Green algae, my nightmare....any suggestions?

[Legonch]

Ok, probably a simple question, but Im stumped. Every day, I can see a green film on the inside of my glass. I use my mag float and it comes off easily. Tank has been up since October, and is fully cycled, is just a fish and rock tank right now.

Ive tested all the parameters of the water, and ammonia nitrite and nitrate are all at zero. Had the LFS test it also, came up with the same results. Phosphate levels were barely detectable. Lights are new T5HO bulbs, and I only run them 8 hours a day.

Green hair algae growing in some spots, I remove it, and it comes back.

Any ideas what Im doing wrong? Or is this just normal stuff I have to live with? I see pictures of all your tanks, and they are all spotless, no green gunk anywhere.

Thank you in advance!

 

[projectx]

Its possible that the algae is consuming some of it so thats why your not getting a high reading, are you running a fuge? If so put some Cheato in, feed it and starve the algae in the display so to speak. Here is a good article on phosphates. If I remember right any measurable amount is bad. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_5/volume_5_3/phosphates.htm

 

[Dr.DiSilicate]

The other questions I have are: water source, water movement, lighting. And your tank is young, a baby in fact. Takes time.

 

[projectx]

+1 on water, are you using tap water or getting it from a fish store, or making your own from an RO unit?

 

[TheRealChrisBrown]

I think we always clean glass. I get mine about every 3 days. I'm not sure there is a solution for that other than a little bit of elbow grease.....but I could be wrong.

GHA on the other hand could be many reasons. I reduced feedings, reduced photo period, carbon dosed, GFO, chaeto and macros in sump......lots of solutions but you need to identify the problem if you ever want to truly eradicate it.

 

[Wet Paycheck]

I can do a full spectrum analysis if you bring me some water.

 

[Legonch]

I use rodi water....I have a unit here that I make my own water. With algae problems like this, I cant imagine the headache with tap water. I read the info on here before I even setup my tank, and a RODI was a must from the start.

I was going to order a mini reactor from BRS, (not much space under the stand) and put some gfo or a carbon gfo mix in there to see if that helps. Would you guys recommend that? Right now, I just have a small carbon bag in the overflow box, not as an algae prevention....

Food, lately Dr. G's medicated food due to that nasty ich problem. I only feed what they eat in a few minutes, anything left floating, i scoop out before the pump comes back on.

Cheto.....okay stupid question, but what exactly is it? I have a sump, but its not a fuge, pretty simple one actually.

Paycheck where are you located?

As far as water movement, I just a have a hydor in one corner, its moving water around pretty good.

I know my tank is young, but dang algae is a pain........

 

[Wet Paycheck]

Lakewood

 

[jda123]

If you used dry rock, you can expect the hair algae on the rocks for some time to come. It will eventually go away when the bound phosphate in the rock is all gone - can take a long time.

If you did not use dry rock, then sorry that I took up eight seconds that you will never get back.

 

[rjl45]

+1 we all clean the glass some, only difference is how often. Also, no one is going to take a photo of their tank with dirty glass. They will clean it first, then take the photo...at least that's what I do lol.

I clean glass every 2-3 days. Was having a problem and had to clean every day to every other day. I installed a algae scrubber and it has helped. Others run refugium or reactors. All 3 will help with nutrient export. After studying photos and reading about many people's experiences, some algae is almost always present, but if it is constantly covering the glass, rock or sand, there is an imbalance.

 

[Legonch]

I did use mostly dry rock when I started the tank........that may explain that. Most of the green stuff is growing on what was dry rock. The live rock I put in there at the beginning is pretty hair algae free. I do however see green hair algae in/on my sand once in a while. My blenny is fat....imagine that.

Good info!

 

[TheRealChrisBrown]

Chaeto - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaetomorpha is an algae that reefers grow typically in their sump or in one of the chambers of an all in one tank. The basic idea is to grow this algae which will use up nutrients in your water, which will starve out other algae in your aquarium.

There is a Chaeto Thread here: http://www.marinecolorado.org/forum...e-trade-or-want-to-buy/7131-the-chaeto-thread

You can post up on there and see if anybody near you has some to get rid of. As the chaeto grows it needs to be cut back and the excess given away or thrown away. If you do get some you'll need a light source for it. Can be as simple as a CFL light from Home Depot, I like the 100W equivelent which I think is around 6500k (might be 4500k, I don't remember). Attach that to an $8 clamp light with a silver reflector, also found at Home Depot or Lowes and you've got your light source. A lot of people run their chaeto light opposite of their display tank (Light is on when display is off, light is off when display lights are on), I usually run mine 24/7 so that my neighbors can accuse me of running a grow house :crazycrazy:

 

[Legonch]

Can I just put that stuff in my sump right by my pump? There isnt a separate chamber for it in my sump. Grow house...thats funny. You walk by my house at night and my window in the room where the fish tank is is all blue looking, running actinic and blue plus bulbs. Im sure the neighbors think something is going on.

 

[TheRealChrisBrown]

I don't have a special chamber in my sump, I just had it in a high-ish flow area under that clamp on light. I think a lot of people would put it after their skimmer so in the event that you get a populations of pods going they won't be sucked into the skimmer before reaching the return pump.

 

[lee_is_007]

If you have zero nitrates then that is probably the reason you have hair algae that wont go away. In order for 1 phosphate to be used in your tank you need 16 nitrates (redfield ratio). So if you don't have nitrates its hard to get the phosphate levels down, hence the hair algae.

 

[Texco]

If you have zero nitrates then that is probably the reason you have hair algae that wont go away. In order for 1 phosphate to be used in your tank you need 16 nitrates (redfield ratio). So if you don't have nitrates its hard to get the phosphate levels down, hence the hair algae.

+1