Green Hair Algae

tubz

Reefing newb
I am getting quite a bit of hair algae inmy 90 gallon FOWLR. My ammonia and nitrites are at 0, nitrate around 10, and ph at 8.0. I use ro/di water and do 10% weekly water changes. Tank is stocked with, 1 black n white and 2 orange and white clowns, 2 chromis, 1 diamond goby, 1 yellow tang, 1 foxface lo, and 1 coral beauty, 1 cleaner shrimp, 1 fire shrimp, numerous dwarf cerith and nass snails. I usually feed twice a day with frozen food. 1 cube each time. They always eat it all up right away. The lighting is just a single tube fluorescent light. I am upgrading to radian ecotech led within a month or two. But what can be causing this algae? I forgot to mention I also have an in sump reef octopus skimmer rated for 200 gallon tank.
 
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Pull out what you can, and then add a few turbo snails, they will help eat through it! You can also try reducing the amount of time you have your lights on each day, or doing a blackout for a few days, and increase flow in the areas where you are getting the algae growth.
 
I think 2 cubes a day sounds like a lot of food for a 90 gal. If I were you I would cut back to 1/4 cube twice a day. And the turbos will help prevent it from coming back once you scrub it off. I would get 3-5 turbos if you don't have any.
 
I would feed one cube a day, split into two feedings, you have several fish so I think half a cube a day is too little. Why type of food are you feeding? Some foods are well known for contributing to algae issues.
 
Also getting the new lights should help - especially if your bulbs are old. In the meantime since you only have fish you could only turn the lights on for a few hours a day.
 
Your WAY over feeding your tank.With the fish you have,a full cube of frozen should get you at least 4 days if your feeding daily.
Personally,I'd cut back to 1/4 cube once every other day.Or once every third day.
 
Really, Yote? 1/4 cube every other day sounds really small to me for 9 fish.... We are talking about the little 1/2 inch frozen cubes, right? If so, then I'm really overfeeding my fish too..... I've been feeding a cube every other day to every day for my 7 fish, and they scarf it up and still act hungry. If I wait too long to feed them, 2 of them start nipping at corals or each other.
 
I think in a tank that has been set up for a long time and can produce lots of food naturally, that is a good amount. But in a young tank we need to feed more. I think we seriously underfeed all of our fish in an attempt to control water parameters. In the wild, these fish eat small amounts all day long, which adds up over the course of the day.
 
The food I use is Hikari mysis in the morning and evening I give them chopped whole frozen shrimp or brine. Either Hikari brand or Omega One. I will try giving them half a cube each feeding and see if that helps. They all eat so well that I don't think any goes to waste. I also added another powerhead. I had just one in there, not sure if that could have factored in. I now have two Koralia 1400's.
 
Thanks, Hannah. I suppose if I were having nitrate or algae problems in my tank then I would consider cutting back, but I'm not, so I won't! lol

To the OP: I just wanted to also mention that you should also be feeding about 1/4 sheet of nori a day for your tang, foxface, and coral beauty if you aren't already doing so. Veggie clips work well for this purpose.
 
They all eat so well that I don't think any goes to waste.

Actually it doesn't matter if the fish eat the food or some falls to the bottom of your tank - whether its uneaten food that decays or the food is eaten and turns into fish poop, the result is the same - more phosphate and nitrate in your water column which fuels the algae. When I first started my tank I also thought as long as no food ended up on the bottom and the fish ate everything within a few minutes I was feeding the right amount. We all love our fish and want them to be happy but you have to reduce the amount fed (or do lots of water changes) if you don't want to have algae.
 
Really, Yote? 1/4 cube every other day sounds really small to me for 9 fish.... We are talking about the little 1/2 inch frozen cubes, right? If so, then I'm really overfeeding my fish too..... I've been feeding a cube every other day to every day for my 7 fish, and they scarf it up and still act hungry. If I wait too long to feed them, 2 of them start nipping at corals or each other.

Don't take my word for it.
Feed however you like.Ain't no skin off my teeth.But I'd hate to know that if I messed a feeding that my fish would go after the corals.
 
Don't take my word for it.
Feed however you like.Ain't no skin off my teeth.But I'd hate to know that if I messed a feeding that my fish would go after the corals.

I had been feeding every other day and everyone in the tank was happy with that schedule. Until my latest addition, a red velvet fairy wrasse. He's the one that starts getting nippy with other fish and corals (and I've seen my basslet nip at my frogspawn if I'm a few hours late after two days). I'm still on an every other day feeding schedule, but I have admittedly fed in between if I catch him misbehaving, and have considered whether daily feedings might be better. Believe me, I'd prefer to keep it every other day, otherwise I'll have to be trekking into my office on both Sat and Sun. Anything I can do on the off days to keep him satisfied?
 
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Are you sure the Basslet and Wrasse aren't picking pods off the coral? ( not being a smart ass ) Mine used to do that a lot.
As far as the Wrasse going nipping at fish sometimes,that's fairly normal.Especially the Red Velvets.It's just something that Fairy Wrasses do.
 
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