Bad lucks just going to follow me

stuckinfla

stuckinfla

Active Member
I have been battling hair alea in my 55 for some time, so when I set up the 180, I did not add anything from the 55 for fear that it would spread. Now I am noticing this stuff popping up on some aquacultured rock I bought about a month ago, and fear the worse.
The water quality is excelent, and I have 2 PC 96w 10K, 2 PC 96W actinic, 2-175 MH 10K with a 400W 13K in the near future. Am I doomed to forever live with this?? Or Is this something else (I hope)
Top one is red, bottom is green.
 
shawnts106

shawnts106

Member
That doesnt look like hair algea to me, its too thick!.. looks like some kind of good macro, maybe your luck did change!! LOL!
 
tru conch

tru conch

Active Member
a few ?
are you using RO/DI water or tap water?
have you checked for phosphates in your tank?
do you have a skimmer?
what critters do you have for a clean up crew?
if you use RO or RO/DI water it will drastically cut down on the growth of unwanted algae.
phosphates help fuel algae, its one of the many reasons for outbreaks. the lower your phosphate levels, the less of a chance of outbreaks.
skimmers help pull out organic "gunk" which also is food for unwanted algae.
if you still have problems with algae, a good clean up crew will help take care of it as well, blue leg hermits, scarlet hermits, sally light foot crabs, snails (turbos, astreas, mex. turbos, nassirus) and even some nudibranchs.
hth.
 
shawnts106

shawnts106

Member
Tru Conch, none of that is nessesary, look at the picture, its CLEARLY NOT hair algea, its MUCH to thick and not dense enough! its a type of red or green macro, probably is very good!
 
stuckinfla

stuckinfla

Active Member
RO/DI for auto top offs, Phos test "0" and yes, skimmer. The only inhabs are a cardinal (was beat up in 55) one red hermit and as of last night, my emerald from the 55. The hair alge is so bad in the 55, its growing on the snails!! I did add coral from the 55 - after algea was picked off on two that had it (was not bad on them) Three of the 4 PC bulbs are new - MH was just added Saturday from the 55, so they are only on for 2hrs for this week, will increase time over the next cpl weeks to acclimate. (bulbs only have about 200hrs). Guess Ill be hitting the LFS for some snails.
 
stuckinfla

stuckinfla

Active Member
Every day seems like more and more
Here is a close up of the green. The hair in the 55 is straight, this looks more like a carrot top
 
shawnts106

shawnts106

Member
Are You referring to the thing behind the little frag of Green Star Polyp, if so that is NOT hairrrr algae I SAY ONCE MORE!!!... I DO NOT SEE THAT AS BEING HAIR ALGAE, It looks to me as if it is some type of Macro, good stuff, hair algae is in dense, VERYYYY DENSE CLUMPS and is very light like hair and VERY VERY VERY thin, it just doesnt grow a few twigs here and there!!!
 
stuckinfla

stuckinfla

Active Member
That is what Im battling in my 55. I did not stare at the rock in the 55 like I do in the 180, so how it started, I do not know. All I know is that whatever it is, if anyone knows, I dont want it in my display. Yes, hair alge can start as twigs here and there.
 
sailfin

sailfin

Member

Originally posted by stuckinfla
SSB.....dont like the deep.
That could be the problem if you don't have adequete filtration by other methods. The DSB reduces some of the mechanical needs.
 
stuckinfla

stuckinfla

Active Member
This is a new set-up, right before thanksgiving. I have no bioload in there, and a sump with live rock. I do have a refug in the works, this is drivin me nuts.
 
tony detroit

tony detroit

Active Member
Also what are you doing for water movement?
There are many things you can do to break links in the algae chain, there isn't just one solution. Sorry about all the questions.
 
stuckinfla

stuckinfla

Active Member
I dont mind all the q's at all, thats what this is all about: ask, answer & learn.
Water movement - dont know total, everything is swaying, IMO good.
Carbon - 24/7 (change every week)
Water changes - 15gl a week (60 per mo.)
Skimmer is Kent (big thingamajigy) It does a good job, lots of milky white foam. Collection cup has gotten <1/2 cup since started. There is nothing really in the tank to create a large collection of cr*p in there.
PS...I know this is not a factor due to all the base rock has nothing growing on it, it has been in from day one - only the aquacultured.....I use fresh OW.
 
stuckinfla

stuckinfla

Active Member
LMB is still hiding (added yest) emerald crab is starting to take care of some of it (the same rock in first pic is looking better) But now, could there actually be anything worse than hair alge? My 55 has the hair on rocks and snails, thats it. Now I noticed this on the glass of the 180. The long white things are actually micro bubbles flying by. There are no scratches for this to cling to, its just there, and hard to pull off..IM DOOMED!!!
 
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