Hair Algea

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Reef79

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Jan 23, 2012
Messages
205
Location
Virginia il
I've been using tap water for the last five years or so not had any issues the town has now changed the entire water system over the last four months and I have had hair algea blow up like crazy. This stuff is as fine as hair I cannot get it to slow up I've cut the light back to 8 hours even removed some of my live rock just so I don't have to clean as much to scrub weekly I vacuum as much as I can. Which doesn't leave to much for hermit crabs to eat. All levels test fine phosphates are 0 new bulbs. ???? Any ideas
 
All levels aren't fine if all of the sudden you have a nuisance algae outbreak, no matter what your test kits are saying. i would get an R.O.D.I. unit and stop using the tap water.
 
I am looking at a captive purity R/O unit anyone have suggestions or good or bad experience with them
 
R.O.D.I. Units are all basically the same except for the bells and whistles. Some have pressure gauges, some have in-line T.D.S. meters, and these are good things to have, but inside the filters are the same.
 
Got the rodi unit should I change all water at same time or just use it in weekly water changes any opinions
 
The more water you change out now the better. You will cut the nutrients that the algae is feeding on significantly and cause it to die off in a timely manner. After me starting my first ever saltwater tank over a month ago using tap water I had a hair algae outbreak switched to ro di and withinin two weeks it was gone like it was never there. I changed about %50 then did 20% for three days after and it killed the algae as quick as that.
 
Not just tap water either. I`m sure that has alot to do with it but How much you feed and what you are feeding are big factors also.
 
I only feed once every two days and it is very little as far as food for the fish and clean up crew corals are fed on alternating days thats really just a cap full of Reef solution by eccosystem and enough calcium to replenish calcium levels and alkalinity tank is spotless as far as food waste is concerned I vacuum algea once per week to clarify. Thanks for the replies
 
OK I've been running RODI water for weeks now doing 20% water changes every Sat since and started with a 70% water change still scrubbing algea every Sat I've stopped using flake food in case it had phosphate any other suggestions lights are only on 8 hours for coral. Bought new water testers still tests great no phosphate calcium levels are fine I'm so ready to get the 180 up and running
 
You only have to continue that and wait for the algae to starve out. It's not going to happen in a week. Maybe a month.
 
Its been almost four weeks its starting to get noticeably less this week still scrubbing and vacuming
 
Ya I've got 7 of them currently 2ea pencil urchin 60 blue leg hermits last time I added them up and 20 astreas snails
 
How long have the tank been running for?
How old is sand and rocks?

It may be leeching out of rocks and sand and fueling the algae.
 
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