Please help, last chance

silverdak

silverdak

Active Member
Alright as many of you know I am STILL having issues with hair algae, I am just so sick of seeing it in the tank, its taking over some of my corals and just looks so ugly. Amm, nitrite, nitrate were all 0's. calcium is still a bit high around 600 or so, and phosphates were a fraction, and I mean fraction above 0, barely noticeable. I know I have asked for help before but haven't gotten too much of a response, I am willing to do just about anything. My rocks are epoxied in place so taking them out is out of the question... I dont want to turn to chemicals to treat it but I am just so sick of seeing it in my tank.
I really have no idea what I am going to do if I can't get rid of this annoying stuff. I really need help from the Saltwater fish gods right now cuz its driving me crazy!
-Collin
 
subielover

subielover

Active Member
Take the rock out, even if they are epoxied you can break it and glue it back together later if you wish. Scrub the bejesus out of it. I would estimate I scrubbed for at least 10 hours on my rock until I did not see anymore. You have to stay on top of it, don't add different snails or crabs all you are doing is adding more waste. I think you really need to be doing 15% water changes every day for at least a week. If you were doing regular water changes your calcium would have been a lot lower by now. Just sounds like you haven't been putting in the elbow grease that is necessary. This is not the easiest thing to get rid of it so it is going to take a lot of time and effort to get rid of. Just remember it didn't happen over night and you won't get rid of it over night either. If you are diligent, you can control it. You will never get rid of it 100%, but you can keep it under control.
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
So some research on raising Magnesium to the 1400-1500 range. People swear by it. Can't say I have any experience with it but I have read a lot of people do it.
 
silverdak

silverdak

Active Member
ok... well i did a 2G water change today, its all I had left. I am getting more water tomorrow and will change it every 2nd or 3rd day. I am also picking up a product which should help. I dont like the idea of using chemicals.... however this product seems pretty safe. API algaefix marine, so I will cross my fingers and hope a combination of the water changes and this new API stuff will help
 
subielover

subielover

Active Member
I wouldn't use chemicals, but its your call. Just make sure you have a lot of water ready for a change, as your ammonia will most likely spike.
 
rotarymagic

rotarymagic

Active Member
Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/2916818
So some research on raising Magnesium to the 1400-1500 range. People swear by it. Can't say I have any experience with it but I have read a lot of people do it.
When I was conducting tests on killing bryopsis, I spiked mag to 2100 in one tank (a 10 gallon with about 5lbs of rock, bare bottom) and along with a reduced light cycle (4 on, 20 off), high alk, no nutrient input, and a couple lettuce nudibranchs... it got knocked out in a hurry.
chemiclean works too, but I would definitely be pumping air into the tank and take the top off the tank...
Be ready for some 50% changes every few days..
 
silverdak

silverdak

Active Member
first off when the heck did you get back? lol
why pumping air in the tank? I have the pump that I dont use on my fresh water set up.. so that's not a big deal. just wondering why. why would I need to do %50 water changes? from the tests I have seen... it doesn't effect anything living in the tank except for the hair algae....
Just trying to figure it all out. personally I feel comfortable enough to use a chemical in my tank. not sure why but I do. just trying to get all the facts first
 
rotarymagic

rotarymagic

Active Member
Originally Posted by SilverDak
http:///forum/post/2917797
first off when the heck did you get back? lol
why pumping air in the tank? I have the pump that I dont use on my fresh water set up.. so that's not a big deal. just wondering why. why would I need to do %50 water changes? from the tests I have seen... it doesn't effect anything living in the tank except for the hair algae....
Just trying to figure it all out. personally I feel comfortable enough to use a chemical in my tank. not sure why but I do. just trying to get all the facts first
chemiclean uses LOTS of oxygen to kill algae thats why you need to pump air into the tank and take the lid off/open feeding lid/whatever... and you'll need to turn off the skimmer and pull carbon too for 24hours.. then replace the carbon and turn on the skimmer for another 24 hours to pull the medication out... then you do the big 50% water change 48hours after putting the medication in. DO NOT OVERDOSE IT!!!! They recommend changing like 20%-25%, I'd change much more than that to be on the safe side... definitely get a bag of rowaphos on the tank to pull phosphates out further.. if you need to drop phosphates really quickly though... do an aluminum based phosphate sponge for the recommended duration like 2-3 days too... that'll drop them to zero quickly..
P.S. I've been back since the 13th.
 
silverdak

silverdak

Active Member
are you ever going to go like a month without getting banned? lol I think its funny that it happens so often... and then you come right back! glad your back tho!
I wasn't going to use the chemiclean one I was going to use the API one... not sure if it is different or not... but after all that I am not re thinking it hahaha
 
silverdak

silverdak

Active Member
Originally Posted by subielover
http:///forum/post/2917720
I wouldn't use chemicals, but its your call. Just make sure you have a lot of water ready for a change, as your ammonia will most likely spike.
ya I know... I dont like the idea of it.. BUT I am comfortable doing it for whatever reason. some people just worry too much sometimes, I figure I wont worry about it too much and it will be fine :D also got to get back on top of my water changes

dont get me wrong... I do love my little clowns... we have become good friends
 
rotarymagic

rotarymagic

Active Member
so here's the plan... LOL... aluminum phosphate sponge... then chemiclean... then big waterchange... then continue to run rowaphos to keep phosphates at zero.
reduce your light schedule too...
 
1journeyman

1journeyman

Active Member
Before you treat the algae issue you need to find the cause of it. Have you done that yet?
How old are your lights? Is your tank getting direct sunlight?
You need to ask yourself some questions before using chemicals.
*What allows the chemical to differentiate between the "good" and "bad" stuff in your tank?
*What is going to happen to the nutrients that the algae has captured when it starts dying?
 
silverdak

silverdak

Active Member
my lights are only about 6 months old... where my tank sits there is no way it can get direct sunlight. every time I test my water I get nitrate readings of 0-5, 10 times out of 10. my crabs are eating it just not too fast. I don't add any chemicals to the water on a regular basis phosphates were very low as well (I dont have the exact number but it was barely on the chart. tested at my LFS, I saw the card and results)
 
silverdak

silverdak

Active Member
Originally Posted by subielover
http:///forum/post/2917955
There is probably a reason for that, talk to renogaw. Or just read his sig.
no I know all about his issues with it and what not. I figured it was because in having a SW tank you are trying to recreate what is in the wild.... so in adding chemicals your doing something that isnt natural. IMO tho in the wild or nature it doesnt matter if there is hair algae where as in a tank in your house you do care and dont want to see it... if that make sense?
 
subielover

subielover

Active Member
That makes sense to me. I just think if you can do it naturally then that is the way to go. Whatever you decide I really hope it works for you, as I know how frustrating it can be.
 
silverdak

silverdak

Active Member
I will be doing my water changes for a week, changing it probably every day or every other day. I will give it a week to see if it appears to be helping, I am not expecting miracles or anything but it should look a bit better at least. I will still get the chemicals I need/want but just wont use them for a little bit.
 
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