Algae taking over

[jawsome]

Okay, I've got a 55 gallon reef tank. Since I moved, I've been using different tap water for water changes and green hair algae popped up everywhere. So since then I've started adding Calcium and have put an Algone nitrate remover in the filter and switched to RO water. Now it seems that the green hair algae which has engulfed all my coral has a rad slimmy layer over it. I really don't know what else to do to get rid of this stuff but its killing my coral. Any suggestions?

 

[beaslbob]

And again welcome.
to me the best is to use plant life to fight the algae. Do you have any macros or plants in the system? Whatever the answer more would fight off the ugly algae
You could also try reducing the lighting and/or feeding.
And again and again welcome

 

[jawsome]

Yeah, I switched to the RO water about a month ago and thats when the green algae started turning red. No i don't have any plants in the tank, I could look into that. And I'll try less light and less feeding. Actually, my roommate and I are trying to turn the tank into a predator tank because the reef tank is too much work. But to trade in the corals, the fish stores won't take them with algae on them. And our coral is unfortunately covered in it. So we are trying to get rid of it. do you guys have any ideas for a fast way to get rid of it, or is it mostly a slow process?
thanks for the welcome

 

[clarkiiboi]

A very informative thread on cynobacteria (aka red slime, cyno) was here awhile ago, I think that may be what is hapenning to your tank now. Use the search button above and type in JustinX (in the search by user name, upper right) and then go to the bottom under search options then click the pull down arrow switch from "search all open forumns" to reef tanks. Its a thread something like how to rid your tank of red slime. HTH, Welcome to the board!

 

[psychoskater]

Yeah i use tap water on my 55 gal and i had a huge hair algae prob. I bought a bacteria called Marine SAT. It is a bacteria that consumes the nutrients that hair algae needs to survive and ends up killing the algae. It works great but can take up to 3 months.

 

[dad]

I am a BIG beleiver in NOT adding chems to get rid of problems such as algae etc.
You need to find out what is causing the problem and start there.
These so called cures will only hurt you in the long run!
Take kipass's advice and start from there. IMO,