Green hair algae

[clevan]

My tank is about 1 year old and I have been using well water for the changes. Over the past 2 months there has been a huge increase in what appears to be hair algae over the rocks to a point where it's out of control. I will be getting a RO system in a month, question: anyway to stop it now and will it harm the fish?
Thanks in advance

 

[Brian5000]

Depending on how much water we're talking, you could buy RO/DI water from your local super market. It's not that expensive just to do that a few times, and that could hold you over until you get your own filter running.

Get as much of the algea off as humanly possible and do a large water change. Even after you solve the problem, the algea may persist for some time feeding off of it's own nutrient reserves.

Chemical solutions are not good. I think fish will survive, but intererbrates may suffer. Unfortunately, the slow painful solution of consistent water changes is the only reef safe method of algea elimination.
_________________
1990 recession

 

[Anonymous]

Besides what is posted above, clevan, when was the last time you changed your bulbs? When they get old the spectrum shifts and can contribute to algae. Also, you can try to eliminate the excess nutrients you put into the tank. The old programmer's saying "garbage in, garbage out" is very true

 

[FifeReef]

You most likely have a high nitrate and phosphate levels, and possibly silicates as well. The RO/DI should help alot. You might consider using a material like Phosban which can remove phosphates and help with the silicates. For now I would remove as much as possible by hand, and water changes will help reduce the nitrates, but not the silicate until you are using RO/DI water.

 

[Anonymous]

Let a TDS Meter be your friend as well!

 

[kgross]

The algae will not harm the fish. Depending on what fish you have, the first thing I might suggest is to cut back on feeding (if you have very many herbivores. After that all the other suggestions are good, but I would also add tune up your protien skimmer and increase water flow so the detritus does not get a chance to settle.

Kim