem>>>

[fishguy23]

Since Ive upgraded my lighting from T5's to MH, I have noticed an increase in hair algae, I've since added a fuge w/ some macro, changed the media in my phosban, & have started to notice these gas bubbles on my LR, I was wondering if this is a sign of the algae dying off, or is it getting worse. The problem is magnified by the fact I have the tank in my living room in between large windows that get a ton of sun in from both sides. Another member suggested I cover the sides, but.......? I am going to have a lfs test the parameters till tom, I don't think my API kit is cuttin it! lol Any suggestions! Lastly I'm contemplating covering the tank on all sides and shutting the lights off for a couple of days, I have been told if the algae has nothing to feed off they will die, but Im concerned about my corals? If so is it okay to leave actinics or lunars or is it no lighting

 

[ZANYMASTER]

The change in spectrum must of triggered the hair algae in my opinion.Try using a Salifert test kit or Hanna but very expensive.

 

[fishguy23]

ANy suggestions, the sides where the tank is exposed to direct sun is where I think it began, find myself scraping the sides and front corners constantly, I cant move the tank so should I paint the sides w/ krylon? lol

 

[KathyC]

You can either paint them using a brush on paint or purchase the sheet background in a solid color thst they sell at the LFS in case you ever decide to upgrade or sell the tank.
It is suggested that you do not place a tank so close to windows due to the issue you are having now which will also probably add heat to the tank and also in the wintertime when cooler air in that area might also be a challenge to control so your temp doesn't fluctuate.

I think the bubbles are created by the algae on the rocks, though I can't explain the merchanics of it. You might want to get some astrea snails

Oh..and invest in some getter quality test kits...Elos, Salifert...

 

[basiab]

Shutting the lights will not solve the problem and it may your corals. Leaving on lunar lights will not help your corals. In any case, as soon as you go back to using the lights the algae will return. Light is a big factor in algae but they need more than light to thrive they need food (pollutants in the water like phosphates etc). So why did it start now when you changed the lights? Can't really know but my guess would be that the extra light gave it the extra kick it needed to grow. So figure out how to deprive it of 'food'. Or get rid of the corals, go with lunar lights and get fish that like it dim like cardinals.

 

[mstrofdisaster]

Since Ive upgraded my lighting from T5's to MH, I have noticed an increase in hair algae, I've since added a fuge w/ some macro, changed the media in my phosban, & have started to notice these gas bubbles on my LR, I was wondering if this is a sign of the algae dying off, or is it getting worse. The problem is magnified by the fact I have the tank in my living room in between large windows that get a ton of sun in from both sides. Another member suggested I cover the sides, but.......? I am going to have a lfs test the parameters till tom, I don't think my API kit is cuttin it! lol Any suggestions! Lastly I'm contemplating covering the tank on all sides and shutting the lights off for a couple of days, I have been told if the algae has nothing to feed off they will die, but Im concerned about my corals? If so is it okay to leave actinics or lunars or is it no lighting

How long is your lighting cycle with the new MH lighting? You may need to cut back a few hours as these new, more powerful lights may be fueling this algae growth.

You also mention 'gas bubbles' on your live rock. If you are not familiar with Cyanobacteria I suggest you search the site and see if any pics match what you're seeing in your tank.

 

[meschaefer]

You absolutely can cut back the lights for a few days to help get the algae under control. A couple of months ago I had an algae outbreak and cut the lights for almost a week. None of my SPS where effected, if you look around on RC many people do this. Even high light corals will be absolutely fine. (they go through worse shipping)

Before I did that I would go in, and manually remove as much of the alage as you possible can. If is a small tank, I would manually remove the rock and take a tooth brush to them and then rinse them off (in salt water) before putting them back. Then do the lights off, followed by a couple of large water changes. I would do a large water change every two days during the lights off period, followed by a large change after you go back to lights on. Then fresh phosban. The water changes are an absolute must, when the alage dies it will release all of its stored nutirents back into the system.

The new MH lights contributed to this, but are not the root cause nor is the sunlight exposure. You have excess nutrients (primarily phosphates and nitrates to a lesser degree) in your tank that need to be dealt with. Before I can give you any more help, I need the following information.

1. The size of your tank, and sump
2. The number and type of fish you have
3. The type of filtration that you use
4. What you feed your tank and how much
5. All of your test kit readings.
6. you lighting cycle, the number of bulbs you use, their size and type.

 

[fishguy23]

I've reduced the lighting schedule to 5 hours, and yes it is not cyano, I had read a thread on another forum that suggested these gas lookijng bubbles are a sign of the algae dying? Cant seem to find it, but will post again to confirm fact ot fiction! As for shutting down the lighting for a day or 2, how drastic or fatal can that be for my corals, when normally they are shipped in a plastic bag, box and other material w/ no light, for at least 1-2 days?

 

[fishguy23]

Hey Kathy, eventually I will invest in a solid testing kit, but for now I have the convenience of walking less than 1/2 a block to an lfs, and test the water for free. Of course it would be more convenient to test when I want,but for now its not on my top priority list, Im just trying to get rid of this algae! lol

 

[da5speed]

I have the same problem and no phosphates in the tank But i think its due to the fact that i get more natural light in the room in the summer

 

[meschaefer]

I have the same problem and no phosphates in the tank But i think its due to the fact that i get more natural light in the room in the summer

Sure no phosphates.... :headache:


It is biologically impossible for algae to grow without phosphates in your system. It is biologically impossible for you to have an algae problem without excess phosphates in your system.

 

[da5speed]

Sure no phosphates.... :headache:


It is biologically impossible for algae to grow without phosphates in your system. It is biologically impossible for you to have an algae problem without excess phosphates in your system.

According to my Reef Master Test Kit it comes up as no phosphates. As for as i know im not color blind. The test came out clear. But if you would like to suggest another brand of test kit that work better please let me know.

 

[meschaefer]

According to my Reef Master Test Kit it comes up as no phosphates. As for as i know im not color blind. The test came out clear. But if you would like to suggest another brand of test kit that work better please let me know.

I hear the Hatch and ELos phosphate test kits are good, I use a Hanna Colorimeter.

Most phosphate test kits are garbage. the other problem is that if you have a lot of algae, the algae use up the phosphates as soon as they are introduced into the water column. The end result is that you are possibly introducing alot of phosphate to the system, but it never shows up on the test.

In all honesty, the best phosphate test kit you have is your tank. If you have an algae problem, you have high phosphates. It is best to assume that you have very high phosphates and than deal with the problem. The largest input of phosphates into the system comes from food. (The gel used to bind together most frozen foods is loaded with it).

There is no way to avoid the introduction of phosphates. You want to make sure you are not adding more phosphates than necessary. Then you need a way to export it out of your system. I run Granulated Ferric Oxide (GFO) in a reactor. Others use macro algae (which IMO has its own set of problems).

 

[masterswimmer]

According to my Reef Master Test Kit it comes up as no phosphates. As for as i know im not color blind. The test came out clear. But if you would like to suggest another brand of test kit that work better please let me know.

I'm sure Matt isn't suggesting you're color blind. The most efficient phosphate test 'kit' on the hobbyist level is the Hanna Phosphate Photometer. It is not a titration test like the one you're using. It is expensive, but will reveal to you that phosphates are present in your system.

swimmer

 

[da5speed]

No i are most test do stink. How often should the media in a phosband reactor be changed? I test the levels last night and they did say 0 but i was planning on hocking up the phosband reactor tonight. I have not hocked it up on the tank since i set it up back in Fed. But since i have added new fish in the last month i do realize i am putting more phosphates in the water with the food. I dont remember off hand what brand media i have but i was told its the type that doesnt release it back into the tank. Thanks

 

[meschaefer]

No i are most test do stink. How often should the media in a phosband reactor be changed? I test the levels last night and they did say 0 but i was planning on hocking up the phosband reactor tonight. I have not hocked it up on the tank since i set it up back in Fed. But since i have added new fish in the last month i do realize i am putting more phosphates in the water with the food. I dont remember off hand what brand media i have but i was told its the type that doesnt release it back into the tank. Thanks

???

You need to proof read, and I am not quite sure what you mean by "Hocked".

If you haven't changed the media out since February, it is probably exhausted.

If you are asking about how often it needs to be changed out generally, that is hard to say as there are to many variables. I have an accurate test for phosphates, but I generally use the "viewing pane" method. When I notice that algae is building up on the front glass of my tank quicker than normal (I usually only need to clean it once a week) I know that the phosban is exhausted and needs to be changed.

 

[fishguy23]

Hey Matt,

1. The size of your tank, and sump
2. The number and type of fish you have
3. The type of filtration that you use
4. What you feed your tank and how much
5. All of your test kit readings.
6. you lighting cycle, the number of bulbs you use, their size and type

50 Gallon (3 damsels, 1 Clarkii, 1 Yellow Tang, 1 Algae Blenny, 1 LTA, ) plumbed w/ my 15 cube (Pair of Tomato Clowns) which is drained to my sump w/ live rock & fuge (macro, mud, LR)

Lighting: 50gallon: 150 watt hqi & 2x96PC, 15 cube: 70 watt hqi. 8am my actinics come on, 10am-5pm (MH run for bout 7hrs), and my lunars come on at nt from 10pm-6am

Coralife 225 Needle point SKimmer (I know newbie mistake)

Thawed mysis every other day, Dried seaweed 3x a week


Im going to get a thorough analysis of my water rt now

 

[jay1335]

I think he meant hooked instead of hocked and it sounds like he hasnt even set it up yet.

 

[mandown123]

if you see gas bubbles in it, its most likely cyanobacteria, as this type produces oxygen as part of its life cycle i believe, so you get small bubbles in it. how bad is the outbreak? you can try blowing it off with turkey blaster to slow the growth. blow you rocks off the keep the fuel away from the fire if you get what i mean. do a nice 20, 25% water change with RO water. it doesnt seem like you're overfeeding or anything and my guess is it is a temporary bloom because of adjustment to your new setup and will subside in a little while as long as everything is kept neat. let me know how it works out

 

[mray]

I noticed that feeding pellets too often raises phosphates like crazy.