I am puzzled about green hair algae.

Discussion in 'Algae' started by Midnight_Madman, Sep 21, 2015.

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  1. April Hope

    April Hope Fire Shrimp

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    I bought a sea hair, and also manually removed it. But I also use Algaefix. Worked for me in two weeks.
     
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  3. Midnight_Madman

    Midnight_Madman Montipora Digitata

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    The only thing I have done different with this aquarium is (NOT) include a refugium. I am starting to really question if that is the problem?
    Other then that I am completely out of ideas, I've now done everything and nothing works
     
  4. Midnight_Madman

    Midnight_Madman Montipora Digitata

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    The only thing I have done different with this aquarium is (NOT) include a refugium. I am starting to really question if that is the problem?
    Other then that I am completely out of ideas, I've now done everything and nothing works
     
  5. ivanbosk

    ivanbosk Feather Duster

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    Well here is my 2 cents. You have a closed system. Any clean up crew is going to decimate your algae problem, but where are those nutrients going? Right back into growing more algae.

    Phosban/etc is good but stops working when it's saturated, then leaches back into the system when over saturated. Water changes are good, but not going to save you, especially as you have to keep feeding those dirty fish...

    My suggestion is getting the largest sump you can fit under your tank. Get a good light and a medium flow pump and let the algae flourish in that refugium. Let hair algae grow, macro algae's, etc. Have those lights on when your display tank lights are off.

    When the algae grows out of control in your sump, just prune it back. No one sees it, so let your sump grow like a jungle. Easy peasy.
     
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  6. Todd_Sails

    Todd_Sails Giant Squid

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    Recently someone was over viewing my system, and commented on the algae in my FT.
    (All one water system)- he said 'your system is using this as a refugium'. I also have a large sump- that had Macro, and now mostly my algae turf scrubber. Little if any algae in the DT these days though.- I'm slowly wimming on getting it out of the FT also.

    Bingo, +1
     
  7. Midnight_Madman

    Midnight_Madman Montipora Digitata

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    I think the key is letting it grow somewhere else too.. time to get a light on the sump. I already have a bunch of LR in it
     
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  9. Todd_Sails

    Todd_Sails Giant Squid

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    When you posted no fuge- cant you simply allow an area to grow chaetomorphia with light on it?
    I had a HUGE mass of chaeto- until I got my ATS up and running- now I"m scrubbing LOL.
     
  10. Vinnyboombatz

    Vinnyboombatz Giant Squid

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    Why do you have a bunch of lr in your sump?
     
  11. Midnight_Madman

    Midnight_Madman Montipora Digitata

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    Just extra liverock from the display that I pulled out.

    I have a nice 65k energy bulb over it now.. I did another water change and pulled some of the rock with the GHA and scrubbed it in the old water..
    Lets see what happens. I need to get some lights on in my display soon because I have some soft corals.
     
  12. oldfishkeeper

    oldfishkeeper Giant Squid

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    do you not have a quality light on your display currently?