Hair algae is winning, HELP, now the refugium!

Alright so I've been battling this hair algae problem for a few months, I'm starting to go crazy now. Still can't find the source of the GHA's food. This thread http://www.3reef.com/forums/algae/could-another-hair-algae-post-yes-54919.html talks about some things I've already done to TRY to help get rid of this crap.

About a week ago I bought a 1400k, full spectrum flood light for the fuge to help the cheato grow. Previously I was just using a standard 80 watt "fish tank" bulb.

I have had the daylight bulbs off in the display tank for 2 weeks, with only two T5 actinics running 12 hrs a day. (the fuge light runs the opposite 12 hrs)

I ordered a couple new 50/50 pc bulbs to replace the ones I currently have that I suspect helped this outbreak start. These bulbs should be here on the 12th.

A few days ago I noticed a major diatom bloom in the fuge, I figured I'd let it be since maybe if stuff is growing in the fuge, maybe it will starve the GHA in display tank?

Yestreday I noticed a ton of GHA starting in the fuge. The cheato is taken over by diatoms and now GHA.

Should I keep running the fuge lights??
If yes, should I cut the time down, or increase it?

What if I starve the DT by enhancing growth in fuge, then what happens when I end up with a fuge full of GHA? When I get my new lights and run them, won't the GHA come back to the DT?

When actinics go bad, can they emit red light that can help GHA growth?

AARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! HELP!!!!!!!!!

Look, diatoms in the skimmer even!

 

That's the ticket ! You are on your way !! now that the algae has spread to the fuge you can begin to clean the DT. As it grows stronger in the fuge your DT will clean up. Start to pull it from the DT and move it the refugium. Make sure your refugium is moving 10% of the DT volume per hour - this will take a few more weeks, but you are almost there. Did you only have cheato in the fuge?

 

But what I'm wondering is that if I fill the fuge with GHA, then when can I use daylight lights in the DT again? Won't it just go back up to the DT once I do?

I can't really control the amount of water the fuge is moving per hour, it's a pretty ghetto setup.

I only have cheato in the fuge because my foxface will eat it if it's in the DT. I've seen him eat a baseball sized chunk of cheato in 2 days. (Maybe I can put some in pantyhose and hang it in the DT?)

How often should I run the fuge lights?

 

I have read other thread and it looks like untill you get the ro unit working this problem is going to persist. I would definitly clean the skimmer cause most everything I have read says that if the inner walls of skimmer are dirty it cuts down the efficenicy. That is your best bet for taking out diatoms is a good working skimmer. I feel your fustration and hope this helps.

 

I just read the post above - your RO unit is not working? that's by far the cause of it

Increaseing the photo time in the fuge will promote more grow taking up more nutrients and starving the DT hair. You are well on your way to the solution....just a little while longer (I know, easy for us to say....trust me, I hear ya)

 

Thanks for your response. I really appreciate everyone's help here. We have had some $ issues come up (who hasn't huh) so now the RO/DI unit will have to wait another couple weeks. Ugh.

I'll pull the skimmer out today and clean it. Going to run lights in fuge 24/7 for now, and leave the DT lights off (except for actnic) until I get the new 50/50's. Then I will only be running 50/50 & daylight in the DT for maybe 8hrs a day, and actinic's still for 12 (because that's what my corals are used to).

 

would run fuge lights 24/7 they will still need down time to process. I would just keep cleaning out fuge that way you know you are taking out the bad stuff that is causing the blooms. Your DT lighting schedual seems spot on though.

 

eh? So should I give the fuge some down time?

Generally I believe that the fuge should have some dark time, but in this case to cause massive growth is 24/7 best or have down time?

 

short down time if you don't have down time it may move back to DT cause it can rest there. everything needs rest.

 

Thanks, for claifying, that has always been what I thought to be true.