Green Hair Algae and GFO

lespaul339 · 01/29/2015, 03:24 PM

I'm not new to the hobby but am new to running GFO so I thought I would post this here.

So I have a fairly new tank, it's only 4-5 months old. 150 display, 50 gallon sump. Upgraded from a 60 gallon. Didn't use anything from old tank except my fish and coral. Used BRS dry reef saver rock to cycle the tank and all new special grade reef sand, and have been using RO water from the start. I don't use DI, but never had a problem with hair algae in my old 60 gallon tank before I got this up and running. I think my rock is the culprit. I think it's leaching phosphates. I don't feed heavy and watch the amount of food I put in my tank very closely, so this is not a case of overfeeding.

I bought a GFO reactor two days ago and have it installed. Not doing carbon with it, just GFO. Will the hair algae die off on it's own from the GFO, or do I still need to pick and scrub it off the rocks so the GFO can prevent it from growing back? This is my first time using GFO since I never had a need for it with my old tank. Just don't know what to expect. I am also doing weekly water changes of 30 gallons to help lower phosphate levels while trying to battle this stuff. Doing that and using GFO how long before I should start to notice results?

jon99 · 01/29/2015, 06:04 PM

Have you tested the water for phosphates and nitrates? Gfo will lower phosphates, but it's kind of a slow process. It's much better at keeping phosphates low, than reducing them. If you test your water and phosphates are high: you can either use a product like phosguard to first reduce the phosphate levels, or look into dripping lanthanum chloride, or just do several large water changes. I've done the first and last, never tried the lanthanum chloride. Once phosphate levels are lower, run the gfo continuously and replace every month or so. Once nutrients are under control, the algae will start to die off and simply siphoning during water changes will remove the bulk of it, no need to scrub. Lights off for 3days will also help kill some of it off. And yes, I agree it's likely the rock leaching the nutrients. I had a similar experience with rock I ordered from BRS. Don't get impatient and just let it run it's course.

PotteryMan · 01/29/2015, 06:32 PM

Here was my experience with HUGE algae outbreak from using years old dry rock from my tank I have had for over 20 year. I attribute the turn to GFO: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...1&postcount=18

As of today VERY little algae and GFO has been off the system for weeks. I only have 1 fish and it eats algae....so no nutrients going in hardly. I feed flakes for CUC 2 - 3 times a week.

I need to buy some fish!

lespaul339 · 01/29/2015, 07:54 PM

@ jon99: Thanks for responding to my post. I have not tested for phosphates. I don't have a phosphate test kit but plan on getting one very soon. I've always heard that usually the algae consumes most of the phosphates so most kits don't show a phosphate problem even though there is one. Nitrates test 0. I've been doing 30 gallon weekly water changes, so my water quality is good as far as nitrates go. I think I just need to let this run it's course like you said. Do the water changes and let the GFO work it's magic. It's good to know someone else had the same problem with BRS rock. I think it's just another type of "cycle" that my tank needs to go through. It just sucks to have this beautiful tank and see that ugly algae in there.

@ PotteryMan: Thanks, that definitely gives me hope. Looks like the GFO has worked wonders for you. I also have a lawnmower Blenny in QT right now. He has 3 more weeks to go before I can add him to my DT. I put a rock from my DT in with him and he was munching on some of the hair algae, so I'm hoping he builds up an appetite for it!

01/29/2015, 03:24 PM	#1
lespaul339 Reefer Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Iowa Posts: 903	Green Hair Algae and GFO I'm not new to the hobby but am new to running GFO so I thought I would post this here. So I have a fairly new tank, it's only 4-5 months old. 150 display, 50 gallon sump. Upgraded from a 60 gallon. Didn't use anything from old tank except my fish and coral. Used BRS dry reef saver rock to cycle the tank and all new special grade reef sand, and have been using RO water from the start. I don't use DI, but never had a problem with hair algae in my old 60 gallon tank before I got this up and running. I think my rock is the culprit. I think it's leaching phosphates. I don't feed heavy and watch the amount of food I put in my tank very closely, so this is not a case of overfeeding. I bought a GFO reactor two days ago and have it installed. Not doing carbon with it, just GFO. Will the hair algae die off on it's own from the GFO, or do I still need to pick and scrub it off the rocks so the GFO can prevent it from growing back? This is my first time using GFO since I never had a need for it with my old tank. Just don't know what to expect. I am also doing weekly water changes of 30 gallons to help lower phosphate levels while trying to battle this stuff. Doing that and using GFO how long before I should start to notice results?

01/29/2015, 06:32 PM	#3
PotteryMan Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Atlanta Posts: 64	Here was my experience with HUGE algae outbreak from using years old dry rock from my tank I have had for over 20 year. I attribute the turn to GFO: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...1&postcount=18 As of today VERY little algae and GFO has been off the system for weeks. I only have 1 fish and it eats algae....so no nutrients going in hardly. I feed flakes for CUC 2 - 3 times a week. I need to buy some fish! __________________ Mark 100 gallon addiction

01/29/2015, 06:04 PM	#2
jon99 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Atl Ga Posts: 817	Have you tested the water for phosphates and nitrates? Gfo will lower phosphates, but it's kind of a slow process. It's much better at keeping phosphates low, than reducing them. If you test your water and phosphates are high: you can either use a product like phosguard to first reduce the phosphate levels, or look into dripping lanthanum chloride, or just do several large water changes. I've done the first and last, never tried the lanthanum chloride. Once phosphate levels are lower, run the gfo continuously and replace every month or so. Once nutrients are under control, the algae will start to die off and simply siphoning during water changes will remove the bulk of it, no need to scrub. Lights off for 3days will also help kill some of it off. And yes, I agree it's likely the rock leaching the nutrients. I had a similar experience with rock I ordered from BRS. Don't get impatient and just let it run it's course.

01/29/2015, 07:54 PM	#4
lespaul339 Reefer Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Iowa Posts: 903	@ jon99: Thanks for responding to my post. I have not tested for phosphates. I don't have a phosphate test kit but plan on getting one very soon. I've always heard that usually the algae consumes most of the phosphates so most kits don't show a phosphate problem even though there is one. Nitrates test 0. I've been doing 30 gallon weekly water changes, so my water quality is good as far as nitrates go. I think I just need to let this run it's course like you said. Do the water changes and let the GFO work it's magic. It's good to know someone else had the same problem with BRS rock. I think it's just another type of "cycle" that my tank needs to go through. It just sucks to have this beautiful tank and see that ugly algae in there. @ PotteryMan: Thanks, that definitely gives me hope. Looks like the GFO has worked wonders for you. I also have a lawnmower Blenny in QT right now. He has 3 more weeks to go before I can add him to my DT. I put a rock from my DT in with him and he was munching on some of the hair algae, so I'm hoping he builds up an appetite for it!