Getting a bit P#ssed off now

mike Bushie

mike Bushie

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Hey Guys i am having a bit of trouble with hair algae its on some of my rocks and i have alot on they back wall.
I have been using Phosban running in my sump and as well as a algea scrubber and i even used liquid phosphate remover ( so it can't be from the phosphates. I am going to boil some of the bad rocks. but don't know if what i am going to do about the hair on the back.
i do once a week water changes.
what is the answer gents ( thought of getting a fish that would like hair algea the only one that i know of that would be suitable in my 125L display 200L system is an algea blenny however i have a midias blenny so i don;t think its a good idea). any suggestions.
 
Dont boil your rocks!! you'll kill everything in them!
rather 'cook' them! and no litterally cook them! look up the concept... its lenghly but works!!
your pho's must be coming out of your rocks to cause GHA on them.. as for the backwall GHA, i think we should wait for someone who nows.
when last did you replace your phosban?
 
thank goodness the bad rocks have no corals on them. Can you explain the cooking process :)
phosban was replaced a month ago.
 
Can you check the R/O water, you may be adding P04 in your water changes - test everything before you resort to cooking rocks, as above you lose all the good bacteria if you do.
 
Mike, the "cooking process", is as follows:
1) take the live rock out of your tank, which has the hair algae issue (not the rocks with corals on them).
2) place them in a container with some old tank water - put a power head in the container to keep the water flowing
3) put all of this in a dark area
4) leave it there for 4 to 6 weeks - the bacteria in the water, and other micro critters will "use up" the hidden detritus... you will see a LOT of "waste" lying at the bottom of the container...
5) you can replace the water, and clean out the container, if you so wish, every time that you do a water change on your tank....
 
ie this is like a Minnie cycling process.
but what i wanna know is why this has occurred if i have controlled my phosphates ???
haaa i was always under the impression that you literally put the rock in very hot water kill everything off then put it back so that the micro organisms still on your other rock will move back into the "DEAD" rock
 
How long have you been running the ATS?
What lighting are you running on the ATS?

Where you getting your RO water from?

What salt you using?
 
ATS Aglae Turf scrubber
 
Mike how offen do you flush your RO unit before use and have you tested your TDS... I have had the same problem but seem to be winning the battle I have upped the flow in my tanks and aimed two power heads to the back glass one from each side of the tank.. Have also changed my phos remover to rowaphos in a reactor, changed my salf from Real Ocean to TM and take a small power head and blow the rocks clean every second day,,I am now starting to see changes in the tank after about a month,,hang in there nothing happens fast also changed my lighting times a bit...Hope you win the battle bud
 
What RO unit are you using? Is it a Waterboy unit?
What carbon are you using? That could be a potential source. Do a phosphate test and drop a granule of carbon into the test tube.

The tetra salt is fine as far as phophates and nitrates go.
 
Mike all the suggestions that have been given work, one thing i been doing to keep unwanted algae at bay is blasting my rocks.

Pretty simple all i do is save my waste water from a water change in a bucket take out a rock from the tank pop it in the bucket and blast it with a power head for a while,
repeat the process with some other rock in the system you will be amazed at all the stuff that comes off the rocks, i used to do it in the tank but then realised that most of the " stuff " would just settle in some other spot in the tank.

Good luck hope you win the battle.
 
Mike all the suggestions that have been given work, one thing i been doing to keep unwanted algae at bay is blasting my rocks.

Pretty simple all i do is save my waste water from a water change in a bucket take out a rock from the tank pop it in the bucket and blast it with a power head for a while,
repeat the process with some other rock in the system you will be amazed at all the stuff that comes off the rocks, i used to do it in the tank but then realised that most of the " stuff " would just settle in some other spot in the tank.

Good luck hope you win the battle.
Click to expand...
That is a great idea Tridan.You could do that as part of a maintenance plan.Maybe every couple of months flush the rock outside the tank otherwise use a powerhead inside the tank
 
Just by the way. Don't waste your time getting an Algae Blenny unless you like them. I have one and he doesn't touch hair algae. But I think he's one of the most interesting fish in my tank.
 
I had one and it never touched hair algae. Get some Prodibio. That will sort things out chop chop
 
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