can someone please tell me what I'm doing wrong?

[Nano]

Sps... Ughh.. hair algae... Double ughh.. k here's the story.
I had a nice gha outbreak over the last 2 months after the move. I am using ro/di with nearly brand new filters since the move. I am running phosban, carbon and recently started prodibio bioptim and bio digest. The hair algae has not subsided even a little, in fact its progressing. I have now lost 6 sps frags to rtn in the last month and a half som choice frags too. For those not familiar my set up is

AI sol blue at 50% overall
Phosban and carbon reactors
Refugium with chaeto and live rock
Live rock 40lbs
dry (becoming live) 15lbs
Ato
Tunze 9002 skimmer
3 Hydor 425 powerheads
Etc.

Params

Salinity, 1.025
Nitrates and nitrites 0
Ammonia 0
Phosphate undetectable
Ca 420
Alk 9-10
Mag 1350
Temp 78-80

I am at my wits end now. Seriously considerring shutting it down til I get the 120g up.

Please help guys.

[xenon]

You might need to "cook" your rocks (darkness for 6-8 weeks).

The phosphate is coming from somewhere.

[Switch Blade]

it may be your lights at 50% turn it up to around 80-100

[Nano]

Yeah something is leaching from somewhere

I should add that I discovered last week my magfloat I had holding my frag rack on was rusting on the inside, didn't realize that, I wonder if that could be part of the problem?

[Nano]

it may be your lights at 50% turn it up to around 80-100

Keep in mind, my tanks 15" deep and 24x24" wide the light sits about 8" from the water. Also this problem didn't start til after moving the tank, I am leaning towards a nutrient issue, as the algae is feeding off of something.

[Nano]

Also I should add, cause I know someone will give me the "nothing good happens fast" bit lol, I know this, I'm just seeing if there's anything I can do to get this under control..

[marie]

Algae does need nutrients to grow but if you have seen how plants can grow on bare rock, you realize that once established it needs very little nutrients to stay (in fact hair algae needs less nutrients then your corals do to thrive). GHA are very efficient nutrient uptakers and even a little fish poop in the water will be grabbed before the skimmer can remove it.
You are going to have to physically remove it, yourself or some kind of grazer (keep in mind if you get something to graze on it the resulting poop will fuel the algae)

[Nano]

Thanks Marie, my skimmer was on the fritz for a few weeks as well after the move, nothing seemed to go right. I have pretty low stock in my tank, 2 clowns, a bengai cardinal, and a 6 line wrasse. And cuc obviously. I thought of using a seahare, but didnt want to have to find a home for him after all was done. I can seem to find Mexican turbos anywhere and I hear they are good for eating gha.

Like I said its at the point where I'm not even enjoying it anymore. I remove as much as I can daily but it comes back so fast. I am being told that the prodibio will solve all my problems in this department, and hope that's the case, cause I'd love for my corals to get their color back and start growing again...

[riceboy]

Your tank has sand right. Pretty sure it's the disruption in the sand that's leaching phosphates that were trapped in there out.

[marie]

.....
Like I said its at the point where I'm not even enjoying it anymore. I remove as much as I can daily but it comes back so fast.....

I know what you mean, I have fought just about every pest algae out there. I have covered my tank up with a towel before now so I wouldn't have to look at it :lol:

Everyone telling you to lower your phosphates only goes so far. It sounds like your nutrient levels are already too low for your corals. Taking the rocks out and scrubbing during water changes helps (rinse the rock off in the old change water before placing back in the tank)

[Coralgurl]

Have you tried turning the lights completely off for a few days? I've done this and it does help. Turbo snails are also helpful but are like bulldozers in the tank.

[MrTreat]

if you have a grazer and limit your light time, it might get everything under control... a friend used a couple emerald crabs

[Nano]

Your tank has sand right. Pretty sure it's the disruption in the sand that's leaching phosphates that were trapped in there out.

Nope bare bottom

[Nano]

Have you tried turning the lights completely off for a few days? I've done this and it does help. Turbo snails are also helpful but are like bulldozers in the tank.

No I haven't I'm a bit nervous about it.

[Reef Pilot]

What are you using to measure your phosphates? I used to think mine were undetectable until I got a Hanna Phosphate Checker.

[Madreefer]

I had a buddy fight this for a year and a half. He tried everything and nothin worked other than cooking his rocks. For months. Just put it in buckets and changed out the water on a regular basis. It sucks I know, but if your setting up a bigger tank it's easier to try and battle it now rather than later in a bigger tank. His started out to with a crapped out skimmer and lack of maintenance.

[reefwars]

Ken, marie is dead right, your ha needs to be manually removed or the eying algae produces its own pollution.


Pull it all out even if it takes all day, refresh your gfo and clean your Skimmer. It will dossapear soon.

Hanna for phosphate to get a real reading.

Go blackout for 3 days minimum...no ambiant light.

Prodibio works but it wont harvest your algae you need to do that yourself, if you don't it takes ten times longer just waiting for it to die off
:)

[Madreefer]

Manual removal helps but it'll still come back. It could still something in your rocks dieing from your Kent Carbon issue. If your upgrading anyways go rockless for a while and bite this in the butt.

[Nano]

Do I just need to get it all out to cook it? My tank will be ok (fish/corals) with now live rock for filtration?

[Madreefer]

Do half of your rock for now if you want and just do more water changes. I'm not a big fan of always putting my hands in the tank and disturbing things. Have you followed the Algeafix Thread? That dudes had good luck with his problem as well.

[Nano]

No i havent seen that one yet. If I black out the tank as well, will my corals mainly my remaining sps be ok? For how long lol..

[Nano]

Also my wife and I moved into my parents to save up for a down payment.. so space is non existent to set up buckets all over for cooking the rock. Would moving the rock to the sump blacked out with regular water changes serve the same purpose?

[Madreefer]

Well if you plan on manually removing the HA doing it in your sump is alot better than disturbing your display. You will still have whatever it is that is leaching out of your rocks happening. But it is a good start. Someone mentioned earlier about emerald crabs but your best bet would be a seahare if theres someone in your area that you can borrow one from.