green hair algae problem

J

janet

Reefing newb
Hi All
I have a big problem with green hair algea that started about 3 months ago. My tank has been up and running for 14 months now.I have bought a mangrove plant about 5 weeks ago, I also have bought a special nitrate filter, but none of this makes any difference. I test my water every week and I have never had more than 10 nitrates and my phosphates is always zero. My amonia is zero and my nitrites are zero. Someone in my local aquarium suggested a sea hare would eat it all.
What do you all think?
Janet
 
A Sea Hare will probably do the trick, but be prepared to hand it off to someone else or take it back to the LFS as it will starve once the alage is gone.
 
I think we need to identify why you are having issues.

Can you please list how much feed, what fish you have, how often you do water changes, and your total set up.

+1 to the light bulbs though.

Also the reason all your levels are zero is because the algae is sucking up the nitrates and phosphates before you can test for them.
 
Are you saying test kits are not reliable? That's a bit worrying as I rely on mine so heavily. So what can I do about the algae?
 
Your tests are more than likely fine. The algae is using up much of the nutrients and there for you are testing lower, but there is enough to keep the algae growing.Cut back on feeding, do water changes, pluck out as much as possible and maybe do a black out for awhile.
 
Okay. I've got a 96 litre tank. I've got a bubbletip anemone and clownfish pair, a goby and pistol shrimp pair, a bangaii cardinal fish and a mandarin fish, 3 hermit crabs and two cleaners shrimps and a bristleworm. I have new LED aquarium lights, 2 strips, more powerful than my old T5. I do a water change ( 25% - 30%) two weeks. I have a filter system and a protein skimmer. The Algae is getting in the pump and everywhere. I really need to take action. If I do the black out as suggested here, how does this work? How long do I keep the lights off? Will my fish and inverts be okay with this?
 
I've adapted a Juwel freshwater aquarium. The filters are inside the tank in a boxed off section. I also have a protein skimmer running. I know the water quality is good, as I've had several pulsing xenias split off and flourish. It's so annoying.
 
Your filter still could be the problem. Any filter that collects deteris and such will produce nitrates out the wazoo. I have been there and done this. No one could convince me until i took my freshwater filter off. As soon as i did my nitrates started dropping.How much live rock do you have in there?
 
Also, thats a lot of fish for a 25 gal tank. Removing a couple would definitely help things out. Also xenia do best in dirty water actually, they like high nutrient systems just like algae.

Also the filter is probably part of your problem. Unless you clean it every 3 or 4 days, organic mater get trapped in there, which decomposes, releasing its nutrients back into the water column for the algae to gown on.
 
So, if I took out my filter system and just used the protein skimmer, do you think that would work? When I set the system up, everyone told me I needed a filter system AND a protein skimmer. What do you think. Shall I try it without the filter? I have lots of live rock in there, But I can't remember how much. it probable takes up a third of the space.
 
Hannah is right. Xenia splitting is more indicative of poor water quality than good water quality. Xenia do best in dirtier water. In clean tanks, they usually whither away to nothing.

I would remove the filter altogether. They are not necessary for saltwater tanks, and unless kept very clean, they can lead to water quality problems.
 
So most of you think my filter is the problem. So it seems I should take out the filter system and just rely on my live rock and protein skimmer. I am really nervous about doing this as I've always had my filter running. Can you confirm you think everything will be fine. I just need some reassurance this is the right thing to do. Also, I am going away for 10 days at the end of next week and leaving a babysitter to look after my fish, shall I take the filter out now knowing that I wont' be able to keep an eye on the levels while I am away (I have 9 days before I go so I can test the water during that time)... Or shall I wait until I come back and then take the filter out.
All opinions are most welcome please.
Janet
 
Just another thing... As I said before this was a fresh wter aquarium that have apapted. As the filter system is in a permanent,sectioned off part of the tank. Is it as simple as just taking the filets out, but leaving the pump in? Won't any big particles get sucked in there and rot, or will they just go round the pumping system in and out agsain? I can't see a way to get rid of the permanent filter housing. So basically if I just take out the filters themselves will this be okay?
 
janet said:
So most of you think my filter is the problem. So it seems I should take out the filter system and just rely on my live rock and protein skimmer. I am really nervous about doing this as I've always had my filter running. Can you confirm you think everything will be fine. I just need some reassurance this is the right thing to do. Also, I am going away for 10 days at the end of next week and leaving a babysitter to look after my fish, shall I take the filter out now knowing that I wont' be able to keep an eye on the levels while I am away (I have 9 days before I go so I can test the water during that time)... Or shall I wait until I come back and then take the filter out.
All opinions are most welcome please.
Janet
Click to expand...

Janet, rest assured. No one here is running a filter. Your live rock is a natural filtration for the system.
 
janet said:
Just another thing... As I said before this was a fresh wter aquarium that have apapted. As the filter system is in a permanent,sectioned off part of the tank. Is it as simple as just taking the filets out, but leaving the pump in? Won't any big particles get sucked in there and rot, or will they just go round the pumping system in and out agsain? I can't see a way to get rid of the permanent filter housing. So basically if I just take out the filters themselves will this be okay?
Click to expand...

Take out any filter media, i.e. filter sponges, filter pads or rolls. You can drop in a media bag of carbon in it's place, or phosban.
 

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