So when does it happen???

[Curgan]

So the first 2 years my tank was running, i was using tap water for water changes and top offs. needless to say i had a bad GHA problem... for Christmas of last year i got a RO/DI filter. now my nitrates, phosphates, nitrites and ammonias are all at ZERO, and Im really happy about that, but the Green Hair continues to grow like crazy... i pick out the algae manually and siphon it during water changes... when should i aspect the Hair algae to start to go away???

 

[smkndrgn142]

You're most likely getting those reading because the GHA is using up all the Nitrate and Phosphate in your tank. I'd keep pulling it out when you're doing a water change and get a good CUC in there. My turbo snails always kept my GHA under control when it was growing in my tank.

 

[Curgan]

lets say hypothetically zero nitrates and phosphates are introduced into the tank from water changes and feeding... would the algae die off or is there enought stored up in the algae itself to survive for a long period of time?

 

[1ofManyNguyens]

lets say hypothetically zero nitrates and phosphates are introduced into the tank from water changes and feeding... would the algae die off or is there enought stored up in the algae itself to survive for a long period of time?

what are you up to?... haha

 

[smkndrgn142]

not necessarily for a long time, but depending on how big of a waterchange you do, yes. The key is to get as much as the GHA out as you can while doing about a 20% waterchange...keep that up for a couple weeks and you should be on the road back...all this is of course based on your hypothetical situation and assuming you have a good CUC in your tank

 

[smkndrgn142]

Tell us more about your tank...How big is it, what do you have stocked, what kind of filtration are you running, what kind of lighting...etc, that will help me and others here to know what's really going on...

 

[lcstorc]

Ultimately algae is fed by excess nutrients in the tank. In my case, I fought it for months in my 90g tank untill I finally found a forgotten sponge in the sump. I removed the sponge and a couple of water changes later it was gone.
Things to try.
Rinse all food in RO/DI water to remove phosphates used as preservative.
reduce feedings
look at stock list. You may well be overstocked. Fish waste is excess nutrients just like excess food is.
when doing a water change vacuum up as much of the detrius as you can from the rocks. I have found the 2 person approach to be the best with one person scrubbing with a toothbrush and the other siphoning in the same area. Similar results can be obtained by attaching the toothbrush to the end of the siphon.

 

[Curgan]

Tank Info... 55 gal, 80 lbs live rock, 3 inch sand bed, cpr HOB skimmer, good circulation, 40x volume per hour, HOB emperor 400, half is converted into a fuge. i do weekly 25% water changes (15 gal), 15 hermits, 10 large turbo, 1 emerald crab, hundreds of really small baby snails, 3 bumble bee snails.
i have three fish, a 2 tone wrasse, a small true perc, and a PJ cardinal, i feed every other day and i do rinse my food.

 

[smkndrgn142]

I'm surprised that your snails aren't keeping up with it. Personally I don't have this problem but there are people out there who will tell you that a 3 inch sand bed can cause excess nitrates (this hasn't been my experience as mine is 3-4in).

I'd say keep up the work, it takes a while to get an outbreak under control, but you're doing all the right things.

 

[Curgan]

sounds like a plan... i got the water mixing up right now to do a water change later tonight... die algae die!