Could the white light be the problem with my out of-control green hair algae?

[John J in Pickens]

I've had my BioCube 16 set up since late March. My water tests seem OK ( Ammonia-0 ppm, Nitrite- 0 ppm, Nitrate-10 ppm, pH- 7.8-8.0). I change out one gallon of seawater each week, I only have two fish in the tank now, two Ocellaris Clownfish, that I've had for 7 years. I have a CUC consisting of 4 Astrea Snails, 5 Blue / Red Hermit Crabs, and one Nassarius Snail. I feed the fish a tiny pinch of flake food and a tiny pinch of sinking pellet food in the morning and again at night, and once a week I put in a small amount of frozen brine shrimp. However, for the past two months, I have had Green Hair Algae growing aggressively, all over the tank, in my sand, on my rock, and even on the shells of the crabs and the snails. I have scooped and pulled out a very large amount of the algae twice since it first started to grow. (Just did it again yesterday.) It grows back so fast it's scary. I don't know what to do.

A friend of mine said the problem might be the window in the study where the aquarium is. It does not have curtains or blinds. The aquarium is against the opposite wall, about 9 ft away from the window. It does NOT get direct sunlight. A guy at the LFS suggested I cut down or turn off the white light bank in the hood. He said GHA grows fast under white light.

I'm really getting frustrated. I was told that the BioCube 16 could be difficult o manage because of the small tank size. I'm hoping I can come up with something that will stunt or eliminate this rapid growth of GHA. I'd be appreciative and grateful for any help. Thanks.

 

[D3DPrintedThingz]

I've had my BioCube 16 set up since late March. My water tests seem OK ( Ammonia-0 ppm, Nitrite- 0 ppm, Nitrate-10 ppm, pH- 7.8-8.0). I change out one gallon of seawater each week, I only have two fish in the tank now, two Ocellaris Clownfish, that I've had for 7 years. I have a CUC consisting of 4 Astrea Snails, 5 Blue / Red Hermit Crabs, and one Nassarius Snail. I feed the fish a tiny pinch of flake food and a tiny pinch of sinking pellet food in the morning and again at night, and once a week I put in a small amount of frozen brine shrimp. However, for the past two months, I have had Green Hair Algae growing aggressively, all over the tank, in my sand, on my rock, and even on the shells of the crabs and the snails. I have scooped and pulled out a very large amount of the algae twice since it first started to grow. (Just did it again yesterday.) It grows back so fast it's scary. I don't know what to do.

A friend of mine said the problem might be the window in the study where the aquarium is. It does not have curtains or blinds. The aquarium is against the opposite wall, about 9 ft away from the window. It does NOT get direct sunlight. A guy at the LFS suggested I cut down or turn off the white light bank in the hood. He said GHA grows fast under white light.

I'm really getting frustrated. I was told that the BioCube 16 could be difficult o manage because of the small tank size. I'm hoping I can come up with something that will stunt or eliminate this rapid growth of GHA. I'd be appreciative and grateful for any help. Thanks.

I do not see phosphate levels, you could be running elevated phosphate levels and have some GHA from that. As far as eradication, I have used Fluconozale multiple times to destroy any algae with a green color.

Have you confirmed it is GHA? There are other nuisance algaes that look similar, bryopsis is one that comes to mind. A tuxedo urchin is great at mowing down large tufts of algae. Only worry about feeding it when there is nothing in the tank it feeds on naturally.

Scooping it out will not solve the problem if you can not identify the underlying problem (as you have already come to the conclusion) . If you don't have any corals, just run the tank with no lights on for 3-4 days and see if that helps. If it does not help, then cover the window with some light reducing shades. After that, if none of it works, you might need to be helped by someone smarter than I

 

[bushdoc]

From my own experience, ambient light can definitely contribute to GHA overgrowth, but do not consider it as the only factor. My DT is few feet from east facing window and I did install window blinds after few months and it seem to slow down algae growth.
You didn’t say what phosphate level was and it might be contributing factor in algae growth. I would feed more frozen food and less dry food, also manual removal of algae would help. Your CUC might be expanded too.

 

[Eric R.]

Looks like from another thread you started with dry rock, is that right? Also sounds like you don't have any coral?

If this is the case, I'd suggest running with your lights off for a few months while your tank and rock mature. You'll probably still have to do some manual removal of algae, but it will be less.

Algae survives on low nutrients, I wouldn't starve your tank and risk something more challenging to handle like dinos, which is not uncommon for new tanks started with dry rock and low nutrients.

What's your plan for adding coral?

 

[Eric R.]

Also, check out this video from Rich Ross on algae management, plenty of great info:





If you like that, Rich has a podcast called Reef Beef, they did a good episode about how they recommend new reefers run a tank for the first 6 months (they do swear, in case that's something that bothers you, they do a disclaimer at the beginning)

 

[bushdoc]

Precisely, Rich Ross talk sums everything up what one needs to know about algae growth in marine tank.

 

[Troylee]

If you think white light is causing it, that’s false! We’ve ran tanks for decades without leds or blue lights and didn’t have algae problems.. you have a nutrient problem.. most likely your source water or dry rock that’s bound with phosphates..

 

[John J in Pickens]

From my own experience, ambient light can definitely contribute to GHA overgrowth, but do not consider it as the only factor. My DT is few feet from east facing window and I did install window blinds after few months and it seem to slow down algae growth.
You didn’t say what phosphate level was and it might be contributing factor in algae growth. I would feed more frozen food and less dry food, also manual removal of algae would help. Your CUC might be expanded too.

Thanks for the info! I guess I should find myself a phosphate test kit and start using it. Have you heard of this brand, Nyos? I think they are a German brand. Not too pricey, just don't know how well they work. Any recommendations would be welcomed! JJ

 

[John J in Pickens]

I admit I'm not as knowledgeable about proper food to feed in a tank as small as mine. So, dry or prepared flake or pellet food is bad for phosphate level?

 

[Troylee]

I admit I'm not as knowledgeable about proper food to feed in a tank as small as mine. So, dry or prepared flake or pellet food is bad for phosphate level?

Every food is different.. the general consensus is that pellets add phosphates.. so does frozen and everything else you feed the tank… what are using for top off water and fresh salt mix? Do you have your own rodi? Only time I’ve had a hair algae problem was with lfs water..

 

[rtparty]

Not enough algae predators. Nutrient levels are almost NEVER the reason behind algae issues.

Get in and scrub off as much as you can, suck it out with a water change, and double or triple your snails. Find a decent algae eating fish for your size tank.

 

[twelvefive]

Thanks for the info! I guess I should find myself a phosphate test kit and start using it. Have you heard of this brand, Nyos? I think they are a German brand. Not too pricey, just don't know how well they work. Any recommendations would be welcomed! JJ

NYOS, Salifert, and Hanna are all good

You don't have near enough CUC imo.

For in tank maintenance, I like to scrub GHA with a toothbrush and catch everything in the water column with a fish net.

Lights out (length of time depending on corals) and increase CUC to get it started on a downward path. If it's really bad, may need to rip clean: scrub rock with peroxide, wash sand. Flucanazol is another option but could lead to cyano and dinos after algae clears up.

 

[Miami Reef]

Whoever keeps suggesting phosphate control is the solution needs to better educate themselves.

The only thing lowering phosphates will do is starve your corals and increase the risk of Dinos.

There are plenty of 0 nutrient tanks with algae issues, just like there are plenty of high nutrient tanks with no algae.

You just need more herbivores to eat the algae. Buying a piece of live rock with coralline will also help immensely in seeding the tank with a beneficial algae to outcompete the uglies.

 

[John J in Pickens]

Every food is different.. the general consensus is that pellets add phosphates.. so does frozen and everything else you feed the tank… what are using for top off water and fresh salt mix? Do you have your own rodi? Only time I’ve had a hair algae problem was with lfs water..

Right now, I'm buying RODI water and seawater from my LFS. I've talked to a couple of other people with reefs, and they said they also buy their water from the same store as me. So, I doubt if the store is the source of my problem. I'm going to put up a mini blind in my study where the tank is and keep the blind down to cut down on sunlight in the room, and I think I'll reset my lights and not program the bank of white lights. And I'll also cut down on feeding sinking pellets and flake food, maybe substitute some frozen food to feed along with frozen brine shrimp that I give the tank once a week. I hope this helps.....

 

[John J in Pickens]

Whoever keeps suggesting phosphate control is the solution needs to better educate themselves.

The only thing lowering phosphates will do is starve your corals and increase the risk of Dinos.

There are plenty of 0 nutrient tanks with algae issues, just like there are plenty of high nutrient tanks with no algae.

You just need more herbivores to eat the algae. Buying a piece of live rock with coralline will also help immensely in seeding the tank with a beneficial algae to outcompete the uglies.

Well, I have not yet tried my hand at corals yet, at least not until I get a handle on my rampant growth of GHA. That is a good idea you mentioned about buying a piece of live rock with coralline on it to seed my tank. I guess I need to find out what an acceptable phosphate level is in reef tanks. For all I know, it may be off the charts!

 

[Troylee]

Well, I have not yet tried my hand at corals yet, at least not until I get a handle on my rampant growth of GHA. That is a good idea you mentioned about buying a piece of live rock with coralline on it to seed my tank. I guess I need to find out what an acceptable phosphate level is in reef tanks. For all I know, it may be off the charts!

.05-1 is fine… you’re gonna get false readings as your hair algae is consuming it..