normal cycling algae? help :(

Discussion in 'Algae' started by reeftrons, Dec 8, 2011.

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  1. reeftrons

    reeftrons Astrea Snail

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    ok so i agreed to let my husband upgrade the tank from a 24 gallon to a 55 w/ sump. our old system had green hair algae EVERYWHERE. hubz "let it take over" - was not much for staying on top of keeping it clean (frustrating b/c it was a total eyesore - not nice to look at whatsoever). so he promised that if he upgraded that he would be able to clean the live rock, cure it and add it to the new tank, hence eliminating the green hair algae problem. said that the algae problem would be a thing of the past and i wouldn't have to look at the horridness ever again.

    so...he cycled the new tank...boiled the live rock and cleaned it well (this took weeks), then cured it...put it in the new set up and began the cycling process. if course the tank was crystal clear for the 1st 3-4 weeks. now that everything is in place the algae is popping up like mad. it's already covered the entire back of the tank completely. he says cleaning it will make things worse and that it is a normal part of the cycling process...yet i see him online all the time trying to find cures for green hair algae.

    i need some truth from experienced people. is this much what is considered to be a "normal" part of the cycling process? i cannot remember our first set up ever being this bad at all when it first cycled....it was only after a couple of years that it got to be infested with the green hair.

    here are some pics...please give me the truth. i need to find a way to get rid of this (now BIGGER) eyesore!!! :-/

    http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v61/samo412/photo2-1.jpg
    http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v61/samo412/photo1.jpg

    Thank you!
     
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  3. NanoMano

    NanoMano Gigas Clam

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    Do you use ro/di water or tap water
     
  4. reeftrons

    reeftrons Astrea Snail

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    he uses RO water from the refill water system at Wal-Mart...he buys 5 gallon refills in those large blue containers/jugs
     
  5. reeftrons

    reeftrons Astrea Snail

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    with Christmas coming I am open to suggestions to buy him something (anything) that may help him to control this. I really do want him to succeed with his hobby, but I really don't want it to end up like our last set up...I could even admire the fish because it looked like a swamp...
     
  6. gabbyr189

    gabbyr189 Bubble Tip Anemone

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    This is far from normal. Normal is a little bit of brown diatoms on the sand and glass. Do you run GFO or another phosphate remover? Do you have a refugium or another source of biological filtration? Clean up crew? You should either by a DI filter to filter the rest of the stuff out of that RO, or just buy an RODI unit. You will save yourself a lot of money! I've read that in the long run it only costs about 5 cents per gallon make your own. I haven't calculated how much it costs me. One day..

    What are your levels?
     
  7. reeftrons

    reeftrons Astrea Snail

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    hi gabby, thanks for being so candid. I will get that information for you shortly. he talks about the RODI unit and needing one. Can you recommend a good one to buy him as a gift? I do want to help him with this, but he keeps telling me it is normal.

    I will post the info you asked for concerning the levels when he gets home and I can ask him. thank you again.
     
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  9. NanoMano

    NanoMano Gigas Clam

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    Yeah I wouldn't trust walmart for RO, In fact I doubt its anything more then filtered water. Go for RO/DI this is a great one for the money AQUARIUM RO+DI REVERSE OSMOSIS **7 Stages 100GPD 0ppm** | eBay I have a few friends I get my ro off of, and they use these no complaints! Also Gabby brings up a good issue do you have a sump or refugium? if so throw in a wad of Chaeto Algae, it wont eliminate the problem but should slow it, cause it will steal nutrients from the hair algae and cause its growth to slow or stop. Also a good clean up crew is essential! Algae eaters such as emerald crabs do a great job, but they can know corals over too, keep your options open in that aspect, also whats the photo period (how many hours of light per day?)
     
  10. reeftrons

    reeftrons Astrea Snail

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    we have a Berlin triple filter sump w an 8 gallon sump. the tank gets 8 hrs of light per day. I will look at that RODI on eBay...thank you!!
     
  11. NanoMano

    NanoMano Gigas Clam

    Joined:
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    and Chaeto algae? like I said this is a type of hair algae that is like a ball and goes in the sump, with a light over it, it'll suck phosphates, nitrates, and silicates right out of the water :) its cheap too!
     
  12. ricoop

    ricoop Skunk Shrimp

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    Location:
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    Mine wasn't as bad, but I had some hair algae for a little while. I was using just RO water. Went to full RO/DI and it went away. If it were me this is the unit I would go with. SpectraPure Water Purification Products

    The refurb 90gpd 4 stage should be great for you. People that have gotten that unit thought they got a brand new one so no worries on the refurb. On top of that, Spectrapure is one of the companies for RO/DI you will find receommend most often on this forum. They have a great reputation and when I upgrade my RO/DI setup it will be coming from them.

    I would say go full RO/DI water, scrape it off that back glass and start running some GFO.