so much dark hair algae!!!

[roggy23]

ok I have a 60 gal canister filter set up saltwater.
I have 4 compact fluerescent 55 watt bulbs, 1 buble coral
and a royal gamma. All my water levels are fine I top off wit distilled water only and i buy my water premixed from the local fish store... Its been up for I would say over 2 months...
is it my lighting or what? the hairl algae is all over the rocks and live sand... very ugly what's the deal?

 

[aarone]

what are your test results?
aaron

 

[roggy23]

ammonia .25
ph 8.2
nitrite 0
nitrate 5.0

 

[roggy23]

ive even cut my lighting down to 3 hours a day if that

 

[col]

Did you fill the tank with tap water?
You need to test for phosphates.

 

[roggy23]

i top off with distilled water...
Phosphates? how does that effect algae and how can i fix the phosphate issue if thats whats causing the algae problem?

 

[newreefers]

phosphates feed the hair algae. To help remove what is in the tank, you might try a phosphate sponge. You have to figure out how they are getting in there and fix that as well. Flake and frozen food usually has quite a bit, try cutting back a bit on the food. Do a search on the board for hair algae and you will get enough info to read for a year. You didn't say what you water change schedule was, but I would do a little more for a while and make sure your top off water phosphate free. You should use RODI, but if you can't, test your top off water and see if that could be a source.

 

[col]

I know you top of with distilled, but did you initially fill your tank with tap water.
You need to test for phosphates to see if it is a problem before you buy anything to lower them.

 

[roggy23]

ok i do feed with frozen foods... i have an alage scrapper mit to wipe off the glass with.. what i did before like a month ago was after wiping the glass with the mit i rinsed the mit off with tap water but then let the mit sit until the next dayor 2 before wiping glass again. I havent rinsed the mit for over a month now, I just let it sit and dry off.
I never used tap water before to clean the tank.
I have no more fish in tank so i wont be feeding. ive been doing water changes once a month.
what is a phosphate sponge?

 

[ty_05_f]

Why do you have any ammonia in your tank?:notsure: