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Hair/Turf Algae

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Sponge, Dec 20, 2011.

  1. Dec 20, 2011 #1
    Sponge Marshalltown, IA

    Sponge Expert Reefkeeper Vendor

    3,347
    Marshalltown, IA
    Ratings:
    +233 / 1 / -0
    I've been having a problem with algae so have been vodka dosing for a few weeks.   After WC today, phosphate at 0 (Hanner checker) and nitrate between 10-25(Salifert), probably at 15.   Before beginning the dosing, the phosphate was high and the nitrates were very high/DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default/emoticons/angry.gif   The phosphate and nitrate started dropping at 1.5ml so I stayed at that dosage for about 10 days.  It seemed that the algae was still growing, so I've upped the dosage to 2ml.  It's been 4 days at 2ml and haven't noticed any change.  First, I'm wondering if going to 2 ml was okay even though I noticed the reduction in PO3 and PO4 at 1.5ml ?  If I don't notice a change within the next 3 days, should I go to 2.5ml?  I believe once the trates are gone, the algae should die off...right?  How long might that take as the algae is effecting some zoas...starting to grow b/t the polyps/DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default/emoticons/sad.gif
     
  2. Dec 20, 2011 #2
    bladerunner des moines

    bladerunner Well-Known ReefKeeper

    476
    des moines
    Ratings:
    +9 / 1 / -0
    I had a bad hair and bubble algae problem, I tied using only RO water, cutting back on feeding and even only having the lights on for no more then 6 hours. Nothing seemed to help until I made my own algae scrubber It's been about 2 weeks maybe a little more and my scrubber is almost out of control with different kinds of algae including hair, but all the hair algae in my tank is almost GONE. I spent 5 dollars on some acrylic palette at Michaels, ruffed it up as much as possible, ran some tubing to have water running over it, and spent another 5 dollars on a lights that I run for 12 hours on 12 hours off. It's hard to start the algae growing, but if your algae is growing that bad just tear some off and send it down the pipe and there's your seed.
     
  3. Dec 20, 2011 #3
    Sponge Marshalltown, IA

    Sponge Expert Reefkeeper Vendor

    3,347
    Marshalltown, IA
    Ratings:
    +233 / 1 / -0
    Algae scrubbers work ;-0) but I have no area to do such...I'm dosing.

    Anyone?
     
  4. Dec 20, 2011 #4
    vikubz Cedar Falls

    vikubz Well-Known ReefKeeper

    734
    Cedar Falls
    Ratings:
    +8 / 0 / -0
    Your phosphates and nitrates are being taken up by the algae so you get low test results. Reduce feedings, reduce lighting period, up water changes, scrub the bad rocks if necessary. There's no quick fix, but it will work. Are you using RO, and if you feed frozen are you rinsing it before feeding?

     
  5. Dec 21, 2011 #5
    jbmartelle

    jbmartelle Inactive User

    32
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0

    Without a scrubber, patience is the best route.  The phosphate has soaked deep into your rock.  Reducing the inputs is the first good step.  Watch what you put in the tank if you're not using a scrubber or phosphate/gfo product.
    You will need to scrub the algae off the rock many times.  Sounds like fun, huh?  But as you reduce inputs to the tank and scrub the rock of algae periodically, the phosphate will eventually all leach out of your display rock.  It takes a while, maybe as much as six months...
    Good luck
     
  6. Dec 21, 2011 #6
    Bud West Des Moines, IA

    Bud Loves Bacon Website Team Board of Directors Leadership Team GIRS Member Vendor

    8,890
    West Des Moines, IA
    Ratings:
    +1,823 / 14 / -0
    If you don't think you have room for a scrubber, consider the latest recommendations for screen sizing based on feeding volume. Over the last few months this has become the standard recommendation.

    Instead of making the screen equal in dimension to the size of your system, you make it 12 square inches for every cube of food you feed per day, or equivalent thereof. So if you have a 100 gallon system and feed 2 cubes a day, instead of needing a 100 square inch screen with 100W of light, you only need a 24 square inch screen with 24W of light. Also you can up the lighting to 2W/sq in and cut the 'on' time in half, then start increasing it at the 3 month point in 1 hour increments and make the lamps last 6 months instead of 3, and this will also power through high nutrient and in-tank algae phases much better as the more intense light promotes green growth on the screen, and green growth is exponetially better at filtering. Just need to make sure the growth is green (if not, increase light cycle) and not rubbery yellow (if so, decrease light cycle).

    This method makes it much easier to run a scrubber, because you don't need as much flow due to a shorter screen, and it doesn't take up nearly as much space. Even if you can only install a scrubber that is a fraction of what you need according to the new recommendation, do it, because a supplemental scrubber is still very powerful at quickly reducing N and P.

    I recently cut down the size of the screen on the tank I run one on and the growth has been much better - solid green.
     
  7. Dec 21, 2011 #7
    jstngates Toledo Iowa

    jstngates Experienced Reefkeeper

    1,794
    Toledo Iowa
    Ratings:
    +40 / 1 / -0
    I had a few rocks with it on it. I bought a couple tangs and some blue leg crabs and they seem to be eating it up. If I see anything I use a toothbrush to scrub the rocks. It works really well.
     
  8. Dec 21, 2011 #8
    Sponge Marshalltown, IA

    Sponge Expert Reefkeeper Vendor

    3,347
    Marshalltown, IA
    Ratings:
    +233 / 1 / -0
    Thanks for the responses ;-0)
     

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