Help with Hair Algea

[steve474]

Hello I have a 75 Gallon Reef Ready Oceanic, Bio, Skimmer Lighting 380 Watts Via PC Units. RO/DI Water for Approx 1 month
Phos Ban subject to flow in the sump.

Parm's Are

PH 8.1
Temp 78
Phos .02 (Cont Factor Im sure)
Amonia 0
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0
ORP 340

25% Water Changes with the RO/Di ONLY water on a regular basis

I have a lot of Red and Brown Dictyota (Easy to Harvest and great to look at) However the Green Hair Algae is a PROBLEM I use Clean Up via Hermits, Emerald Crabs etc they cannot keep up
I am going to attempt to attach a picture.

Any Ideas would be much appreciated

Steve

[JennM]

Welcome to ARC and to TRT!!!!

I'll answer your question with more questions...

How established is your tank (age?)?

How old are your light bulbs, and how long are they on each day?

How often is "regular basis" for water changes? I generally recommend smaller frequent changes (ie: 10 %/week) that seems to keep things more stable...

Other than your clean up critters, who is living in the tank?

How much and how often and what are you feeding with?

That might provide some answers...

Cheers,
Jenn

[steve474]

Hi Jenn:

Thanks

The tank has been established for 3 Years.
Lighting is Via Power Compacts all bulbs are < 1month old, Lights are on from approx 7 am - 7 Pm Daily

2 Percula, 1 Sebae, 1 Gramma, 1 Flame hawk, 1 Coral Banded and various Cleanup Crew 40 Blue Leg Hermits, 2 Emerald Crabs
and Scarletts.

Approx 10 - 20 % on a Bi Weekly Basis

I feed Mostly Aquariam Marine Flake (Low Phos) and maybe once a week a small portion of Brine. DT Live Approx twice a week for al the filter feeders

Thanks Steve

[rick and jan]

We had the same problem, and it took several changes to fix it. We did frequent water changes with RO/DI water, we added a foxface rabbitfish and a lettuce nudibranch and that got ours under control very quickly. We have to supplement the Foxy with Shrimp and Nori now since he's done such a good job.

[steve474]

Photo Attached

[JennM]

Could be a long-term buildup of nutrients. I've gone through this with generously fed tanks.

I've seen a coincidence of the use of DT and hair algae, whether that is by chance or not, I'm not sure. None of the tanks I maintain use DT but a couple have had hair algae in the extreme, but both were copiously fed with good quality food.

I'd cut the photoperiod to 10 hours at the most, that might help a bit. Are you positive your nitrate is at 0? That's tough to achieve, esp. in an "older" system. Something must be feeding the algae - could be your test kit isn't being truthful. What sort of test kit is it, and how old? Ditto with the phosphate test?

You certainly are not overstocked, so I can see your puzzlement at this problem. How often are you feeding with the flaked food?

Sorry for the 20 questions

Jenn

[MegaDeTH]

You dont have any higher level algae predators, try a lawnmower blenny, they are incredible, one of the best for hair algae cleanup and they should get along with your current inhabitants, small fish too..

If not, a rabbitfish would work well too, they do get rather large (tang sized) but they dont require the swiming room tangs do, watch out for spines along upper back, they are backed by poison glands at thier base..

You didnt mention what "bio/skimmer" is, details?

[intekhab]

Steve,
I am just curious if your test-kit is ok. I am not sure if that test providing good result. Looking at your "Hair Algae" situation, I feel your water contains more Nutrient than what your test result shows.

On the other hand, you can try

- Lower Photo period
- Small amount but frequent feeding
- Heavy skimming
- Cleanup as much hair as possible
- Add other seaweed and caluarpa
- Definitely use another test kit

Having said all the above, I am having somewhat the same problem as you

But I am noticing they are dying off (as they are turning yellow-olive I am still fighting phosphate (even though I use RO/DI water, I notice some phosphate... (under investigation). I thought it was my container (where I store my RO/DI water), but container not producing phosphate either. I am not using any additive at all. Who knows

[steve474]

Thanks for all the input. I use two test kits Sea Test & a Saltwater Master Test Kit. Both are giving the same results. The fish are very happy. Most are now about the same age as the tank 2 - 3 Years.

I feed small portions twice daily, but will attempt to cut back on the period of light a little.

A lawnmower blenny sounds like a good addition and I think I will be out to get one, my goal has been to sustain a small carpet anemone. However it appears I have a very colorfull Algae tank and not very suitable for such at the moment.

As I have mentioned if any one needs any I end up harvesting large quantities of it. Its very colorful and from the reading I have done most is desired and needs high qulaity water. Some assist's the tank, but the green is the only difficult to control.

Steve...

[intekhab]

Steve
I would love to get some Just got done setting up my 200G reef (after a long pause). My Refugium is basically empty