HAIR ALGE!!!!!!!!!! HELP!!!!!!!!!

mmstillwell01

mmstillwell01

Member
How can you go to bed one night and everything be fine and wake up the next morning and your tank looks like the swamp thing invaded in the night????
I've tested for everything that I have tests for.
125gal tank a year and a half old
20gal sump (new)
Live rock and sand
Specific Gravity 1.024
Temp 74
PH 8.4
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0.25 PPM
Calcium 380
Iodine 0.06
My test kits are over a year old should I get new one's?
It's on my back glass and on most of my live rock not on the sand yet.
I did go yesterday and got three Mexican turbo snails.
What should I do next?
Thanks for the help.
 
tlsohio

tlsohio

Member
It could be a result of high phosphates. How much are you feeding? How many fish? what type of food? Do you have any pictures?
 
mmstillwell01

mmstillwell01

Member
I feed frozen brimb shrimp mixed with alge every other day, 7 fish, I dont have any pictures my daughter has my camera I'll have to get it from her and take some.
I put in a new sump about three weeks ago could that have anything to do with it?
Does anyone know if this if a good test kit?
The Instant Ocean Reef Master Test Kit includes tests for pH, alkalinity, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, and calcium
I have to order one online or waite until this weekend to get one.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by mmstillwell01 http:///forum/thread/381574/hair-alge-help#post_3324419
I feed frozen brimb shrimp mixed with alge every other day, 7 fish, I dont have any pictures my daughter has my camera I'll have to get it from her and take some.
I put in a new sump about three weeks ago could that have anything to do with it?
Does anyone know if this if a good test kit?
The Instant Ocean Reef Master Test Kit includes tests for pH, alkalinity, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, and calcium
I have to order one online or waite until this weekend to get one.

I really like the Instant Ocean, very easy to read. As long as you are using RO water the ne sump shouldn't cause a problem unless your RO units filters are old.
 
mmstillwell01

mmstillwell01

Member
I bought RO water for the sump but I did about a month ago use about three gal of tap water to top off I was out of RO water and the powerheads where blowing air in the tank could that be the cause even though it was a month ago? ( it was filtered tap water, the kind of filter that screws onto your kitchen faucet but not RO)
I will order that kit today and I should get it tomorrow and I can test everything again, maybe my tests that I do once a week have been wrong

I just did a water change yesterday should I do another one or waite until I get the new test kits and then see?
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by mmstillwell01 http:///forum/thread/381574/hair-alge-help#post_3324419
I feed frozen brimb shrimp mixed with alge every other day, 7 fish, I dont have any pictures my daughter has my camera I'll have to get it from her and take some. This has nothing to do with your phosphate issue, but STOP feeding brine shrimp. It has little to no nutritional value to fish. It's like feeding candy to them.
What type of fish?
I put in a new sump about three weeks ago could that have anything to do with it? doubtful
Does anyone know if this if a good test kit?
The Instant Ocean Reef Master Test Kit includes tests for pH, alkalinity, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, and calcium
I have never used that kit, but I will say that as a general rule, I'm not particulary fond of Instant Ocean's products other than their Reef Crystals.
I have to order one online or waite until this weekend to get one.
Being that your test kits are over a year old, I would recommend bringing a sample of your water to the LFS to have them read it.
How often do you use the tap water filter and do you ever test that water before it is added to the tank?
Increase water changes and pull out as much hair algae as you can by hand. The turbo snails should help.
Do you rinse your food?
Now that you have a sump, I'd recommend adding Phoslock, Purigen or a similar phosphate removing product to it.
 
mmstillwell01

mmstillwell01

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by BTLDreef http:///forum/thread/381574/hair-alge-help#post_3324434
How often do you use the tap water filter and do you ever test that water before it is added to the tank? that's the first time in about a year
Increase water changes and pull out as much hair algae as you can by hand. How offen should I do a water change?
Do you rinse your food? No should I and how with saltwater?
I have three Percula clown's, yellow tang, Dwarf fire angle, half blue and yellow damsel and a 3 stripe Damsel. 7 total.
I use Instant Ocean Salt mix, is this not good to use? What should I be using?
I dont think that I've ever tested for phosphate should I be?
 
tlsohio

tlsohio

Member
Can't help you with the test kit, as I have never used that one.
But, I do wonder if using tap water may have caused your algae bloom, even though it is filtered it is not RODI. Only RODI filtration removes all the nutrients and minerals out of the water that usually lead to algae problems. The food you are using could be adding to the problem, I would recommend a combination of different foods, such as "San Francisco Bay" brand. They have a combination pack or pick individual packs and mix them, their "Emerald Entree" is a good one too!
 
mmstillwell01

mmstillwell01

Member
So frozen brime shrimp is not good to feed?
the SWF store I go to has always told me that I should take water out of my tank put it into a plastic water bottle and mix the food in that and feed them from it every other day.

So should I be feeding them frozen food at all or something else?
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Flaked fish food puts a significant amount of its nutrition directly into the water column. This the nature of flaked food. My suggestion would be to not use it.
 
gemmy

gemmy

Active Member
Correct. Mysis, marine cuisine (SFBB), saltwater mulitpack (SFBB), or you could make your own seafood. What type of fish do you have? If you have omnivores or herbivores you will also want to include a diet that meets their needs like emerald entree (SFBB) and supplement feeding with algae sheets.
 
mmstillwell01

mmstillwell01

Member
I do put alge sheets in the tank about once a week for the tang but the clown fish eat it to

So if I make my own how do I do that? what do I put in it I mean?
I think it would be easier then buying it because the SWF store is 45mins away from me so it's hard to always go and just pick something up.
 
gemmy

gemmy

Active Member
I use a cheap food processor for fish only. One batch is just silversides chopped up. Another is scallops, and mussels. Another batch is shrimp. In half of each batch I mix in algae sheets and some veggies (zucchini, broccoli, spinach). I try to limit the veggies and use more algae, but I noticed my lemon peel will pick at corals if it does not have enough greens in its diet. I portion the batches out with a syringe onto a cookie sheet with wax paper and stick in the freezer. Once the cubes are frozen, I place them in ziplock bags with the batch description.
Clowns are omnivores and need a healthy mix of meaty foods and plant matter. This is why they are eating the algae sheets.
 
mmstillwell01

mmstillwell01

Member
Thank you I will get the stuff to make those tomorrow.
When you feed the fish do you put it in the tank frozen or do you mix it with saltwater first.
Do you make all the batches then rotate it?
how often should I feed them this?
Sorry about all the questions still learning.
 
gemmy

gemmy

Active Member
I mix the food with tank water first to allow it to thaw and once a week I add zoecon (made by Kent and is a supplement) to the mix. I make all the batches and rotate them and I also use the ones listed above. I give my fish a variety of foods. I feed my fish once a day in the evening and just a small amount.
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gemmy http:///forum/thread/381574/hair-alge-help#post_3324551
I mix the food with tank water first to allow it to thaw and once a week I add zoecon (made by Kent and is a supplement) to the mix. I make all the batches and rotate them and I also use the ones listed above. I give my fish a variety of foods. I feed my fish once a day in the evening and just a small amount.
It actually works better to thaw with RO water. It hydrates more "accurately".
 
mmstillwell01

mmstillwell01

Member
My tank looks alittle better this morning the snails and the tang are realy going at that alge, making me think that my tang needs more in it's diet.
I'm going to fix that tonight.
Thank you guys for all your input
 
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