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    Posted: August 13 2017 at 6:26pm
I've been cycling this little 20g peninsula for over a month now and I'm getting ready to put some fish in next week once I get my power supply for my light. Some of the LR I moved from my frag tank sump apparently had some green hair algae on it and now it's all over this new tank. im not going to run a skimmer or really do much other than bi weekly water changes and probably use some kalk in my ato when the time comes that I need it. My question is how do I get rid of this gha? I'm not feeding the tank are there really an excess of nutrients that is helping it thrive? I don't want to add coral until I get this under control because i don't need the algae growing all over those as well. Any input would be appreciated I haven't had to deal with this before.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote knowen87 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 13 2017 at 7:53pm
I have dealt with green hair algae before. I am no expert or anything but what i did was increase my water changes to like 10% twice per week and manually plucking it off of the rock. It took a few months and a lot of picking at the rocks. I am 90% sure that it was caused by my lack of maintenance so I don't know why your rock would be doing this in a new unfed tank but it worked for me. Now that I am thinking, I might have also reduced the photo period. Good luck
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mark Peterson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 13 2017 at 10:20pm
In case you didn't realize it, saltwater has plenty of nutrients to make algae grow. Some kinds of rock and sand can add to the algae bloom.

How many Snails are in this new tank?
What kind of rock was used?
These two questions will help us advise you along the right path to conquering this nuisance algae problem.

There are many ways to do a reef tank and many ways to handle a bloom of hair algae. Some are good, some are better, some are best, but others are terribly long, drawn out, labor intensive endeavors. Which direction would you like to take? 

Some people say I'm too cocky and sometimes arrogant and maybe that's true, but I've been doing this, helping hobbyists solve algae problems since 1995. It started with my own mess where I received help from an unexpected source. I wouldn't say this story is an example of the best or fastest method but in its way it was the best that anybody knew at the time. Click here and read about it: My Ugly Green-Haired Mermaid.

Since 1993 we've made some advances but some things have remained the same, like using herbivores to eat the algae. The Reefkeeping Tips linked here and below has more about this. Reading about algae control there should help you a lot. 

Looking forward to reading your answers to the two questions I posed above.

Aloha,
Mark  Hug
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Zack801 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 14 2017 at 10:46am
I've got 10 snails, 1 turbo and the rest are astrea. I've got 3 hermits and 1 emerald crab. Rock used was normal live rock from my other tank and some dead utah rock i believe. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hogie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 14 2017 at 11:14am
I wouldn't put in fish until you get the the GHA under control. The food you put in to feed the fish is just going to make the problem worse. When I started my new tank, I used dry rock with some live rock to seed and get it going. I didn't wash the dry rock through and I battled GHA for a yr before I finally beat it. I finally had to have my tank be fallow with the lights off for a couple of months for it go away. My guess is the dry (it's even worse if it really is dead rock) is leaching phosphates into the tank. Did you do anything to clean the rock before you put it in?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Zack801 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 14 2017 at 11:24am
I just scrubbed the rock with RO water and brush before putting it in. i have a phosphate test kit ill check that water this evening 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mark Peterson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 14 2017 at 11:45am
Okay thanks for the answers. I hope you have read those links. If not, now would be a good time. Smile

First of all, if enough snails are living in a reef system, hair algae rarely gets out of control, so the first thing I recommend is adding more snails. At least 1/gal is the standard, but where algae has gotten out of control it's not a bad idea to add more than 1/gal. The hair algae may be kinda long which is difficult for Snails to get in their mouth, so more Hermits is good because they can snip off the strands of hair algae. These animals do the job so you don't have to. Clap

When the algae gets eaten up and the tank is clear, the Hermits and Snails may get too hungry so move some to another reef aquarium. Hungry Hermits can actually turn to eating Snails! Thumbs Down

Secondly, there is a procedure where you can shut down algae growth so that it starts to die and actually become more tasty to Hermits. If you read the Reefkeeping Tip about it you will have read about doing a series of 2 day black outs. 

Third is the use of Activated Alumina (AA) for stripping Phosphate(PO4) from the water. AA works much better and faster than GFO and it doesn't go in a reactor. Just put the AA loose in a media bag and place the bag in an area of swift flow. I typically use about 1/2-1 cup AA per 50 gals depending on how fast I want to strip PO4 from the water. Turn the bag once or twice a week and watch for it to change color. When it changes from white to tan, replace it with more AA. The AA sold in stores by Seachem and Kent is not nearly as efficient as the AA I buy in bulk and resell to hobbyists at a bargain. Let me know if you want some.

Fourth is manual tooth brushing hair algae off the rocks. I don't recommend removing the rocks from the water because that just kills animals and leads to further pollution, in turn feeding more algae. This step is not necessary but can speed up the work of the Hermits and Snails making it easier for them to mow down the hair algae.

Fifth is to add an herbivorous fish, a Tang, Rabbitfish and/or Lawnmower Blenny. Feed very little so the fish will be hungry enough to graze on algae. Use the Garlic Oil Treatment for new fish so the newly added fish, though fed sparingly, will stay healthy.

Notice that I said nothing of doing more frequent water changes. As I said earlier, new saltwater feeds algae. New tanks don't need water changes for the first 2-4 months anyway. Whatever your water change schedule, delay or stop doing water changes altogether. As long as Alk, Ca and Mg are kept within their acceptable ranges by testing and dosing, standard water changes of 10% per month are entirely sufficient for all reef aquariums, well, those not having an algae bloom. Wink

Now let's talk about rock. When you say some of the rock used in this tank was "dead", do you mean it was once in a tank but removed and left out to dry? For your convenience, I've copied here the Reefkeeping Tips about the use of LR that was left out to dry/die.
Can I use the dry rock and sand that came with this aquarium? http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=41514
Best treatment of dry rock before re-use: http://utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=74744
Sometimes the rock that comes from the ground (Florida and Utah rock) has picked up extra PO4 from the ground that then leaches into the water, which may feed nuisance algae. The Use of AA as described above takes care of that PO4.

After the hair algae has been pretty much eliminated, it's a good idea to add a nutrient competitor. Chaetomorpha and Caulerpa Algae grow well in aquariums. Their growth competes with bad algae for the nutrients they both need.
Also, keep up on the Snail population, not so many that they starve, but enough that they keep the rocks mostly clear of bad algae.

Hope this helps.
Aloha,
Mark  Hug
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hogie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 14 2017 at 11:46am
Keep in mind, your phosphates might test 0 because the GHA is using the phosphates to grow.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mark Peterson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 14 2017 at 12:10pm
I'm slow at writing. I was writing my long post while 2 posts came up. 
So dead rock is in the tank. That's okay. We know how to deal with it. Read the discussions that I copied for you above from the Reefkeeping Tips.

As is described in those linked discussions, dead dry rock that was once alive leaches more than just PO4. It creates Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate pollution. What's just as bad or worse, is that it leaches heavy metals and other strange compounds from the bodies of those dead bacteria, bugs and worms. This leaching can go on for up to a year while the organic matter decomposes. In some tanks it has killed any coral that was added. The absolute best thing I have found to correct the problem is to use a product called Poly-Filter, made by Poly-Bio-Marine, also mentioned in those threads.

By the way, I guarantee that the level of PO4 you will see in testing the water is misleading. The hair algae is quickly eating the Nitrogen and Phosphate pollution thereby making the water seem cleaner than it really is.

Aloha,
Mark  Hug
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Zack801 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 15 2017 at 10:39am
Yes the dead rock i assume was from another tank. There was a member on here a month or two back getting rid of some tanks and supplies because he was out of the hobby, i got the rock from him. As far as the fish listed above i think my tank is a little small for them at only 20g. The only one i could possibly add would be that lawnmower blenny. I do have some filter pads that ill place where my overflow is to catch any materials coming through. I've got some rowa phos left that has removed phosphates well for me in the past. I will also go and get some more snails and hermits this week and cover the tank for a couple of days of blackout.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Zack801 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 15 2017 at 10:40am
Oh i found the ad from the guy i got the utah rock from. http://utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=82763&title=free-stuff-everything-must-go his name is Burt. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mark Peterson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 15 2017 at 7:27pm
Yes, I know Burt. He is an intelligent person and was an excellent hobbyist. If I recall correctly, he did reef tanks for about ten years. He was a great contributor to this forum.

Would you mind posting pics of the tank to show the extent of the hair algae, to make sure there isn't more we could suggest? 

As far as fish, you might do well to think outside the box. I have kept Tangs in many small tanks over the years. One currently running tank is only 14 gallons, measuring only 4.5" deep (front to back) and another is a 30 gal breeder Both are presently housing Yellow Tangs, for their beauty and to control nuisance algae. Pics of the 14 gal tank are posted in several threads here on the forum, even as recent as 2 weeks ago: http://utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=82971

Regarding the dead rock, I'd like to share a story. 
A hobbyist came to this forum around the first of this year showing his newly set up nano tank. I could tell from the pic that it was all dead dry rock. He then became offended when I told him the rock was going to cause trouble. His next posts were not flattering to me. From that point on, everyone in the thread got on my case telling me how offensive I am. A Presidency member even started in on me so I shut up and left the forum for a month or so, to lick my wounds and to improve my approach in my writing. Ermm
What happened 6 months later was interesting. 
This hobbyist called me to ask some reef aquarium questions. I'm not one to hold a grudge so I answered his questions and at his invitation I drove 56 miles RT to see his tank and offer my opinion and suggestions. He had not been able to resolve 6 months of coral and tank issues, so had begun to use the Poly-Bio-Marine Poly-Filter I had originally suggested. Evidently, it had quickly made a huge difference and consequently his opinion of me became positive.

Aloha,
Mark  Hug
808-345-1049 call/text anytime to talk fishy
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Zack801 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 15 2017 at 8:58pm
Ah yes I remember that event well glad that you're back I appreciate everyone's feedback and suggestions are you always chime in even when other people can't be bothered. I will get some pics up tomorrow or the next day as soon as my power supply comes in and I can get some lights on over the tank.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Zack801 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 18 2017 at 5:41pm
Here are the pics of the algae currently. Does anyone have a lawnmower blend they'd like to sell by chance?[URL=
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mark Peterson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 18 2017 at 6:27pm
Ahh, black sand. That isn't CaribSea sand, is it?

The reason I ask is because the 25 gal cube of an experienced long time hobbyist I work with has CaribSea black sand that looks like that. We set up the tank with the usual white CaribSea Special Reef Grade sand, but he wanted some black sand for the peppered look. We used a little more than 1/2 bag. 

It's been about 5 months since we set it up and at first it was okay. Now it has hair algae much worse than in those pics. It grows over the sand in 1" tall clumps. At each bi-monthly maintenance I remove the clumps of algae-sand but each time it just comes back. It has even grown in large tufts on the good quality LR from another tank that we used that never before had a hair algae problem. 

We have been using generous amounts of AA in this tank, but the hair algae is still growing like crazy. The tank is fed sparingly. About 20 additional snails added 2 months ago still haven't stopped the rampage. Last time I was there to do maintenance, I added a Yellow Tang. Hopefully the YT, if it has survived, has been eating it up.

Aloha,
Mark  Hug
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mark Peterson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 18 2017 at 6:30pm
Oh, the black sand was mixed in with the white, but soon floated to the top of the sand bed. The hair algae is only growing on the black sand. Ouch
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Zack801 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 18 2017 at 6:34pm
What would be the difference between this sand and any other sand though? This is the first time I've used it and it was only picked because I haven't tried it and I thought it might be cool looking. Are you thinking something with this type of sand contributes to the algae growth?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mark Peterson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 19 2017 at 8:53am
The difference is that this sand may be leaching nutrients or creating some other condition which is contributing to algae growth. 

The sand that works best in our reefs is composed of CaCO3 (Calcium Carbonate).  CaCO3 "buffers" the tank environment, helping maintain appropriate pH, Alk, Ca and Mg levels. Calcium Carbonate sand is made in two ways in the ocean:

1. Biological-chemical action of coral and invertebrates building their skeletons and rigid structural components. These skeletons then get ground into sand by various actions, including being chomped on by Parrotfish. Approve

2. Chemical accretion of CaCO3 around a seed particle, looking something like hail being formed by layers of ice.  This is called Oolitic Sand and we are fortunate to find it in Utah, left over from ancient Lake Bonneville.

Black sand is volcanic. It is not CaCO3 or is only very little CaCO3. The way to know if it has any CaCO3 is to place a pinch of it in a spoonful of white vinegar and see if it bubbles and dissolves.
 
My first guess is that this black sand may be leaching PO4, feeding the algae. If it's not leaching PO4, my next guess is that it may be creating a lower pH environment immediately around the sand particles which encourages hair algae growth. At this point I'm just guessing about possible explanations.

Aloha,
Mark  Hug

P.S.
Coralline Algae builds up a CaCO3 base, essentially making LR as we know it. Again, we are fortunate that Lake Bonneville has left Utah with ancient LR, grown by Coralline Algae.
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