10 gallons of hair algae!%^&%$

[griffithimage]

I have a 10 gallon display and a 20 gallon sump. The tank has been set up since Sept 1st and I'm currently having a massive battle with hair algae and now am also seeing some bubble algae.
My parameters are:
Temp: 77
Calc: 420
ph 8.1
ammonia 0
nitrates 20
phospahtes 25
dosing 7.5 of ionic once a day
shallow sand bed 1-3 inches

circulation is an mp10 at 1/4 power, 2 fish - starry blenny and a clown. red legged hermit, 3 turbo snails, 2 sexy shrimp. My skimmer is not yet operational but I'm running carbon and just added gfo 2 days ago. Tank is lit with a Kessil a150 for 8 hours a day.

I started very slowly and only added my first fish November 1st. I recently added the bleny in hopes he would eat the algae. (he hasn't)

I'm using ro water and the tds is 0. I'm not sure where the phospahtes and nitrates are coming from. I was doing bi weekly 25% water changes and since the algae started have been doing weekly and twice weekly changes.

I have a few clues but need some advice. I had a few feather dusters and put in 1/4 cap full daily of pytoplankton for about 2 weeks at the beginning of November but since have corrected my error and now with an eye dropper, only add 3 drops once a day. I feed brine shrimp to the clown once daily, and maybe about half a fingernail. I don't think I'm overfeeding.

I have pretty good flow but since there is a strainer in front of the 3/4 inch bulkhead, the water goin down to the sump is a trickle and my eheim pump has a ball valve barely open to compensate. I'm been doing my water changes from the sump rater than the display, could this be the cause of the algae?

Would love some help. The hair algae is covering every surface, I can remove 1 rock to scrub but the rest can't be taken out easily.

[ryeguyy84]

Take out the strainer and get a filer sock. Get the flow moving in the sump. Maybe add some live rock down there with some chaeto. I think the 1/4 cup of plankton might have started this all. Keep up on the water changes it will take time

[griffithimage]

Originally Posted by ryeguyy84

Take out the strainer and get a filer sock. Get the flow moving in the sump. Maybe add some live rock down there with some chaeto. I think the 1/4 cup of plankton might have started this all. Keep up on the water changes it will take time

The strainer is acting as a snail guard in the display but is cutting down the flow to the sump. The filter sock I'm assuming is at the other end

[ryeguyy84]

Oh I get it, yes the sock is the other end. How tight is the strainer? You could try a looser mesh

[bundybear1981]

How much are you feeding the tank (if at all)?? Excess food could be fueling the algae growth. Also how long to you run lights for? It may pay to have them off for a couple of days.

[griffithimage]

Originally Posted by bundybear1981

How much are you feeding the tank (if at all)?? Excess food could be fueling the algae growth. Also how long to you run lights for? It may pay to have them off for a couple of days.

Barely feeding the tank and running the ligts 8 hours a day

[ryeguyy84]

3 day blackout. I'm on day 2 myself for a cyano outbreak I'm having

[griffithimage]

Originally Posted by ryeguyy84

Take out the strainer and get a filer sock. Get the flow moving in the sump. Maybe add some live rock down there with some chaeto. I think the 1/4 cup of plankton might have started this all. Keep up on the water changes it will take time

That amount of pytoplankton could start all this?

[bundybear1981]

Have you check the phosphate of the water you are changing with? Your RODI might not be removing it fully too..
As ryeguyy suggested I would try a 3 day blackout too

[ryeguyy84]

Originally Posted by griffithimage

That amount of pytoplankton could start all this?

Again I didn't read I though 1/4 CUP. Man I'm not doing so good on this one.

[griffithimage]

Originally Posted by bundybear1981

Have you check the phosphate of the water you are changing with? Your RODI might not be removing it fully too..
As ryeguyy suggested I would try a 3 day blackout too

Thanks, just checked, .25 phosphates in the ro water. I guess tds doesn't measure phosphates?

[BCreefmaker]

what brand of phyto were you feeding? or was it home made?

What is TDS? by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

[griffithimage]

Originally Posted by BCreefmaker

what brand of phyto were you feeding? or was it home made?

What is TDS? by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

Phyco Pure Reef Blend- its concentrated so a couple of drops should do for 10 gallons

[BCreefmaker]

Are there any dosing instructions? Most commercial brands have dosing instructions.

[griffithimage]

Originally Posted by BCreefmaker

Are there any dosing instructions? Most commercial brands have dosing instructions.

yes, got that problem licked, 2-3 drops. Can anyone tell me what to do about phosphates in my ro? Do I need to replace my ro filters even though my tds reads 0?