Hair algea winnig the war, need help..

[reefhead728]

Have been fighting a battle with hair algea, all levels are normal using RO/DI, stuff keeps on growing like im feeding it
any ideas

[TimH07]

pluck it out and check your TDS

[Lucid]

I agree, keep mowing it, maybe get a turbo snail to help control the HA. Mine was a total pain for 6+ months until I added a deep sand bed. Mine was due to using tapwater, yours may be high tds.

[twisted]

i added a lawnmower goby to help with the hair algae in the begining along with a turbo snail and havent had any since. plus the l goby is a really cool fish to watch. they are in no way a fix to the problem...make sure all levels are in a good range

[charlie]

Refresh my memory, what is your substrate?

[TimH07]

Refresh my memory, what is your substrate?

it is a substance that you place in the bottom of a tank.








sorry, couldnt resist

[charlie]

Man, you try to help a guy..................................

[reefhead728]

CaribSea Seaflor Pink Fiji Reef Sand which is BS becouse its not pink, I have about 3 inchs of depth,

BTW whats TDS (and tim please no smarta$$ answer)

[charlie]

TDS=Total Dissolved Solids

Do you have a TDS meter?

[reefhead728]

Nope sure dont. have never read anything about one or ever heard of one.

[charlie]

Check these out, and do a little research. These things are a must!!! A TDS level that is too high on the output side means you need to change filters in your RO unit.

TDS - pH Meters

[reefhead728]

Thanks charlie,
Ill have to look into one. BTW we just got a new saltwater store thats only about 15 min from my house im going to go after work and check them out. What gets me about the hair algea is that I bought the RO/DI unit so i would could stop using tap water, I was expecting the RO/DI water to help in keeping it undercontrol not make it worse.

[charlie]

The problem was already there Jeremy, and what you are probably seeing is the algae running it's course because of what was going on before. Do a water change, and take the affected rocks out, if you can, and scrub the crap out of them in the water change water, and put them back into the sytem after rinsing them really well in more saltwater. You are gonna have to be patient here because of what went on before. It has only been a month or so since you hooked up the unit right?

[Ninong]

Jeremy,

You have probably heard all of the standard advice before, so if you want specific advice, please answer all of the following questions. It would take too long to browse through all of your previous posts looking for this stuff:

Substrate we already know about. That's not your problem.

Size of tank?

Exact lighting, including when lamps (bulbs) were last changed? This means type of lighting, wattage, Kelvin, etc.

Photoperiod (how long are the lights on)?

What are your current water parameters? Salinity (or specific gravity), calcium, alkalinity, magnesium and pH (if you know it)? You can skip pH if your other parameters are in line.

Knowing the answers to those questions would help, especially if there is something that just jumps out and shouts "hair algae alert."

If you're using R.O./D.I. water and your TDS reading is normal (meaning the membrane is not in need of replacement), then your problem is not the source water. And it's probably not the substrate either. So the two usual suspects are off the table.

In the meantime, without even waiting for your answers, I will suggest this: raise your salinity to 35 ppt (1.026 SG); raise your calcium to 450-475 ppm; raise your alkalinity to 10-11 dKH; raise your Mg to 1350 ppm. I believe these levels can help you avoid hair algae problems and coralline algae will grow like crazy.

[Ninong]

I was expecting the RO/DI water to help in keeping it undercontrol not make it worse.

It's not making it worse. And if it's brand new, then the membrane is not in need of replacement.

The R.O./D.I. is making things better, not worse. Something else is making things worse.

[scrappyd10]

Why don't you try adding an urchin. I have the same problem and once I put the urchin it ate everything in its path. I would recomend the pencil urchin.

[reefhead728]

Found my problem it was the lighting had just installed the T5s about 3 months ago running 4 14,500 k and 2 actinic plus. Changed out one 14,500 k and put in another actinic plus.