Algae control

[Diverdude]

The dark green hair algae is starting to get crazy in my tank. I have a 40 marine and starting get lots of algae. My phosphates are zero and my nitrates are less than 5 ppm. I have only polyps and soft corals and they are all thriving. My macro algae is as well. I am using two (96) watt PC's that are only two months old. One is an actinic and one is a 10K. I am running the lights on a timer. The actinics are running 9 1/2 hours and the 10K's are running 8 1/2. I am wondering if they are getting too much light.
Fish- (2) lawnmower Blennys, (1) Bicolor Blenny, and a sand sifting Goby.

Filtration, I am currently running a Prism protein skimmer and a Whisper hang on which has only some Phosgard that has been in about a week.

Thoughts?

 

[Keith A.]

Diverdude,

I've had problems with GHA off and on since day one. Your P04 and nitrates are so low becasue the GHA is absorbing them faster than your test can read it. Even though you may not want to think about it, if the only filtration you have is a hang on filter and skimmer, you may want to think of an upgrade to trickle filter or sump with a better skimmer, or possibly a canister filter.

The one thing that worked best for me is to set up a refugium with some cheatomorph algae in it. The chaeto will outcompete the GHA for nutrients and the GHA will gradually starve off. The refugium doesn't need to be big in size. I have a 75 gal display tank and put the cheato in the bottom of my trickle filter in an area about 7 1/2 but 9 1/2 inches with a basic plant light I got at a regular department store behind the filter. I haven't had any GHA for over a year now.

Another option I've had some sucess with (but not as much as the refugium) is to get a product called Algaefix made by API. You'll hear mixed results from other people but it worked pretty well for me. Just follow the directions to the letter and be sure to get the marine version. I used that first to to kill off the GHA then used the refugium to maintain.

If you use the phosguard, it works best in a phosban reactor. I tried that and it worked well but don't use it if you have leather corals. My leathers didn't open up for at least six weeks after I stopped using it. You can also try Phosban which is a different material than the phosguard but has the same purpose. In my experience, it's easier on your leather corals too but doesn't seem to last as long.

I've been where your at too and I know the frustration. Hope this helps.

Keith

 

[thincat]

How old is your tank?

 

[melosu58]

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

Try this battle tested plan.

 

[buddha_red]

for glass algae does a scraper work better than the pad on a stick i have now? I have a hard time removing it with just the pad. i have a glass aquarium.

 

[neilanh]

Yeah, the metal scrapers are far superior in my opinion. Plus those sponges can get nasty over time.

 

[spoonman]

Mag-floats are awesome. Have one in every tank...Can you use them in salt?

 

[melosu58]

Oh yes. I have one in my tank.