Need major advice

[madlynb]

Well, I have tried my darndest to rid my 125 gal. FOWLR tank of hairy algae. Water changes, checked water parameters. I believe my last action would be to break down the tank. I also want to install a new sump tank cuz it has some malfunctions to it. My main concern is to not lose my fish that dwell in the tank. I figure I will start to take out the live rock. Do I scrub each piece and remove algae? Do I let the algae die off but then does my live rock die?
I need major advice from the "more knowledgeable". Also, I want to replace my polyglass sump tank with an all glass one. Where can I start shopping for one?
Look forward to your responses.

 

[melosu58]

I`m going to move your question to the SW forums so more will see it. This forum is for introducing your self. As far as a battle plan on hair algea read this.

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

 

[Ziggy953]

Welcome to AA!

Hair algae growing wild in a tank means you have excess nutrients in your system. Do you use RO/DI water to make your own salt? How often and what do you feed your fish? Have you tested your water? If not you need to. Check for Nitrates, Phosphates and if you have the test kit silicates as well.

Personally I think the best method for removing hair algae is by doing it manually. You can do that one of a few ways. I don't like removing rock from the system. I reach in and pull the algae out. It is best to do it one "pinch" at a time. Have a bowl of water set up next to the tank and dip the algae into that bowl of water to remove it from your fingers. Pinch, pull, rinse and repeat. In order to keep it gone you need to find out what is feeding the algae. Again test your water and see what is going on there. If you are using tap water this could be the source of your problems.

 

[madlynb]

I use only RO/DI water

My nitrate level is 5mg. Everything else is at zero. I did not check my phosphate level. Will do that and get back to you. Thanks for your input!

 

[madlynb]

I followed your your 10step nuisance control for algae in an earlier thread. Still a problem.

 

[Ziggy953]

I'm going to place a bet, you will not show a reading for phosphates. The reason you will not show a reading for phosphate is the algae is eating it up as soon as it hits the water column.

Do this:
Nitrates and Phosphates

Test your water right out of your sink tap
Test your RO/DI water
Test your newly mixed salt water

By doing the above you can see where the phosphates or nitrates are coming from. Just because you are getting low readings on your tests does not mean they aren't there. They are being consumed quickly by the algae.

 

[madlynb]

what i feed my fish

I feed them twice a week, myasis shrimp, rotifer and Rod's food. Just enough to where they don't go wild over it.
I will try checking the water parameters of my tap and RO/DI. I don't have mixed saltwater until I am ready to do a water change. I need to get myself some phosphate tester. Will get back to you.

 

[Patroklos]

Get a Two Little Fishes reactor and run Phosban. This is what I had to resort to, and it worked great.

 

[Ziggy953]

Rotifers....where are you getting them and what color is the water they are in?

 

[madlynb]

Due to me being an apprentice, does the reactor take the place of the skimmer or is it an additional piece of equipment for the tank?

 

[madlynb]

frozen rotifers in cubes.

 

[Ziggy953]

When feeding frozen foods it is best to thaw them out and then rinse them very well in RO/DI water. The amount of phosphates and nitrates contained in those cubes will astonish you. Do some PWCs and start rinsing your food off before putting it in the tank.

Rotifers are grown in "green water" or phytoplankton and that is loaded with phosphates. I expect that there is phyto in the cubes along with the rots.

 

[madlynb]

I thaw the rotifers with some of the tanks water pulled out with a baster into a special cup that is used solely for that purpose. Once they dissolve is when I feed them to the fish.

 

[Ziggy953]

Thawing them in tank water is fine. You really should rinse the food off before adding it to the tank. I do this every time I feed frozen food to my fish. I thaw in tank water like you do but then I put the food in a strainer and rinse it for a few minutes in RO/DI water before it is added to the the tank.

I'm about 99% sure that is where your food source for the algae is coming from...

 

[thincat]

As far as a phosban reactor, I'd go with the reactor sold by www.bulkreefsupply.com , it's the easiest to replace media with. That is what I use. I switched from the two little fishes brand.

 

[GhostKnife]

You will also keep your skimmer for sure. Pheric oxide is where its at! Also manual removal. How long do you have your lights on?

 

[madlynb]

My blue actinic lights are on from 10am to 10pm. Halides are on 11am to 9pm.

 

[GhostKnife]

Way too long max 6hours on the white lihgts. Ease into it too. Start with 2 or 3 hours on. Your blues should be fine.

 

[madlynb]

Ok. So it will be okay to start now with just 2 to 3 hours on and then after a week increase by 1 hour until at 6 hours?

 

[thincat]

Go the opposite way and slowly decrease your lights.