what to do about hair algae PLEASE HELP!!

[sansouci01]

The rock on my 20 gallon tank is starting to get some hair algae on it. I've read many posts stating that the algae needs nitrates and phosphates to thrive. All my water parameters are good. 0 phosphates, 0 nitrates. I do 25 % water changes weekly. I feed every other day. I'm running a skimmer and a HOB filter with chemi-pure elite in it. I even checked my LFS salt water that i use and all the tests come back good. What am I missing ? Before I use chemicals to get this under control ( which I really don't want to do ) is there anything else I can look for or do...
I did read that API algaefix works well for different algae's including hair algae.

 

[Fishman007]

You dont need any chemicals to defeat algea, are you using RODI water? RODI is a basic NEED in a saltwater tank IMO, your adding phosphate to your tank if your using tap, and other heavy metals, nitrates, and what not.

 

[sansouci01]

nope..only using ro/di water. My saltwater is pre made from my lfs and tests good. I also buy ro/di from them for my top off water. tested 0 tds

 

[melosu58]

FantasyReef Databases-Viewing item "10 Step Plan for Nuisance Algae Control"

 

[sansouci01]

Hello melosu58
I've read that article and do or have just about everything on that list. The only thing I haven't done is cut back on my lighting. I do have soft corals but I will try to cut the lighting time in half and see if that helps. thanks

 

[melosu58]

When you do pwc's do you check the water before you add to the tank? It could be that you are adding the nitrates and ammonia. I would do water test results on a batch before adding it.

 

[sansouci01]

I check the rodi top off water. tds-0 ammonia,nitrates,phosphates..0

 

[sansouci01]

and yes, also the pwc water

 

[Holygral]

Something doesn't make sence, if you feed every other day, and you do 25% weekly WC! something is wrong, I suspect you water, if you don't have control of your water, it is very hard to narrow it down. Are you saying 0 tds from your own test or theirs, also if it is your own meter, do you calibrate and if so with what, the most important thing you can do in this industry is have total control if what makes up 95% of your reef! and that's your water. NO lfs or fill yr own water machine places are going to change filters when they should be changed, it's a roll of the dice. If you are serious about your reef, get an rodi unit, then if you have a issue you can start to narrow it down, having someone else supply to main ingredient of your reef, it is impossible to narrow down what is out of wack

 

[Breakthecycle2]

No water tests 0 TDS and your phosphates are def not zero. What test kit are you using?

 

[Holygral]

No water tests 0 TDS and your phosphates are def not zero. What test kit are you using?

Disagree, change all your filters and membrane and you will get 0 TDS but it is short lived, 0-5 is a real number, but like I said something doesn't make sense, 0 tds and 0 phosphates, then there is no way of having hair algae.

 

[bribo12]

It is probably a false phosphate reading from the algae using it up.

 

[Airgoose2222]

I agree with the false phosphate result. I would manually remove as much algae as possible, scrubbing, scraping, etc. Then I would check the plates after daily afterwards to see where you are really at with them. If there's a higher reading, then something is in your water source. Or food source?? I use to use tap water to melt the frozen food and dump in the whole thing. Meaning I obviously was adding tap water toy tank. Didn't even think about it when I used to feed that way.

 

[Jesse Greer]

What kind of clean up crew do you have. In a 20gal tank you should have about 10 to 15 blue leg hermit crabs. They will devastate hair algae. Your not going to see nitrates in your water test because the algae is consuming it. I think you are doing everything right with the water changes, and the R/O water. You probably just had some on the live rock when you bought it, or a little was on a coral that you bout and it spread without having something that would eat it. Just get more crabs, (BLUE LEG'S). You will be very happy. I overfeed my tank, I have no skimmer, and I have not done a water change in over a year. I just have a good clean up crew and a deep sand bed. The only thing I clean is my glass and filter pad. You can also get a yellow tang. They will eat a lot of hair algae. Good luck.