Hair algae and gfo opinions wanted
- Thread starter rknapp
- Start date
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
It's better to put GFO in a reactor, because the water has actual contact with the chemical filtration media.
Using GFO won't cure your hair algae problem, but it will prevent new hair algae from growing. If you don't have corals, kill your lights for a couple few weeks, cut back on feeding, do a few water changes and add a GFO reactor to your tank - and it will all clear up. If you have coral, it's a little trickier.
Using GFO won't cure your hair algae problem, but it will prevent new hair algae from growing. If you don't have corals, kill your lights for a couple few weeks, cut back on feeding, do a few water changes and add a GFO reactor to your tank - and it will all clear up. If you have coral, it's a little trickier.
clown-keeper99
Member
what are your water parameters?
that would help alot
that would help alot
clown-keeper99
Member
you most likly have a false 0's since the algea is consuming it before it can accumulate
do a large water change (say 40%-50%) and see what happens
personaly I just have my GFO in a bag above my bio balls and it works great for me
tunr the lights off for 2-3 days
your corals should be able to handle it
do a large water change (say 40%-50%) and see what happens
personaly I just have my GFO in a bag above my bio balls and it works great for me
tunr the lights off for 2-3 days
your corals should be able to handle it
rknapp
Member
Thanks for the help. I thought the same thing about the 0s. I was going to get a reactor for the gfo but I put carbon in a filter bag and put it above the bio balls now so if you're having good luck with the gfo I think I'll do the same. Do you run carbon and gfo 24/7 or do you do it intermittently? I use 1 cup of carbon for my 90 gal for 1 week/month. I'm going to order gfo and do the large water change and at the same time I'll turn off the lights for a few days. Thanks for the ideas.
clown-keeper99
Member
I run it 24/7 and change it once a month
rknapp
Member
I would say it covers about 20-30% of the rock and isn't getting worse but not getting better. I hand pick it when it's long enough. It doesn't bother the corals though. I feed 2 cubes of various frozen shrimp 1x per day and have 1 med/large yellow tang, 1 med/large clown, 1 med goby and a med sized royal gramma along with a clean up crew and other critters. I wash the shrimp before feeding. It seems to be the right amount.
clown-keeper99
Member
It seems to me that you are feeding to much food
one cube is enough
I have 2 yellowtails, a Occlaris clown, and a tribal blenny and I only feed 1/4 a cube once a day
one cube is enough
I have 2 yellowtails, a Occlaris clown, and a tribal blenny and I only feed 1/4 a cube once a day
btldreef
Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by rknapp http:///t/389470/hair-algae-and-gfo-opinions-wanted#post_3442738
I would say it covers about 20-30% of the rock and isn't getting worse but not getting better. I hand pick it when it's long enough. It doesn't bother the corals though. I feed 2 cubes of various frozen shrimp 1x per day and have 1 med/large yellow tang, 1 med/large clown, 1 med goby and a med sized royal gramma along with a clean up crew and other critters. I wash the shrimp before feeding. It seems to be the right amount.
You're feeding way too much! For those fish I'd be feeding 1/2 a cube every other day, 1/2 cube daily, MAX. Also, start offering some algae sheets for the tang, although they eat meaty foods, they need the algae in their diet and most won't eat the hair algae.
An example of feeding:
My 180 reef gets 2 cubes every other day along with algae sheets and here's my stock list:
1 clown
1hippo tang
1 purple tang juvenile
1 blonde naso tang
1 pink tail shrimp goby
1 bullet banded goby
1 mandarin
1 leopard wrasse
1 yellow coris wrasse
3 pj cardinals
1 copperband butterfly
1 TINY foxface
1 coral beauty
1 yellow candy hogfish
1 cleaner wrasse
algae sheets are fed daily. Granted I have a refugium, so that is supplying food to my wrasses and mandarin, and I have very established rock which allows the herbivores to graze, but still, they're all very, very healthy fish.
Originally Posted by rknapp http:///t/389470/hair-algae-and-gfo-opinions-wanted#post_3442738
I would say it covers about 20-30% of the rock and isn't getting worse but not getting better. I hand pick it when it's long enough. It doesn't bother the corals though. I feed 2 cubes of various frozen shrimp 1x per day and have 1 med/large yellow tang, 1 med/large clown, 1 med goby and a med sized royal gramma along with a clean up crew and other critters. I wash the shrimp before feeding. It seems to be the right amount.
You're feeding way too much! For those fish I'd be feeding 1/2 a cube every other day, 1/2 cube daily, MAX. Also, start offering some algae sheets for the tang, although they eat meaty foods, they need the algae in their diet and most won't eat the hair algae.
An example of feeding:
My 180 reef gets 2 cubes every other day along with algae sheets and here's my stock list:
1 clown
1hippo tang
1 purple tang juvenile
1 blonde naso tang
1 pink tail shrimp goby
1 bullet banded goby
1 mandarin
1 leopard wrasse
1 yellow coris wrasse
3 pj cardinals
1 copperband butterfly
1 TINY foxface
1 coral beauty
1 yellow candy hogfish
1 cleaner wrasse
algae sheets are fed daily. Granted I have a refugium, so that is supplying food to my wrasses and mandarin, and I have very established rock which allows the herbivores to graze, but still, they're all very, very healthy fish.