Getting rid of algea on live rock

[Fish Eat Fish]

My reef has been up (just live rock) for over two months. Im still getting algea growth on my live rock even after cutting my lighting down. Whats the best thing to do? I want to put my first coral in soon but first I want to get rid of the algea.

My ammonia is 0 nitrite 0 ph 8.2 and my nitrate is 10

If you have advise I would appreciate it.

Thanks
Brad

[Jnicho]

Do you know where the nitrate is coming from? By 2 months with no fish load, my NO4 is normally undetectable. Is your LR still shedding a lot? Do you run a power filter with floss pads or anything like that?

[fish.freak]

what type of algae?

[luvmylo]

Originally Posted by fish.freak

what type of algae?

the big question

[tims]

picture?
water changes will help some. the parameters willbe off whileyou have major algae growing

[Fish Eat Fish]

well I have two small emerald crabs, 3 blueleg hermits and I *had* a single guppy. It was from my brackish tank and I just put it in so there was somthing to look at but its seems to be missing. Could be the source for some of the nitrate.

I dont have a camera to take a pic at the moment. Its just a thin coat of green short algea fur. Not sure what kind it is but seeing as I dont even know a single specific kind thats not suprising.

[fish.freak]

Sounds like hair algae.
Are you using RO water?
How long are you running the lights?
How often are you doing water changes?
You can turn the light off all the time, just pop em on to feed fish or view tank, since you have no coral yet.

[Fish Eat Fish]

oh and its a 14 gallon biocube with the stock built in wet/dry, stock PC lighting, 3" SB and 20lbs of live rock

[Fish Eat Fish]

Originally Posted by fish.freak

Sounds like hair algae.
Are you using RO water?
How long are you running the lights?
How often are you doing water changes?
You can turn the light off all the time, just pop em on to feed fish or view tank, since you have no coral yet.

Yes I use RO from my LFS.
I was running them for just 3 hours a day to try to lower the algea
I do 1 gallon a month because I dont have fish
I dont want to just shut them off and kill all the algea in one shot because I would assume that would cause a huge bio load.

[fish.freak]

it would release some nitrate and Phosphate but if you pic up your water changes you can manage.
Do you have pics, so we can see how bad it is?
Red leg hermits and urchins love HA.

[Fish Eat Fish]

im thinking about getting an urchin. No i dont have any pics and cant take any right now as I dont have a camera here. If i just increase my water changes it should go down right?

[fish.freak]

Theoretically yes, but it can be stubborn. Water changes + some algae eater should do the trick.

[tims]

since you dont have much in there. why not scrubb some pieces during the water change.

[Fish Eat Fish]

I may do that during my next water change...I just hate moving the rock because I always think im gunna crush a crab on accident.

[Fish Eat Fish]

I think im going to do some major scrubbing because its not getting better. Is it just as simple as pulling it out and scrubbing it with something, or is there something I can do to to make it more effective as far as keeping the algae away.