Horrible Algae Outbreak

[Salty Cracker]

I'm in London (Byron) - I'll work on my profile over lunch hour.

I'm on Byron as well, if you want to stop by and check out a GFO/CARBON setup let me know.  I had many similar HA explosions in my day and want to help anyone else avoid the same!!!

 

[davesolo29]

Your the best glen


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[Jewel]

0 Tds is what you want to achieve, I run GFO-HC and Carbon. Give Unibob a shout, He'll set you up.

 

[walshliam]

So to update, I was wrong on the TDS reading, not sure what happened but my RODI unit is putting out 1ppm not 50. I'll still change the filters to get it to zero.

I did some research on the reactors and I think I'll grab one of the dual reactors. BRS or Spectrum. IA has the Spectrpure model for $99 plus the pump for $30. Is there a better deal out there? I figured after paying shipping and duty, BRS would cost more.

 

[unibob]

Pm sent

 

[spyd]

Phosphates can come from anything. Heavy bio-load, live rock leaching PO4, heavy feeding, etc. Just ensure you rinse your mysis and cut back on the amounts. Phosphates from liverock is very common and nothing you can really do at this point but run GFO to start removing it. Just remember to add it to your system slowly. Maybe start with a cup and go from there.

 

[walshliam]

Thanks again for all the great advice!

couple more questions:
rinsing mysis, how to you do that? I'm using a frozen block right now, breaking off a small piece to fead each day.

Using GFO, I'll start with 1 cup. what should I watch for? how do you know when to increase or decrease?

Thanks again

 

[Petercar (RIP Dec 2017)]

rinse it means put a chunk in a glass ans put a bit of rodi water or waterf rom yur fish tank and let it melt  and strain it. like with a small fish net or small plastic strainer. and dump the good stuff in    i dump it in a glass and full with tank water and turkey baste  it

 

[MrHermit85]

Yay, another Byron reefer!!!  ;D

Mysis shrimp is easy to rinse, just get a small net, put the cube in it and pour water over it so that the water washes the waste away and the mysis stay in the net. I have an old little he that I used for a fish bowl way back when. Use ro/di or tank water to rinse.

With regards to the GFO you use the amoun recommended for your tank size. You also want to start slow and work your way up to the full recommended amount so as not to shock your system. I have a 75 with 20 sump and I only use a 1/4 cup changed every 4 weeks. I don't run it all the time though,(which may not be a widely accepted practice but it's expensive and I don't have an algae problem). I buy mine in bulk from GOREEF as they have great prices and you can get a reactor from tem too. The only thing I run 24/7 is carbon and I have a fuge with a crap load of chaeto for phosphate control.

Hope that helps

 

[pulpfiction1]

Thanks again for all the great advice!

couple more questions:
rinsing mysis, how to you do that? I'm using a frozen block right now, breaking off a small piece to fead each day.

Using GFO, I'll start with 1 cup. what should I watch for? how do you know when to increase or decrease?

Thanks again

until you get your algae under control i would change out the gfo monthly,after that you will change it either on that same schedule or watch your tank for signs of algae starting to show its ugly head,and by that i mean just starting,not after you have a rock fully engufed

 

[Salty Cracker]

IA has the Spectrpure model for $99 plus the pump for $30. Is there a better deal out there? I figured after paying shipping and duty, BRS would cost more.

You have to factor in the small amount of your soul that you lose. 

 

[Boga]

There were good advices so far.
I would keep monitoring the TDS level and make sure it reads zero. One single grain of salt in 100 mL of water would give you a false reading.

I had HA outbreaks in my tank. And only selective rocks were covered. These rocks came from my old system and I believe that they were full of phosphates accumulated in time. Poor care from my side.

Anyway, this is what I have done:
- I added a DI unit to my RO so TDS would be zero ( I had aprox 12 ppm before).
- reduced feeding
- reduced the light period
- started a GFO reactor.
- changed carbon more frequently.
- did blow the detritus off the hairy rocks. It tends to accumulate, trapped in the algae, and feeds the algae.
- also I allowed more chateo in refugium.

After I saw reduction in growth rate I have added 4 Mexican Turbos and did manual removal of the HA. A tooth brush would help to clean the rock, too.

Now after 4-5 months I see good improvements.

How old is your tank? I would suggest joining the BRS group buy here on forum. You will get better deals.

 

[jeffopentax]

As far as getting rid of algae, nothing beats a seahare.  I had my 135g filled with hair algae like you can't imagine.  Seahare had it cleaned up in a couple weeks.  If anyone needs one (he's a big boy - 5") I've got one that no longer has enough to eat!  I'm in Brantford. Come and get him! Text 519-209-1128.

 

[Reef Hero]

Careful not to let the seahare starve because they will bury themselves to die and make it almost impossible to find.


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[walshliam]

So to update
I added the GFO and Carbon. I'm using the HC GFO and started with .75 of a cup as recommended by the BRS calculator for 100G. I have  90G + 20G sump, but it was recommended to start lower. Anyway, the Algae is still growing, I just syphoned out as much as possible. I've been doing small water changes every week. Any idea what else I can do, or how long this will take to clear up? I know a lot of you mentioned patience, but when will I see the growth slow or stop?

Thanks

 

[Jewel]

I'd go get the Sea Hare.

 

[Boga]

I think you are too early in the process. For me it took about two months to see the growth slowing down. For the first few batches, I changed the GFO every two weeks.

I would also suggest to evaluate you feeding. I think overall we are tempted to feed too much.

 

[Reef Hero]

So to update
I added the GFO and Carbon. I'm using the HC GFO and started with .75 of a cup as recommended by the BRS calculator for 100G. I have  90G + 20G sump, but it was recommended to start lower. Anyway, the Algae is still growing, I just syphoned out as much as possible. I've been doing small water changes every week. Any idea what else I can do, or how long this will take to clear up? I know a lot of you mentioned patience, but when will I see the growth slow or stop?

Thanks

To be short and blunt, it will stop when you get your nutrients under control.
Did you get your po4 tester?? Did you change out all your filters and DI media?
You have to remember that you said you are only running 3/4 cup of HC GFO and wanted to take it slow on the GFO approach....which is a good idea...but by taking it slow and steady you are looking to see fast and immediate results.... That's just not going to be the case.... I would say you should be safe to run 1 cup and tumble as fast as you can without making a dust storm in the reactor.....
But please also remember that you are using GFO to control what??? Phosphates, right!? So, if you are running a media to control po4 then wouldn't you want to know what that parameter even is?? Next step is to start testing po4 and nitrates.... We need to know those parameters in order to see what is happening. But simple observations don't lie either.... If you hair algae is still growing then obviously you are not stripping enough nutrients from the water with the GFO.

 

[monizb]

Add a tang or fox face to your tank add a sea hare it will help

 

[Reef Hero]

Add a tang or fox face to your tank add a sea hare it will help

IME tangs and fox face do not tend to go for green hair algae... The seahare does, yes, but given that most cleaner and nicer tanks don't have seahares, usually only the ones with GHA have a seahare.... Doesn't that tell you something?