2 questions?

[Mbheat77]

I've been fighting hair algae for a while. Can look at older post for more info. But I'm finally doing regular water changes and bot loosing any fish. My question is that I still have hair algae but it's not growing as fast. I pick as much as I can without trying to stress my fish each water change. So I want to know can a tank go thru an ugly stage again I've had it for about 3yrs and when I bought it I kept alot of the water that the previous owner had running. I did do almost a full water change when I was having the fish dieing issues. Now I am doing 15gal a week for a 125g. I have green algae growing on the sand by the end of the week when I'm about to do the water change. So this leads to my next question is could it be my light cycle. My lights are on from 5:30 - 630 but are only on with the white on from 10-1. Sorry for the lengthy post. Any help is appreciated 

[DarStar301]

I battled hair algae for over 1 year, did the manual scrubbing thing, water changes, and lots of clean up crew. I won the battle by adding a algae scrubber.

[Mbheat77]

1 hour ago, DarStar301 said:

I battled hair algae for over 1 year, did the manual scrubbing thing, water changes, and lots of clean up crew. I won the battle by adding a algae scrubber.

What type of algae scrubber do u have. 

[DaJMasta]

What are your water parameters like?  How much are you feeding?  What kind of nutrient export do you use (skimmer, regular water changes, chemical media, scrubbers, etc.)

Especially if it's a slow onset, you've got more nutrients going in than out.  Often increasing removal can help, but reducing input can too, and adjusting other parameters (light intensity, stocking, dosing, one-time treatments) can have a significant effect.

 

So there should be a lot of potential ways to solve this problem, you've just got to decide on one.  Provided your phosphate and nitrate levels are reasonable, I would, personally, look towards livestock as a potential management/solution.  You've got a good bit of space, so one of the common herbivores (a tank, foxface, etc.) is probably viable unless would conflict with your existing livestock.  Smaller fish like a lawnmower blenny could be a helpful and interesting addition, and of course there are a whole slew of invertebrates which could help (snails, emerald crabs, urchins, etc.)

 

If your corals don't need as much light as you're providing, turning down the lights or shortening the schedule could be an option, and then there are chemical options for nutrient removal and as an algaecide if it comes to that.  A skimmer, scrubber, algae reactor, refugium, or other equipment can also be an effective option, but it may be a more costly and slower acting one that may not be necessary.

Edited December 26, 2023 by DaJMasta

[DarStar301]

I bought a used on Wamas a Clear water scrubber. 

[josh36]

also need to ask not only the tank parameters but also the rodi.. I have a 210 and fought hair algae for months in my tanks early stages. I went the nuclear route I pulled out the rocks one at a time and scrubbed them with hydrogen peroxide and a stiff brush. that stunned enough until my cleanup crew of urchins,tang gang,and snails could keep up.. skimmer with a good wet skim and balanced nutrients, not low nutrients, but balanced I continue to run higher nutrients with a sps dominant tank and no hair algae

[davidm]

IMHO I would do less frequent but larger water changes.  instead of 15gal a week for a 125g, I would do something like 30 gal every three weeks. hang in there - you will win the battle with patience.

[Mbheat77]

On 12/25/2023 at 11:04 PM, DaJMasta said:

What are your water parameters like?  How much are you feeding?  What kind of nutrient export do you use (skimmer, regular water changes, chemical media, scrubbers, etc.)

Especially if it's a slow onset, you've got more nutrients going in than out.  Often increasing removal can help, but reducing input can too, and adjusting other parameters (light intensity, stocking, dosing, one-time treatments) can have a significant effect.

 

So there should be a lot of potential ways to solve this problem, you've just got to decide on one.  Provided your phosphate and nitrate levels are reasonable, I would, personally, look towards livestock as a potential management/solution.  You've got a good bit of space, so one of the common herbivores (a tank, foxface, etc.) is probably viable unless would conflict with your existing livestock.  Smaller fish like a lawnmower blenny could be a helpful and interesting addition, and of course there are a whole slew of invertebrates which could help (snails, emerald crabs, urchins, etc.)

 

If your corals don't need as much light as you're providing, turning down the lights or shortening the schedule could be an option, and then there are chemical options for nutrient removal and as an algaecide if it comes to that.  A skimmer, scrubber, algae reactor, refugium, or other equipment can also be an effective option, but it may be a more costly and slower acting one that may not be necessary.

Ok I have a 55g sump with a protein skimmer. I'm running phosguard and carbon also. My livestocknis a foxface, scopas, kole eye bristle tooth, cardinal, fairy wrasse & 1 clown right now. I had emeralds and recently 2 purple urchins, but they died along with my emeralds. Oh I have a fire shrimp also. My levels were good last time I checked. I will check again, but a Buffy said that by me having the algae that my nitrates are false readings. It is getting better but it still grows that tint of green across everything. 

[Mbheat77]

15 hours ago, davidm said:

IMHO I would do less frequent but larger water changes.  instead of 15gal a week for a 125g, I would do something like 30 gal every three weeks. hang in there - you will win the battle with patience.

That would actually fit my schedule better. But wouldn't that be more stress and swings each time

[zygote2k]

Do you test your water parameters?

if so, what are they?

 

common tests-

n03

p04

Cal

Mag

Alk

Temp

 

I did service for 20+ years and getting an auto feeder and keeping steady water parameters, will get rid of most nuisance issues.

 

TDS assuming you’re using RO

 

[epleeds]

2 hours ago, zygote2k said:

Do you test your water parameters?

if so, what are they?

 

common tests-

n03

p04

Cal

Mag

Alk

Temp

 

I did service for 20+ years and getting an auto feeder and keeping steady water parameters, will get rid of most nuisance issues.

 

TDS assuming you’re using RO

 

The master is back 😂 you set up a tank yet?

[zygote2k]

This year I’m hoping to get one set up.