SnowboardKid26 Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 (flame) So as most of you know I got a 16g nano from a friend of mine. Well with it i inhereted hair algae problem with it. Thinking "well i've been reefing for a while i can lick it" I took it on. Well its been a month now and no slowing the algae. So here it is... PLEASE HELP ME. any ideas that I haven't tried. Here's what I've done so far. Increased flow by adding a powerhead. The tank turns over now about 20x per hour with the filter, skimmer and powerhead combined. Cut the halide light back to like 2 hrs a day, and only have been running actinic flourescent lamps (2 x 12" VHO) Running Kents phosphate remover, replacing every 2 days. Running activated carbon replacing every 2 days. added a lawnmower blenny, 45 blue leg hermit crabs, and 2 turbo snails. already had 4 astrea snails. WHAT ELSE CAN I DO!!! I'm getting frustrated, and those who know me know its hard to get me frustrated. HELP!!! (flame) Thank SBK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefboy Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 ok well are you using some sort of purified water is the halide bulb old (over a year)once bulb gets old gos to the red spectrum fosters algae growth also when u moved the tank what little balance it had was lost so this would add to the ongoing algae prob if this was already a prob so stick with it if your using good purified water for water changes it will go away but dont expect it to happen real soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnowboardKid26 Posted July 2, 2006 Author Share Posted July 2, 2006 The water im using is ro/di so I know the prob is not there, and the bulb is a BRAND new 11K krystal star (don't buy them they REALLY suck) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefboy Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 sounds like your doing everything u can so time will be your enmy now youll get it back in shape Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurch Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 Is the hair algae short and matted to the rock or long and soft. I have the short matted. I took a piece of rock to seahorse today and was told its turf algae and the only way to get rid of it was to dry the rock. Woody said nothing will eat it. I bought rock from a local pet store when I started my tank that was covered in it I tried everything to get rid of it and nothing worked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefboy Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 do weekly small water changes and siphon out as much algae and detritus as u can each time say 5gal a week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnowboardKid26 Posted July 2, 2006 Author Share Posted July 2, 2006 Its the long crappy, my buddy didn't do water changes, didn't give a crap about the tank cuz it only had rock and 2 clowns in it type. Im gonna try the toothbrush method in the morning... on another note, which of the LFS would be open on Monday? I'm comming to Vancouver to get fireworks, and hopefully stopping by the reef shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurch Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 upscales and fanta-seas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefgeek84 Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 I am going to be getting Prodibio products, h20cooled(rich) used it and it took his problem out...I will let you know how it works for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 do weekly small water changes and siphon out as much algae and detritus as u can each time say 5gal a week as reefboy said this is how I got rid of mine, stepped up my water changes, and siphoned what I could, ran phosban, since it lasts about 2 months not 2 days, and run the skimmer really wet (this is key). It will take time, the rock has tried to absorb all that crap now you will kick the cycle in reverse, you will have to remove water to help do almost a tank "Cook" slowly removing wastes from the rock. If you can blow down the rocks with a powerhead first then siphon. It will take time and patience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnowboardKid26 Posted July 3, 2006 Author Share Posted July 3, 2006 thanks guys. i'm heading for portland this morning. i'll look for phosban, and a few snails. where is fanta- seas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefgeek84 Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 102nd and sandy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 Have you tested the TDS of your RO? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 Miles you have a tds meter? If so we need to meet at Seans sometime and I would like to to check my water out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnowboardKid26 Posted July 4, 2006 Author Share Posted July 4, 2006 I haven't tested the TDS. but I got a phosphate test kit today and its between 0.3 and 0.5. so there is the problem right there. Anyways, 10 astrea snails, a letuce nudi, and more waterchanges. hopefully I can get a handle on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 Yes your ph is very high, the wter changes will be good, Like I said run that skimmer really wet to help, and if you can run some phosban in a phos reactor till you feel comfortable. If the tank is as small as you say all you would need for phos is about 2 teaspoons, it sounds like not enough but I use about 1/4 cup in my 155 gallon. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnowboardKid26 Posted July 4, 2006 Author Share Posted July 4, 2006 awesome. I haven't been able to find phosban so far, i'll check the net tonight. I did the toothbrush method on my rock this morning, looks SO much better. Hopefully the snails and hermits will have a better shot at the new softer growth. I need to get a reactor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 well if you toothbrush them, make 100% sure you do it in a tub out of your tank, and dump the water you use. When you clean the algae you release algae spores that will gladly take over new places in your tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted July 5, 2006 Share Posted July 5, 2006 Miles you have a tds meter? If so we need to meet at Seans sometime and I would like to to check my water out. I sure do! Just let me know the day and time. Your P04 is definately high. I'd get your RO water checked and do frequent WCs till you see results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rude944 Posted July 5, 2006 Share Posted July 5, 2006 Lettuce nudibranchs did the trick for me when I had the same issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnowboardKid26 Posted July 5, 2006 Author Share Posted July 5, 2006 after 2 water changes the phosphate is down to 0.1 so that is better. hopefully I can get it down to 0. I put some more phosphate sponge in this morning so we'll see. Now for the hair algae. heh heh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 Keep up on those WCs. Its gonna take awhile for all the PO4 to leech out of the rock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 fun fun... see you both later today... lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twitterbait Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 if you get tired of it i would just remove all the LR and do the cooking process in the garage for a few months to clean it up. when the rock is ready to go back in you should replace the sandbed and do a large WC. that will eliminate the phosphate sink and give you a clean slate to work off of. If i was dealing with what you are... that is what i would do now. the tank will be fine without the rock for a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnowboardKid26 Posted July 6, 2006 Author Share Posted July 6, 2006 anyone ever tried using distilled water for water changes? isn't it supposed to be the most pure form of water? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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