Lighting and hair algae

cantfindnemo · 05/15/2006, 01:03 PM

I have a friend who is runing into a problem with hair algae and need some help. First off some basics

30 gal aquarium
1 550 powerhead 200ppg
seaclone skimmer
2 blue damsels
1 pulsating polyp
1 green star polyp
10 lbs live rock
corallife compack light with 2 50/50 bulbs

Ok now her phosphates and nitrates are 0 her ph is at 8.2 and I don't no where her alk is.

Her tank started to do this when she put the compact light on and I just found out she had 2 50\50 bulbs in it, could this be the wrong lighting and cause the outbreak. The outbreaks start with a green film over the substrate and then blooms to green algae within a couple of hours.

Is it the light or something else?

Here are a couple of pictures

Thanks for the help.

zoltetov · 05/15/2006, 01:12 PM

How old is the light? How often are her feedings? How much is she feeding? These are jst some of the considerations. As far as the 0 reading for phosphates and such, algae eats phosphates, so of course they would register as 0. That's why the hair algae is looking like a Scott's lawn.

I'd have a few things to look into, if I were here. The seaclone probably isn't doing much of anything. I'd bet if she added another powerhead, say, a maxi-jet 1200 or even a smaller seio, and upgraded the skimmer to something decent, half the problem would be solved. Algae thrives off f excess nutrients in the water. I doubt there's much in the way of water movement going on in that tank, so she'd need to increase the flow. I'd also look into adding a refugium if she doesn't have one.

Anyway, just a thought to consider...

cantfindnemo · 05/15/2006, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by zoltetov
How old is the light?

She just bought the light, but the 50/50 bulbs have nothing to do with it you think.

Thanks for the help.

zoltetov · 05/15/2006, 01:20 PM

Nah. I think it's more the other stuff. No problem!

jer77 · 05/15/2006, 02:37 PM

Is the tank just breaking in? Does she have anything that will eat the algae like a tang or hermits and snails?

cantfindnemo · 05/15/2006, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jer77
Is the tank just breaking in? Does she have anything that will eat the algae like a tang or hermits and snails?

Yes it is a fairly new tank, I think 4 months. So is this normal for all tanks because I never had anything like this.

She has a snail that eats it I think.

zoltetov · 05/15/2006, 03:49 PM

When I first started out with my 29g, I had almost no flow, no refugium, and not much in the way of nutrient export. After about 5 months, I had such a hair algae problem, it wasn't funny. Then my tank leaked, i had to make a make-shift rubbermaid aquarium, didn't have much in the way of lights for it, and after a month, i was up and running in my 46 that i have now. I added two seio 820s, a big protein skimmer, a hang-on back 5g CPR refugium, a sump, and change my lights regularly, no hair algae problem.

smleee · 05/15/2006, 04:04 PM

Where is the water coming from? RO/DI unit, LFS, tap?

eee

cantfindnemo · 05/16/2006, 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by smleee
Where is the water coming from? RO/DI unit, LFS, tap?

eee

She gets her water from LFS and uses Distiled bottle water.

kau_cinta_ku · 05/16/2006, 07:05 AM

my guess is the phosphates and the tank being a new tank. get some turbo snails and if there is room some macro alage

smleee · 05/16/2006, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by cantfindnemo
She gets her water from LFS and uses Distilled bottle water.

Does she test them with a TDS meter? LFSs are notorious for not changing their filters. Test their RO/DI water and the distilled. Sounds like she has phosphate tests; use those too and let us know the results.

eee

05/15/2006, 01:03 PM	#1
cantfindnemo Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 196	Lighting and hair algae I have a friend who is runing into a problem with hair algae and need some help. First off some basics 30 gal aquarium 1 550 powerhead 200ppg seaclone skimmer 2 blue damsels 1 pulsating polyp 1 green star polyp 10 lbs live rock corallife compack light with 2 50/50 bulbs Ok now her phosphates and nitrates are 0 her ph is at 8.2 and I don't no where her alk is. Her tank started to do this when she put the compact light on and I just found out she had 2 50\50 bulbs in it, could this be the wrong lighting and cause the outbreak. The outbreaks start with a green film over the substrate and then blooms to green algae within a couple of hours. Is it the light or something else? Here are a couple of pictures Thanks for the help.

05/15/2006, 01:12 PM	#2
zoltetov Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Miramar, Florida (miami-ish) Posts: 920	How old is the light? How often are her feedings? How much is she feeding? These are jst some of the considerations. As far as the 0 reading for phosphates and such, algae eats phosphates, so of course they would register as 0. That's why the hair algae is looking like a Scott's lawn. I'd have a few things to look into, if I were here. The seaclone probably isn't doing much of anything. I'd bet if she added another powerhead, say, a maxi-jet 1200 or even a smaller seio, and upgraded the skimmer to something decent, half the problem would be solved. Algae thrives off f excess nutrients in the water. I doubt there's much in the way of water movement going on in that tank, so she'd need to increase the flow. I'd also look into adding a refugium if she doesn't have one. Anyway, just a thought to consider... __________________ It's not THAT the wind is blowing... It's WHAT the wind is blowing... - Ron White Current Tank Info: 46g bow-front, 2x250w MH w/ 250w XM 15Ks, AquaC Remora skimmer, mag-5 return, 2 x Seio 820s, 100+lbs of live rock, 5-6" DSB, Baby-girl my GSM, Sigmund the Fairy Wrasse, and a softie collection.

05/15/2006, 01:20 PM	#4
zoltetov Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Miramar, Florida (miami-ish) Posts: 920	Nah. I think it's more the other stuff. No problem! __________________ It's not THAT the wind is blowing... It's WHAT the wind is blowing... - Ron White Current Tank Info: 46g bow-front, 2x250w MH w/ 250w XM 15Ks, AquaC Remora skimmer, mag-5 return, 2 x Seio 820s, 100+lbs of live rock, 5-6" DSB, Baby-girl my GSM, Sigmund the Fairy Wrasse, and a softie collection.

05/15/2006, 02:37 PM	#5
jer77 Phish Lover Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 2,642	Is the tank just breaking in? Does she have anything that will eat the algae like a tang or hermits and snails? __________________ - Jonny -, 120g 5 Year Old Reef w/ SPS, BTA, Zoos & some Softies. 40g Frag Tank. 40g Sump. Super Reef Octopus XP 3000 External Cone Skimmer. 250W Radiums. TaoTronics LED. PanWorld 200PS w/SQWD

05/15/2006, 03:49 PM	#7
zoltetov Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Miramar, Florida (miami-ish) Posts: 920	When I first started out with my 29g, I had almost no flow, no refugium, and not much in the way of nutrient export. After about 5 months, I had such a hair algae problem, it wasn't funny. Then my tank leaked, i had to make a make-shift rubbermaid aquarium, didn't have much in the way of lights for it, and after a month, i was up and running in my 46 that i have now. I added two seio 820s, a big protein skimmer, a hang-on back 5g CPR refugium, a sump, and change my lights regularly, no hair algae problem. __________________ It's not THAT the wind is blowing... It's WHAT the wind is blowing... - Ron White Current Tank Info: 46g bow-front, 2x250w MH w/ 250w XM 15Ks, AquaC Remora skimmer, mag-5 return, 2 x Seio 820s, 100+lbs of live rock, 5-6" DSB, Baby-girl my GSM, Sigmund the Fairy Wrasse, and a softie collection.

05/15/2006, 04:04 PM	#8
smleee Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 1,344	Where is the water coming from? RO/DI unit, LFS, tap? eee

05/16/2006, 07:05 AM	#10
kau_cinta_ku Moved On Join Date: May 2005 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 8,669	my guess is the phosphates and the tank being a new tank. get some turbo snails and if there is room some macro alage