green hair algae

[cjrose]

How do I get rid of green hair algae? I had a little before I went on vacation and now I come back 2 weeks later and I have a field of it on one of my rocks. There are little bits here and there on the rocks but the majority of it is on the rocks that get a lot of flow. I will be doing a water change today.
I have a 125 gl FOWLR with a sump. No skimmer yet. 1 watchman goby, 1 hippo tang, 1 yellow tang, 1 red spotted blenny, several snails, 1 cleaner shrimp, 1 coral banded shrimp and 1 camel back shrimp.
PH 8.2
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 20

 

[nemo22]

sounds like a phosphate problem. do you use RO water? and you need to get a skimmer.

 

[cjrose]

I buy my saltwater at the LFS. I was topping off mostly with distilled water and occationally declorinized tap, but I only use RODI now. I've been doing that for a couple months. I'm hoping that Uncle Sam will bring me a skimmer in a couple months. In the mean time what can I do to get rid of the algae? I will get a phosphate test and if needed a remover this weekend.
Thanks!

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by cjrose
http:///forum/post/3202253
I buy my saltwater at the LFS. I was topping off mostly with distilled water and occationally declorinized tap, but I only use RODI now. I've been doing that for a couple months. I'm hoping that Uncle Sam will bring me a skimmer in a couple months. In the mean time what can I do to get rid of the algae? I will get a phosphate test and if needed a remover this weekend.
Thanks!

Since it is fish only, can you remove the rock? I would scrub it in a bucket of saltwater to preserve the good guys on it and clean it up. Then with water changes, the blenny and tangs help to eat it. Add a phosphate remover and you should be able to keep it under control.
Algae is a way of life with fish tanks. Hair algae can get out of control quickly, as you have found out. So keeping phosphates down and water quality up the tangs and blenny should be able to keep the rocks clean. But they need a head start, that’s why I suggested to clean the rocks up manually.