Hair Algae... Think I know the cause... What now?

dismayed · 12/15/2007, 08:36 PM

I've been thinking back and my reoccuring green hair algae problem started months ago when I had a black sun coral in my little AquaPod 24 gallon. The sun coral requires lots of feeding... which I was doing in the tank. Probably not a bright idea.

Anyway since then I have done drastic water changes, massively reduced feedings, added new filters, increased the number of snails and hermit crabs I have, vacuumed some of the sand, and physically removed my live rock and scrubbed off the algae and returned them to the tank. I will have some success for a while, but within a month the problem is back. This problem persists even for long periods of time when I don't have any fish in the tank.

I'm guessing maybe there is still food and junk trapped in the sand, leeching out nitrates and other bad stuff that the algae is feeding off of.

What' my best bet here? Vacuum up all the sand, sift it, and return it to the tank? Suggestions? Thanks.

steven_dean17 · 12/15/2007, 08:42 PM

Dilution and phosphate evacuation. Water changes and fuge or phosban reactor. Good luck and have a happy fraggin day!

demonsp · 12/15/2007, 08:46 PM

Little more info helpful.
Your SB will help control nitrate by converting it into harmless nitrogen but if its dirty and unsifted or your flow is to low then it will only collect nitrates.
You need to target feed the coral with a turkey baster type device.Helps cut down on overage. Also increasing CUC helps.And the water source.
Whats your water source?
Whats used for flow?
Type of stock?
Amount or LR and LS?

dismayed · 12/15/2007, 09:02 PM

The sun coral isn't in that tank anymore. Right now I have the following in the 24g: torch coral, two open brains, cactus coral, xenia, star polyps, donut coral, plate coral, cabbage coral, and no fish.

I feed 1 capfull of DT's twice per week. I do Reef Complete and Reef Plus at the same time and that's it. I do a 15-20% water change once a week. I am running with sponge filters, bio-balls, activated carbon, and phosban.

The water source is a local marine fish store.

On average I have 3/4 of an inch of sand across the bottom of the tank.

I have quite a bit of live rock, it takes up a good portion of the tank. I don't remember to poundage... there are nine pieces all together (five large, four smaller).

Lights are on about 9 hours a day. At one point I reduced that to 7-8 to see if that might help, nada.

I have the pump and nozzle thingy that the AquaPod came with. In addition to that I added a small power head to the tank that I have pointing across the tank and up slightly to ripple the surface water. I don't remember the power but it is equivalent to a smaller MaxiJet.

demonsp · 12/15/2007, 09:08 PM

Those bio balls and other media if not cleaned regularly will collect high nitrates. Your SB is not doing any good for nitrate controll and nass snails would help remove uneatin food but need a 3 to 4 inch SB thats a few months old.
You need to get this under control or coral will be affected.

mg426 · 12/15/2007, 09:39 PM

Phosphate reduction is a good place to start, It seems that it is in everything.

12/15/2007, 08:36 PM	#1
dismayed Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Norman, OK Posts: 321	Hair Algae... Think I know the cause... What now? I've been thinking back and my reoccuring green hair algae problem started months ago when I had a black sun coral in my little AquaPod 24 gallon. The sun coral requires lots of feeding... which I was doing in the tank. Probably not a bright idea. Anyway since then I have done drastic water changes, massively reduced feedings, added new filters, increased the number of snails and hermit crabs I have, vacuumed some of the sand, and physically removed my live rock and scrubbed off the algae and returned them to the tank. I will have some success for a while, but within a month the problem is back. This problem persists even for long periods of time when I don't have any fish in the tank. I'm guessing maybe there is still food and junk trapped in the sand, leeching out nitrates and other bad stuff that the algae is feeding off of. What' my best bet here? Vacuum up all the sand, sift it, and return it to the tank? Suggestions? Thanks.

12/15/2007, 08:42 PM	#2
steven_dean17 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: scott depot wv. Posts: 601	Dilution and phosphate evacuation. Water changes and fuge or phosban reactor. Good luck and have a happy fraggin day! __________________ The Dali Llama is my "Ommmmmboy" Current Tank Info: 75gal. reef

12/15/2007, 09:39 PM	#6
mg426 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: maryland Posts: 6,923	Phosphate reduction is a good place to start, It seems that it is in everything. __________________ I found a way to make a small fortune running a reef tank. Start with a large fortune. Unofficial President of the SEACLONE haters club Current Tank Info: 125 mixed reef 110 lbs LR, 1x250watt XM 20K MH 2x175watt XM 20K MH on Magetics 2X96 watt actinic PC, 220 watt VHO actinic, 30 gallon refugium, closed loop system powered by Sequence Dart MSX 200 skimmer 38 gallon sump, Oceansmotions squirt

12/15/2007, 08:46 PM	#3
demonsp Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: el paso tx Posts: 7,634	Little more info helpful. Your SB will help control nitrate by converting it into harmless nitrogen but if its dirty and unsifted or your flow is to low then it will only collect nitrates. You need to target feed the coral with a turkey baster type device.Helps cut down on overage. Also increasing CUC helps.And the water source. Whats your water source? Whats used for flow? Type of stock? Amount or LR and LS?

12/15/2007, 09:02 PM	#4
dismayed Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Norman, OK Posts: 321	The sun coral isn't in that tank anymore. Right now I have the following in the 24g: torch coral, two open brains, cactus coral, xenia, star polyps, donut coral, plate coral, cabbage coral, and no fish. I feed 1 capfull of DT's twice per week. I do Reef Complete and Reef Plus at the same time and that's it. I do a 15-20% water change once a week. I am running with sponge filters, bio-balls, activated carbon, and phosban. The water source is a local marine fish store. On average I have 3/4 of an inch of sand across the bottom of the tank. I have quite a bit of live rock, it takes up a good portion of the tank. I don't remember to poundage... there are nine pieces all together (five large, four smaller). Lights are on about 9 hours a day. At one point I reduced that to 7-8 to see if that might help, nada. I have the pump and nozzle thingy that the AquaPod came with. In addition to that I added a small power head to the tank that I have pointing across the tank and up slightly to ripple the surface water. I don't remember the power but it is equivalent to a smaller MaxiJet.

12/15/2007, 09:08 PM	#5
demonsp Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: el paso tx Posts: 7,634	Those bio balls and other media if not cleaned regularly will collect high nitrates. Your SB is not doing any good for nitrate controll and nass snails would help remove uneatin food but need a 3 to 4 inch SB thats a few months old. You need to get this under control or coral will be affected.