Need Suggestions for dealing with Hair Algae

[Monza28]

I'm starting to have a hair algae problem in my 65g and I want to attack it before it really gets a stronghold. I have an api reef test kit and I'm not getting any readings of phosphate on it. Additionally I've had my LFS check for phosphates several times and readings are always 0. Flow in the tank is 400gph through the sump/refugium return pump along with a koralia 3 and a koralia 1 in the display. Lighting is from a brand new power compact fixture. I need suggestions on fighting this common battle. What works? I've heard of...
manually pulling it off and siphoning it out
emerald crabs
sea hares
lawnmower blennies
reducing photo period
GFO
Is it common to have HA but no detectable phosphates? I'm buying RO/DI for topoffs.

[joda]

hey Ricky
from what I understand, the hair algae is locking up your phosphates which is why you're not getting any detectable readings on the test kits. i've dealt with this problem by using a good water source for water changes/top offs (looks like your getting an RODI, great!), lawnmower blennies work wonders, but they usually take a while to acclimate to the tank before they really start mowing. however if it's really out of control you may just have to do the old hair pull manually.

[CarmieJo]

Hi Ricky,

It is very common to have an algae bloom with no detectable nutrients because the algae is taking them up. As far as source, what are you feeding and are you rinsing frozen foods? Phosphate can also leach out of LR.

Having battled this pesky problem several times I can say I believe that a combination approach is best. I do water changes, manually extract it. siphon it, run GFO (in fact I have started running it all the time) and have had a sea hare. The other thing that I put together when the last bloom started was that I had changed to a reef style salt and had stopped dripping kalk. Well kalk precipitates out PO4 and I think that by not using kalk I set myself up for the algae bloom.

[mysterybox]

Phosphate reduction/ removal is most likely the answer. you have a few choices. Add a refugium with Macro algae. If you don't already have one get an inexpensive phosphate reactor for like 35 bucks and put some phosar or ROWA in there. (you'll need to CHANGE your media in phosphate reactor more often at first.) Your media might be getting saturated in 2 weeks depending upon how much is bound up in your rocks, tank, algae, etc. Use less media, change every 2 weeks. Use a great test kit like DD merk, Hack, or colormeter or send to AWT.

when you do your water change, take the end of the hose and suck all the algae down like a vaccum. It'll take a few water changes, but it works (especially after the phosphate remover kicks in)

You must export the same or more nutrients than you put in. Overfeeding, tap water, high phosphate foods, etc. Use a phosphate reactor with some phosar or ROWA or whatever, and something to lower nitrates like a fuge, AZNO3, or whatever.

check out:

Phosphate and the Reef Aquarium by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com (http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/rhf/index.php)

Phosphate and the Reef Aquarium by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com (http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/rhf/index.php)

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...st2003/chem.htm

Reef Aquarium Water Parameters by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com (http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php)

[Monza28]

Thanks for the suggestions and the link. My nitrates are always low. On my API kit they are bellow 5ppm even right before a water change. Phosphates I never get a reading, but as was mentioned earlier its possible the algae I have is absorbing it. I have a refugium but so far all I have is a small clump of chaeto, I need to find some more. I think I might add a phosban reactor. I've included a FTS so that you can see the problem.
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h158/pf1130/65%20Gallon/4-09-2008039.jpg

[CarmieJo]

Ricky, believe it or not this is not a bad outbreak! Algae will also take up nitrates so that may be why they are also low. The cheato will grow and take up nutrients. I have both it and caulerpa. I think macros grow and absorb nutrients faster right after they have been pruned so don't be afraid to cut it back.

I like your aquascaping.

[Monza28]

Thanks Carmie. I was actually afraid to prune the chaeto because its such a small clump, but I might do some light trimming on the ends now. Thanks for the compliment on the aquascaping, its my first attempt at a reef tank. I posted pics in the member tanks forum and got no responses, I was afraid no one liked it hehe.

[CarmieJo]

Too much busyness on my part. When I get behind I try to post to "problem" threads and just read through the others. :)