Serious Algea Problem

[metalhead789]

For the last 4-5 weeks I have been having a bad hair algae problem on my live rock and sand bed. I'm unsure what to do at this point. I've been doing vodka dosing for the last 4 days now but i'm not sure if that will do much, it's mainly for my nitrates. Anybody have any clue what to do? Nitrates 5, ammonia 0, nitrite 0, ph 8.2, salinity 1.024. Here are some pictures of the algae.

[Kennedy1]

Are you using RO/DI water?

[metalhead789]

Originally Posted by Kennedy1

Are you using RO/DI water?

Yes, I have been using it for over 3 months now so I don't think thats the problem. And for the first 8 months my tank was set up I was using tap water and never had a hair algae problem like this.

[Raggamuffin]

nitrates at 5 shouldn't fuel that... I have been fighting nitrates at 50+ for a year and a half and it never got that bad. While I finally got them under control I don't think that is your problem for some reason. May want to look at your lights, what is the age and type of bulb?

[Kennedy1]

Have you added any new rock lately? What are your phosphates looking like?

[metalhead789]

Originally Posted by Kennedy1

Have you added any new rock lately? What are your phosphates looking like?

I added new rock covered in coralline algae about 3 weeks ago but those rocks aren't covered in anything. Just the sand bed and some of the rocks. It started turning red as you can see in one of the pictures. I've been dosing with calcium and builder the last month but I stopped because of the vodka dosing, stability dosing and all the algae. I just didn't want to over do anything.

[metalhead789]

and phosphates are close to 0 not quite .25

[Kennedy1]

Even tho the new rock isn't cover it could have brought some GHA spores that have attached in your tank. How old is the tank and did you cure that rock that you had in there before?

[guidedbyechoes]

My tank was much worse. I ended up pulling out all the rock and scrubbing it all with a brand new for the tank use only scrub brush. Also are you stirring your sand bed when you are doing water changes?

[reefgeezer]

.25 phosphate is kind of high, particularly if you assume quite a bit is bound in the algae. Are you running any GFO, or do you have any other method of controlling phosphate. It could be tha the live rock you added recently is leaching it.

[metalhead789]

Originally Posted by guidedbyechoes

My tank was much worse. I ended up pulling out all the rock and scrubbing it all with a brand new for the tank use only scrub brush. Also are you stirring your sand bed when you are doing water changes?

Tank is close to a year now and and the rock was already cured. Should I go with scrubbing? Will the vodka method help? I am cleaning the sand bed and the "floor' with the syphon hose but not really stirring it.

[usmc121581]

It could be nutrients or bulbs and or water your using. just because the tests are reading what you say doesn't mean there isn't more. Most of the phosphates will be lockup in the GHA so you won't be able to et a true reading. You mentioned You used tap water for about 8 months, the phosphate and nitrates could have been absorbed by the live rock and is now being released. how old are your lights and what type of lighting are you using? You could also remove the rock and bake it it will kill everything though. One last thing do you by chance know what the TDS reading is for the water your using for a water change?

[metalhead789]

Originally Posted by usmc121581

It could be nutrients or bulbs and or water your using. just because the tests are reading what you say doesn't mean there isn't more. Most of the phosphates will be lockup in the GHA so you won't be able to et a true reading. You mentioned You used tap water for about 8 months, the phosphate and nitrates could have been absorbed by the live rock and is now being released. how old are your lights and what type of lighting are you using? You could also remove the rock and bake it it will kill everything though. One last thing do you by chance know what the TDS reading is for the water your using for a water change?

Not a clue about the tds. I'm using 3w leds and I've had those for about 3 months now.

[usmc121581]

Ok so lights may be able to get ruled out. Are the filters in the RO filters( sediment, carbon, RO) new? If so black the tank out for 1-2 days and do WC, cut down on feeding.

[metalhead789]

Originally Posted by usmc121581

Ok so lights may be able to get ruled out. Are the filters in the RO filters( sediment, carbon, RO) new? If so black the tank out for 1-2 days and do WC, cut down on feeding.

I'll give that a go. I hope that works! Thanks a lot everyone!!!

[usmc121581]

It should I have 2 huge colonies of star polyps that I do that with. Has long as you do not let the new flesh get a hold.

[metalhead789]

Originally Posted by usmc121581

It should I have 2 huge colonies of star polyps that I do that with. Has long as you do not let the new flesh get a hold.

What do you mean?

[guidedbyechoes]

Originally Posted by metalhead789

Tank is close to a year now and and the rock was already cured. Should I go with scrubbing? Will the vodka method help? I am cleaning the sand bed and the "floor' with the syphon hose but not really stirring it.

I scrubbed the algae from the rocks. Mine was much worse though. I've heard various things about stirring sand. But I plan on starting once I get my skimmer as I dont have a deep sand bed.

[ska d]

vodka dosing will take a few months to see any real results. but to be honest with you, from what i can see in the pics your problem isnt that bad. having said that we do need some more info ( unless i missed it). give us everything you can. size of tank, epuipment, what you are dosing, what you are testing for and the type of test you are using. what livestock do you have. any kind of clean up crew, and or grazing fish. i know its alot, and it may not even make a difference in fixing yor problem. but its kind of like trying to put a puzzle together with missing pieces. im seeing alot lately where soemone says they have a problem,but their water tests all show perfect. if everything was perfect there wouldnt be a problem. i noticed you were using tap water for the first 8 months. your rock and sand bed are have probably absorbed so much phosphate that its leaching back into the water. you might have to start by replacing the sand bed and running some kind of phosphate absorber. you may have to let it run its course until nitrates are lowered and phosphate is depleted. i actually dont mind alittle hair algae in my tank. i let it grow out on all my power heads, and my tang and rabbit fish go nuts for it. from what i saw some snails and a couple of grazing fish would do quite well in your tank. last question, how much are you feeding ,.hope i havent offended you. just trying to help.

[guidedbyechoes]

Originally Posted by ska d

vodka dosing will take a few months to see any real results. but to be honest with you, from what i can see in the pics your problem isnt that bad. having said that we do need some more info ( unless i missed it). give us everything you can. size of tank, epuipment, what you are dosing, what you are testing for and the type of test you are using. what livestock do you have. any kind of clean up crew, and or grazing fish. i know its alot, and it may not even make a difference in fixing yor problem. but its kind of like trying to put a puzzle together with missing pieces. im seeing alot lately where soemone says they have a problem,but their water tests all show perfect. if everything was perfect there wouldnt be a problem. i noticed you were using tap water for the first 8 months. your rock and sand bed are have probably absorbed so much phosphate that its leaching back into the water. you might have to start by replacing the sand bed and running some kind of phosphate absorber. you may have to let it run its course until nitrates are lowered and phosphate is depleted. i actually dont mind alittle hair algae in my tank. i let it grow out on all my power heads, and my tang and rabbit fish go nuts for it. from what i saw some snails and a couple of grazing fish would do quite well in your tank. last question, how much are you feeding ,.hope i havent offended you. just trying to help.

I will add one more point. It would also be wise to check the expiration date on the tests. I found out about a month ago they can expire and the tests won't be accurate.

[biocube14g]

Don't you love algae!?!?!?

[metalhead789]

Originally Posted by ska d

vodka dosing will take a few months to see any real results. but to be honest with you, from what i can see in the pics your problem isnt that bad. having said that we do need some more info ( unless i missed it). give us everything you can. size of tank, epuipment, what you are dosing, what you are testing for and the type of test you are using. what livestock do you have. any kind of clean up crew, and or grazing fish. i know its alot, and it may not even make a difference in fixing yor problem. but its kind of like trying to put a puzzle together with missing pieces. im seeing alot lately where soemone says they have a problem,but their water tests all show perfect. if everything was perfect there wouldnt be a problem. i noticed you were using tap water for the first 8 months. your rock and sand bed are have probably absorbed so much phosphate that its leaching back into the water. you might have to start by replacing the sand bed and running some kind of phosphate absorber. you may have to let it run its course until nitrates are lowered and phosphate is depleted. i actually dont mind alittle hair algae in my tank. i let it grow out on all my power heads, and my tang and rabbit fish go nuts for it. from what i saw some snails and a couple of grazing fish would do quite well in your tank. last question, how much are you feeding ,.hope i havent offended you. just trying to help.

Tank is 55 gallons, i have a rena xp3 which is rated at 125 gallons, i also clean it out weekly, hydor slim skim 90 gallons, I have 30 turbo snails 30 nassarius snails, 30 hermit crabs, a green spotted puffer, a dragonet golby, and a seagrass filefish. I feed the puffer 1 clam every 2 days and remove it 10 minutes after hes done eating, i feed the filefish a square inch of dried seaweed which i keep on a clip to reduce waste, and the goby I feed copepods.