good fuge gone bad

I have a 60g tank retrofited to act as a refugium and sump for my 100g
display tank. The fuge side holds somewhere around 30g, has a DSB, some
live rock, and a small clean up crew. It's running reverse photocycle
to the display. I've been grown calupera, cheato and some other twiggy
macro quite well for the 8 months the tank has been up. Slowly, over
the past month or so, green hair algae has started to grow in the fuge.
Now the whole idea is that the macro algae is able to out compete the
nuisance algae like the green hair, right? The fuge is lit by some
random screw in 28w CF and a 20w corallife 50/50. Any idea what is
going on? Should I be testing for something specific or look at
something more obvious like degraded light output or shifting spectrum
making more favorable conditions for the green hair to grow?


-K

I would look at the kelvin rating of those bulbs, as well as how long
they have been uin use. I used pt play with those screw in
florescents, but IMHO found that they really leave a lot to be desired
in all but just general illumination. I would also look at the total
length of light period......Odds are though its the bulbs your using
from what your describing.

Get a urchin to help reduce your hair algae.
..On Sat, 03 Feb 2007 10:39:14 -0800, Kelsey Cummings
wrote:

I have a 60g tank retrofited to act as a refugium and sump for my 100g
display tank. The fuge side holds somewhere around 30g, has a DSB, some
live rock, and a small clean up crew. It's running reverse photocycle
to the display. I've been grown calupera, cheato and some other twiggy
macro quite well for the 8 months the tank has been up. Slowly, over
the past month or so, green hair algae has started to grow in the fuge.
Now the whole idea is that the macro algae is able to out compete the
nuisance algae like the green hair, right? The fuge is lit by some
random screw in 28w CF and a 20w corallife 50/50. Any idea what is
going on? Should I be testing for something specific or look at
something more obvious like degraded light output or shifting spectrum
making more favorable conditions for the green hair to grow?


-K



-------
I forgot more about ponds and koi than I'll ever know!

Take a look at the 5100k 16 watt bulbs on Melevs site. The have the light
output of a 75 watt bulb but use the energy of a 16watt

http://www.melevsreef.com/fuge_bulb.html

I use them in all my tanks fuges and have great macro growth and no hair,
slime, cyano or etc from them. Been using them for 2 yrs and have worked
great.

"Tristan" wrote in message
...


I would look at the kelvin rating of those bulbs, as well as how long
they have been uin use. I used pt play with those screw in
florescents, but IMHO found that they really leave a lot to be desired
in all but just general illumination. I would also look at the total
length of light period......Odds are though its the bulbs your using
from what your describing.

Get a urchin to help reduce your hair algae.
.On Sat, 03 Feb 2007 10:39:14 -0800, Kelsey Cummings
wrote:

I have a 60g tank retrofited to act as a refugium and sump for my 100g
display tank. The fuge side holds somewhere around 30g, has a DSB,
some
live rock, and a small clean up crew. It's running reverse photocycle
to the display. I've been grown calupera, cheato and some other
twiggy
macro quite well for the 8 months the tank has been up. Slowly, over
the past month or so, green hair algae has started to grow in the
fuge.
Now the whole idea is that the macro algae is able to out compete the
nuisance algae like the green hair, right? The fuge is lit by some
random screw in 28w CF and a 20w corallife 50/50. Any idea what is
going on? Should I be testing for something specific or look at
something more obvious like degraded light output or shifting spectrum
making more favorable conditions for the green hair to grow?


-K



-------
I forgot more about ponds and koi than I'll ever know!

Exactly ! Melevs Rocks !
Plus it helps to dose Chelted Iron for Macro.
http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsUS...nmanganese16oz

Pull the hair out (not yours) and increase the size of your clean up crew,
60 gal is pretty big !


"No Spam" wrote in message
...
Take a look at the 5100k 16 watt bulbs on Melevs site. The have the light
output of a 75 watt bulb but use the energy of a 16watt

http://www.melevsreef.com/fuge_bulb.html

I use them in all my tanks fuges and have great macro growth and no hair,
slime, cyano or etc from them. Been using them for 2 yrs and have worked
great.

"Tristan" wrote in message
...


I would look at the kelvin rating of those bulbs, as well as how long
they have been uin use. I used pt play with those screw in
florescents, but IMHO found that they really leave a lot to be desired
in all but just general illumination. I would also look at the total
length of light period......Odds are though its the bulbs your using
from what your describing.

Get a urchin to help reduce your hair algae.
.On Sat, 03 Feb 2007 10:39:14 -0800, Kelsey Cummings
wrote:

I have a 60g tank retrofited to act as a refugium and sump for my
100g
display tank. The fuge side holds somewhere around 30g, has a DSB,
some
live rock, and a small clean up crew. It's running reverse
photocycle
to the display. I've been grown calupera, cheato and some other
twiggy
macro quite well for the 8 months the tank has been up. Slowly, over
the past month or so, green hair algae has started to grow in the
fuge.
Now the whole idea is that the macro algae is able to out compete
the
nuisance algae like the green hair, right? The fuge is lit by some
random screw in 28w CF and a 20w corallife 50/50. Any idea what is
going on? Should I be testing for something specific or look at
something more obvious like degraded light output or shifting
spectrum
making more favorable conditions for the green hair to grow?


-K



-------
I forgot more about ponds and koi than I'll ever know!

Kelsey Cummings wrote:

Should I be testing for something specific or look at
something more obvious like degraded light output or shifting spectrum
making more favorable conditions for the green hair to grow?

I've read that hair algae requires phosphates. Pick up a phosphate test kit and
check the level; it's probably too high. If the concentration is over 1.0 ppm,
put a phosphate reactor on the system, and your hair algae will disappear. You
will probably have to run the reactor for a few days every few months.

George Patterson
No one ever says "It's only a game." when his team is winning.