So we have been battling this hair algae problem for almost a year now. It managed to pretty much coat the leaves of my caulerpa in the refugium and killed it off, living in a icy environment, I knew that I dared not even try to replace the plants, as we are stuck with mail order only replacement so we are forced to wait for the weather to warm (we've no LFS withing 300 miles). So in the meantime, in order to keep the algae at bay, I have had to pull the rock out and literally scrub each one to get the algae off under warm tap water. Along with scraping the glass in the main and refugium, and 25 gallon changes every two weeks, I have barely been able to make it three weeks without having to scrub the rock. Yesterday, I did a huge breakdown of the entire system, my new calurpa plants are doing okay, but clearly getting a coating of the algae, I scrubbed rocks, ALL filter media removed (up until yesterday I had been using a canister filter), everything scrubbed scraped and wiped down. I added a power head inside the main to flow over the rock, but my question is, with my cleaning the rocks, have I killed my rock? Is there anything I can do to boost it, or do I simply toss it and buy another 60 pounds of it? We love this aquarium, but unless I can get this problem resolved, I can see that this is going to be the end of it for us. :(
Living rock?
- Thread starter john346
- Start date
kbuser92
Breeder
Well, that canister probably fueled the excess algae. Nitrates can really get up there if those aren't cleaned every 2-3 days.
Also, what, how much and how often are you feeding?
Also, what, how much and how often are you feeding?
Kyle, I have retaken over the feeding, and am now feeding a parsimonious amount every three days. I love my gal, but she just doesn't understand that if you feed every five minutes, they'll all eat like they haven't in months. So, yes, I do attribute a good portion of the continued problem to too much food sitting around. I also came up with a scheme for my rock. At least I believe I may have, in my refugium, I have never scrubbed those rocks, and I have been an avid collector of fresh live mud, and critters for the fuge. So my plan is to rotate the rock out of the refugium, into the main tank, and pull a couple of rocks from the main to replace them for a couple of cleanings (a month). I can't see any deleterious effects in this plan. If I am forced to replace the live rock entirely, it'll be the end, as I have no place to keep my crew while the tank recycles from the rocks travel. Or, I could replace the rock a bit at a time so it doesn't spike my ammonia to a point that will kill the fish. Do you think I'm over worrying about the health of my rock? Should I just let it be?
kbuser92
Breeder
I would try replacing the rock with mostly dry, and s price of live as far as food type, pellets and flakes are high in phosphates. If you're not already, use a mix of frozen foods, according to diets. Rinse them well in RO/DI water. And speaking of that, you're not using tap water, are you?
Kyle, I feed with a mixture to try to cover all of the bases, just a bit of pellet, a tad more than that of flake, some frozen brine shrimp, and some shaved and chopped up food named "formula two" all soaked in a shot glass with R/O water to allow the frozen stuff to thaw and break apart well. The water from our tap is warm softened (kinetico) water, so it's quite pure and low in salts, but still soft. I connected an R/O system to it also kinetico that gives us a good source for making new saltwater. The rock that I have scrubbed the algae off of, has never been allowed to dry, and I have only scrubbed the portions with visible algae, many of the undersides are showing signs of corraline growth, and I even encountered a couple of clams, obviously I do not touch those areas, so not all of it has been decontaminated with the water and brush. Sometime next week, I am set to receive 30 turbo snails that I intend to spread about in every chamber of my refugium and main tank. I really am determined to put this hair algae in my rear view. One of the fish is a bicolor angel who picks at everything, except.... So starting any coral has been futile with his constant obsession of them. I have heard that tangs are supposed to be a good choice for keeping this at bay, but here in our local, they only look healthy in photos.
kbuser92
Breeder
I wouldn't put a tang in a 55. However I would get on reefcleaners.org and order a 55 gallon quick crew. The Florida ceriths will eat some hair algae.
chichimom79
reef junkie
Every time you rinse your rocks in fresh water, you are killing most if not all of the bacteria and life on your rock. The rock is not useless. It can regrow there bacteria, but I wouldn't be scrubbing them down just because of hair algae. My advice is- STOP everything you are doing and breathe. Stop panicking. Hair algae is one of the easiest nuisances to get back in control of.
It would be helpful to know what kind of sand you have, how much flow is in your tank, are you using a good skimmer? What are your nitrate and phosphate levels in the tank? How many and what do you have in your tank's clean up crew?
It would be helpful to know what kind of sand you have, how much flow is in your tank, are you using a good skimmer? What are your nitrate and phosphate levels in the tank? How many and what do you have in your tank's clean up crew?
Angie, I just KNEW someone was going to pin me down on the details! I have been trying to prepare for this inevitable question! I am trying to get and inventory of just what I have. I do know that my sand base is really a collage of different types, UNFORTUNATELY my only resource here in town is a Petco, so my sand is residual from when I purchased the aquarium used and stored (the sand was in a sealed bucket and still wet), and whatever the flavor of the month they carry when I have purchased more, typically a live Caribbean if I recall. I really try to avoid there as much as possible. But in a pinch, they seem to have a pump when needed, or salt. I do have a Remora protein skimmer powered by an Odessa WP-700 pump. My lift pump is a Aqueon Quiet flow model AQ1700 (I just purchased it the other day as my other stopped), the rating on it says it's 264 to 449 GPH, I wish I'd have gotten a bigger one now, but I have it running at full tilt, so 449 GPH. I also installed a Maxijet 1200 power head that is fanning on the rock (I have another of these that I could add if needed).
Regarding life, there are; a peppermint shrimp
a cleaner shrimp
what was sold as a "saltwater cleaner crab" about medium sized
a bi-color angel
2- green Chromis
2- Ocellaris clownfish
a tomato clown
a blue Damsel
a six-line wrasse
a red coris wrasse
possibly 8 assorted hermit crabs
currently 3 or 4 large turbo snails
a couple of smaller black snails
In the refugium, I'm not certain what type of caulerpa I wound up with but it isn't leafy like before, however it seems healthy for the time being. I've added live mud, and Amphipods & Copepods. I had also added four smaller emerald crabs, but as of yesterday, I think they are just plain MIA, I couldn't find them anywhere.
The tank sits atop a custom built base, that I finished and modified to accepth the refugium, and built doors to make it look nice, so too is the light hood, that covers the entire tank. When the algae problem first started, I immediately adjusted the lights to only com eon in the evenings for 4 hours (still this way), but as the problem persisted, I took some of the lamps off line, the entire array consists of 5 bulbs that are;
3- super actnic FR 40T 12/VHO
2- aquasun FR 40T 12/VHO
However, only running now are two of the super actnic's and one of the aquasun. I am reluctant to do much repair on this as I am getting that I am wasting money to repair or replace these, so we have been budgeting for a different set up that I can build into the custom hood.
Lastly..... As of just a few minutes ago;
PH--- 7.8
Ammonia---- 0.0
Nitrite ---- 0.0
Nitrate --- 10
Salinity was at 33ppt or 1.021 sg.
I've no way to test for phosphates at this time. :(
I am astonished at the salinity, but I can open up the covers to allow for faster evaporation, and I can add some fresh R/O to dilute the water. I hope this helps, and I wasn't too vague in some areas. Thank you all for looking in by the way!
Regarding life, there are; a peppermint shrimp
a cleaner shrimp
what was sold as a "saltwater cleaner crab" about medium sized
a bi-color angel
2- green Chromis
2- Ocellaris clownfish
a tomato clown
a blue Damsel
a six-line wrasse
a red coris wrasse
possibly 8 assorted hermit crabs
currently 3 or 4 large turbo snails
a couple of smaller black snails
In the refugium, I'm not certain what type of caulerpa I wound up with but it isn't leafy like before, however it seems healthy for the time being. I've added live mud, and Amphipods & Copepods. I had also added four smaller emerald crabs, but as of yesterday, I think they are just plain MIA, I couldn't find them anywhere.
The tank sits atop a custom built base, that I finished and modified to accepth the refugium, and built doors to make it look nice, so too is the light hood, that covers the entire tank. When the algae problem first started, I immediately adjusted the lights to only com eon in the evenings for 4 hours (still this way), but as the problem persisted, I took some of the lamps off line, the entire array consists of 5 bulbs that are;
3- super actnic FR 40T 12/VHO
2- aquasun FR 40T 12/VHO
However, only running now are two of the super actnic's and one of the aquasun. I am reluctant to do much repair on this as I am getting that I am wasting money to repair or replace these, so we have been budgeting for a different set up that I can build into the custom hood.
Lastly..... As of just a few minutes ago;
PH--- 7.8
Ammonia---- 0.0
Nitrite ---- 0.0
Nitrate --- 10
Salinity was at 33ppt or 1.021 sg.
I've no way to test for phosphates at this time. :(
I am astonished at the salinity, but I can open up the covers to allow for faster evaporation, and I can add some fresh R/O to dilute the water. I hope this helps, and I wasn't too vague in some areas. Thank you all for looking in by the way!
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kbuser92
Breeder
I would kick that salinity to around 1.025. Not a factor, but it's closer to natural sea water. As far as everything else, I'd say you're probably a little bit overstocked, but not enough to really be a factor since most are smaller fish, anyways. On a side note, that damsel will probably start bullying the chromis and corris wrasse if he hasn't already, but the clowns and six-line should hold their own.
As far as phosphates, do you have a number on those?
As far as phosphates, do you have a number on those?
Kyle, the current crew is actually getting along very well, they've been tank mates for about seven moths, the only big concern was the two wrasses, but once the red coris got bigger, the six-line has just found someplace else to be. That is except for the four emerald crabs, no clue where they wound up. I have no test kit for the phosphates to date, but I will look to see what I can find, as soon as I get a kit, I will post it here.
