Need help with red hari algae

[Kelly]

I have an outbreak of red hair algae that I cannot get rid of. I think the
cause
is my low lighting but I can't afford new lights for at least another month.
Currently I am feeding one cube of frozen food every 3-4 days to the two
fish
in there now and I am running a skimmer and about 500 gph of power head
current. Can anyone recommend some tips on getting me through this month?
In a month I will be upgrading to a 250 halide but I obviously don't want
to loose anything in the process.

I skimmed it all off last night and this morning its back again like I never
even
touched it. I have tried poly-ox but that doesn't seem to do anything at
all.

Tank is:
46 gallon
60 pounds of LR
2 inch sandbed with 2 inch of crushed coral
65 watt power PC
10 acentic
1 toadstool
1 BTA
1 SeaBae
1 False Perc
1 Yellow tail damsel
1 peppermint shrimp
1 Coralbanded
2 Emerald crabs
2 hermits
Some misc. soft corals (cauliflowers polyps etc)

Thanks,
Kelly

[Mermaid]

Kelly,
I'm going to ask you some questions. How long has your tank been up?
Where is it in your tank? It could be cynobacteria instead of hair algae. Is
it on the sand mostly?
What kind of water do or did you use to set up your tank and top off with.
I went through this. If you can answer some of these questions I might be
able to help you.

Paulette

"Kelly" > wrote in message
news:byH6c.108652$Up2.32373@pd7tw1no...
> I have an outbreak of red hair algae that I cannot get rid of. I think the
> cause
> is my low lighting but I can't afford new lights for at least another
month.
> Currently I am feeding one cube of frozen food every 3-4 days to the two
> fish
> in there now and I am running a skimmer and about 500 gph of power head
> current. Can anyone recommend some tips on getting me through this month?
> In a month I will be upgrading to a 250 halide but I obviously don't want
> to loose anything in the process.
>
> I skimmed it all off last night and this morning its back again like I
never
> even
> touched it. I have tried poly-ox but that doesn't seem to do anything at
> all.
>
> Tank is:
> 46 gallon
> 60 pounds of LR
> 2 inch sandbed with 2 inch of crushed coral
> 65 watt power PC
> 10 acentic
> 1 toadstool
> 1 BTA
> 1 SeaBae
> 1 False Perc
> 1 Yellow tail damsel
> 1 peppermint shrimp
> 1 Coralbanded
> 2 Emerald crabs
> 2 hermits
> Some misc. soft corals (cauliflowers polyps etc)
>
> Thanks,
> Kelly
>
>

[Kelly]

> I'm going to ask you some questions. How long has your tank been up?
:: The tank is sort of old and new :) it is about 9 months old but I
transferred to a new tank 3 weeks ago.
So its all the same stuff but with about 75% of the water being new.

> Where is it in your tank? It could be cynobacteria instead of hair algae.
Is
> it on the sand mostly?
:: Yes its all on the substrate, none on the rocks that I have seen yet.
Though
it did cover a small piece of rock that was in the middle of the sand.

> What kind of water do or did you use to set up your tank and top off with.
:: I use RO water from a local water shop. The same water was used to fill
the tank
and I use the same stuff to top it up with.

>It could be cynobacteria
:: It could, I did searches to try and find pictures but I can't find any
that are good
enough to make the comparison for sure.

:: The temperature is pretty constant at 82F and I keep salinity at 1.022. I
check ph which is 8.2
and I check ammonia which is 0. I also watch the nitrites, I don't know
the actual value off hand
but it comes up normal in the test kit. All test kits are nutrafin.

Thanks,
Kelly

[Mermaid]

If it is cyno, the culprit in your tank is not the lighting its the
phosphates in your water column.
That's why I asked you want kind of water you use to top off with and do
water changes.
If it is tap water, it will have phosphates in it. The only way to get rid
of it is to either use a
phosphate sponge or quit using the water you are using and go to Reverse
Osmosis water.
I had to go to the grocery store and buy gallon jugs until I could afford a
unit myself.
It will make a difference. Do not use Tap water unless you test it for
phosphates. Have your
LFS test it for you if you don't have a kit. Until you solve that problem it
will keep on
coming back. There are antibiotics you can put in the water to get rid of it
but phosphates will
make it come back and the antibiotics are not really good for your inverts.
I have to go home now. Won't be able to help you any further but someone
will.

Good Luck,
Paulette

"Kelly" > wrote in message
news:IuJ6c.860925$ts4.779660@pd7tw3no...
> > I'm going to ask you some questions. How long has your tank been up?
> :: The tank is sort of old and new :) it is about 9 months old but I
> transferred to a new tank 3 weeks ago.
> So its all the same stuff but with about 75% of the water being new.
>
> > Where is it in your tank? It could be cynobacteria instead of hair
algae.
> Is
> > it on the sand mostly?
> :: Yes its all on the substrate, none on the rocks that I have seen yet.
> Though
> it did cover a small piece of rock that was in the middle of the sand.
>
> > What kind of water do or did you use to set up your tank and top off
with.
> :: I use RO water from a local water shop. The same water was used to fill
> the tank
> and I use the same stuff to top it up with.
>
> >It could be cynobacteria
> :: It could, I did searches to try and find pictures but I can't find any
> that are good
> enough to make the comparison for sure.
>
> :: The temperature is pretty constant at 82F and I keep salinity at 1.022.
I
> check ph which is 8.2
> and I check ammonia which is 0. I also watch the nitrites, I don't know
> the actual value off hand
> but it comes up normal in the test kit. All test kits are nutrafin.
>
> Thanks,
> Kelly
>
>

[Kelly]

The water is RO water but not DI.

[Toni]

"Kelly" > wrote in message
news:_0K6c.861194$ts4.856812@pd7tw3no...
> The water is RO water but not DI.
>
>

Commercial RO like in vending machines and heavy use units (LFS) is only as
good as the maintenance the unit itself receives. Maybe your LFS is slacking
off there? Run a test or two (or ask LFS to) on your RO water- look at
phosphates and TDS. Could be they need a new membrane or to change out a
cartridge or two. Just a thought...


--
Toni
http://www.cearbhaill.com/reef.htm

[Rod]

According to Mr Borneman and the scientists that he listens to, Cyanobacteria
is NOT caused by phosphates.. here is the link...
http://www.reefs.org/library/article/e_borneman4.html
A few things jump out at me.. one is th elow salinity.. Natural sea water is
closer to 1.026 - 1.027 (35ppt) Crushed coral??? detritus trap and nirtrate
factory unless you gravel vac often.. I prefer fine sand (3-4 inches) (seeded
w/critters) for denitrifacation.
If you think that upgrading to halides will help.. you are wrong (unless the
current bulbs are beyond their usefull spectrum). The halides will intensify
the algae problems.. (to borrow from S&D.. think of your tank as a radio..you
can turn the volume (lights) up as much as you want, but you wont hear any
sound (algae) until you turn the power (nutrients) on.. when you turn on the
power (add nutrients) then crank the volume (add lights) the sound is loud
(lots of algae).. turn off the power, and the sound goes away even if the
volume4 is still high.. I guess I am saying to get the nutrients/algae under
control before upgrading lights..
Good luck
Rod Buehler
www.asplashoflife.com

[Kelly]

now it is covering my rock too?
"Mermaid" > wrote in message
...
> Kelly,
> I'm going to ask you some questions. How long has your tank been up?
> Where is it in your tank? It could be cynobacteria instead of hair algae.
Is
> it on the sand mostly?
> What kind of water do or did you use to set up your tank and top off with.
> I went through this. If you can answer some of these questions I might be
> able to help you.
>
> Paulette
>
> "Kelly" > wrote in message
> news:byH6c.108652$Up2.32373@pd7tw1no...
> > I have an outbreak of red hair algae that I cannot get rid of. I think
the
> > cause
> > is my low lighting but I can't afford new lights for at least another
> month.
> > Currently I am feeding one cube of frozen food every 3-4 days to the two
> > fish
> > in there now and I am running a skimmer and about 500 gph of power head
> > current. Can anyone recommend some tips on getting me through this
month?
> > In a month I will be upgrading to a 250 halide but I obviously don't
want
> > to loose anything in the process.
> >
> > I skimmed it all off last night and this morning its back again like I
> never
> > even
> > touched it. I have tried poly-ox but that doesn't seem to do anything at
> > all.
> >
> > Tank is:
> > 46 gallon
> > 60 pounds of LR
> > 2 inch sandbed with 2 inch of crushed coral
> > 65 watt power PC
> > 10 acentic
> > 1 toadstool
> > 1 BTA
> > 1 SeaBae
> > 1 False Perc
> > 1 Yellow tail damsel
> > 1 peppermint shrimp
> > 1 Coralbanded
> > 2 Emerald crabs
> > 2 hermits
> > Some misc. soft corals (cauliflowers polyps etc)
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Kelly
> >
> >
>
>

[Mermaid]

Kelly,
If I were you I would take a water sample to your LFS and get them to test
it and start there. Tell them the problem you are having and see what they
say. If you want to have a personal conversation that might be faster. Just
email me. Maybe we can eliminate things until we can find the solution.
Remember there is hope. I thought I had lost my whole tank to Green Hair
Algae but I got through it.
Just trying to help,
Paulette

"Kelly" > wrote in message
news:vAu7c.874043$X%5.114877@pd7tw2no...
> now it is covering my rock too?
> "Mermaid" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Kelly,
> > I'm going to ask you some questions. How long has your tank been up?
> > Where is it in your tank? It could be cynobacteria instead of hair
algae.
> Is
> > it on the sand mostly?
> > What kind of water do or did you use to set up your tank and top off
with.
> > I went through this. If you can answer some of these questions I might
be
> > able to help you.
> >
> > Paulette
> >
> > "Kelly" > wrote in message
> > news:byH6c.108652$Up2.32373@pd7tw1no...
> > > I have an outbreak of red hair algae that I cannot get rid of. I think
> the
> > > cause
> > > is my low lighting but I can't afford new lights for at least another
> > month.
> > > Currently I am feeding one cube of frozen food every 3-4 days to the
two
> > > fish
> > > in there now and I am running a skimmer and about 500 gph of power
head
> > > current. Can anyone recommend some tips on getting me through this
> month?
> > > In a month I will be upgrading to a 250 halide but I obviously don't
> want
> > > to loose anything in the process.
> > >
> > > I skimmed it all off last night and this morning its back again like I
> > never
> > > even
> > > touched it. I have tried poly-ox but that doesn't seem to do anything
at
> > > all.
> > >
> > > Tank is:
> > > 46 gallon
> > > 60 pounds of LR
> > > 2 inch sandbed with 2 inch of crushed coral
> > > 65 watt power PC
> > > 10 acentic
> > > 1 toadstool
> > > 1 BTA
> > > 1 SeaBae
> > > 1 False Perc
> > > 1 Yellow tail damsel
> > > 1 peppermint shrimp
> > > 1 Coralbanded
> > > 2 Emerald crabs
> > > 2 hermits
> > > Some misc. soft corals (cauliflowers polyps etc)
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > > Kelly
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>