Hair algae/Brown algae taking over tank

[mnavick]

Please help. I have brown slime algae taking over my glass 1 day after scraping along with 1/3 water change (90gallon). Also hair algae is growing out of control. I do not consider myself an expert but have been doing this for 8 years with never experiencing this type of outbreak. Recent water test shows: 76degrees ,1.023 salinity, PH 8.3, AMM 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 50 (yes should be 0). I have a Naso Tang, Blue devil damsel, Coral Beauty Angel, Sailfin Tang and a juvenile Koran Angel for livestock. 65lbs of live rock, 50lbs live sand (about 3" deep) and 2 54w actinic along w/1 250w MH 14K. I am using a 55g as a sump/refugium that has atleast 75lbs frag rock, 40lbs crushed argonite (1 partition), 30lbs live sand (2nd partition), bio balls,caulerpa ,2 Tetratec PF500 mech. filters ,Lifegard 4 unit filter system and a RedSea Prizm skimmer. The lighting runs 8 hrs a day (MH only 6 of the 8).
Any thoughts on where I might be going/doing wrong?

 

[JayM]

What are your phosphates?

If you add nitrate, phosphates and light, you are going to get an algae issue.

Why are your nitrates up at 50?

 

[stingythingy45]

"bio balls,caulerpa ,2 Tetratec PF500 mech. filters ,Lifegard 4 unit filter system and a RedSea Prizm skimmer."

JMO,but I think all of this is wrong with the possible exception of the caulerpa.
You need to replace all this with ONE nice super efficient skimmer and a phosphate reactor.
All that stuff does is trap organics and change it to nitrates.
Then that becomes food for your nuisance algae.You definitely need those nitrates down.What are you using for water,ro/di?Also,I'm not sure what 40lbs. crushed aragonite is....crushed coral?

 

[stingythingy45]

What are your phosphates?

If you add nitrate, phosphates and light, you are going to get an algae issue.

Why are your nitrates up at 50?

Absolutely,just like a fire needs heat,fuel,oxygen.
As the phosphate and nitrate issues make take a while to get control of,you could cut your lighting period back.

 

[mnavick]

Not sure on what my phosphates are at.
I wish I new why the Nitrates where at 50. I keep doing water changes and it never seems to go down.

This mishmosh of a sump was encouraged by a no longer in business saltwater maintenance guy. The 55 was my original tank with the Tetratec's as my filters. The Lifegard came in more so for the UV and heater module (filter&media module just an extra).

 

[mnavick]

Forgot one of the other questions:
I top off daily with R/O water but my water changes are done thru tap (I know,horrible ,but it is a well and tests pretty darn clean).

 

[stingythingy45]

Forgot one of the other questions:
I top off daily with R/O water but my water changes are done thru tap (I know,horrible ,but it is a well and tests pretty darn clean).

::.......Well water=no good.

 

[SharkLover]

Forgot one of the other questions:
I top off daily with R/O water but my water changes are done thru tap (I know,horrible ,but it is a well and tests pretty darn clean).

tap is bad.

I'd get a ro/di and only work with ro/di water to start.
they got cheap ones for like $100 maybe a lil more.

 

[JayM]

well water = this could be a source of both nitrates and phosphates

 

[afboundguy]

Forgot one of the other questions:
I top off daily with R/O water but my water changes are done thru tap (I know,horrible ,but it is a well and tests pretty darn clean).

This is prob where the problem is coming from as mentioned above. Also a good skimmer is a must and I'd consider ditching the caulpera and replacing it with cheato to be on the safe side...

 

[mnavick]

Thank you all.
I must apologize for starting a thread and then not responding.
While posting I realized I needed to update my email w/BRS which locked me out until changes where approved.
Anyways back to the discussion.
One of you had mentioned dumping my mishmosh of a sump/refugium for a good quality filter- What's your thoughts on the Fluval FX5
Also in regards to using tap water-Has anyone used the 5G containers of Poland Springs from BJ's for water changes? is it worthy of using for a quick fix until I invest in a ro/di and produce enough for a change?

 

[afboundguy]

Many LFS's sell/give free RO/DI water so depending on where one is you could invest in 4 containers like I do and make a monthly stop at one.

Poland spring distilled water would be better than tap water IMO but still not as good as RO/DI.

Also canister filters have a reputation for being nitrate factories because of all the debris they accumulate. It would be much more worth your while to use that extra money and update your skimmer.

 

[SharkLover]

keep the fuge, switch to chaeto. get a ro/di , buy a skimmer and turn the lights off for a few days to kill the HA. steps in the right direction.

 

[mnavick]

You guys rock,thanks so much.......
I had listed the wrong type of algae in my sump, it actually is the recomended "chaeto".
Also I am running a Red Sea Prizm Skimmer.

Do you think it is still beneficial to have the 2 Tetratec PF500's and LifeGard System attached to my sump/refugium or should I dump them?

 

[mnavick]

Also any recomendations on what type of ro/di NOT to buy, so many out there I think it would be easier to list the bad ones.

 

[afboundguy]

I had listed the wrong type of algae in my sump, it actually is the recomended "chaeto".

Thanks good... it's better so it doesn't go asexual and spread everywhere

Also I am running a Red Sea Prizm Skimmer.

For what it's worth they're known to be kind of crappy skimmers...

 

[theone]

Keeping up with reagular weekly or or even twice a week water changes is a must. IMO 10 %. Also pulling the algae out by hand is a must. Dont let it die in the tank cuz your just gunna feed it more bad nutrients. I had to pull it out everyday once for 2 weeks.

Blast all the rock with a baster to get as much detrus floating in the tank so u can siphon it out.

Be patient and consistant cuz it could take a few weeks to get it under control.

Having a good skimmer is a must too. Red seas are ok for nanos but for a 90 you should beef it up and get rid of all the other filters.

We are trying to fit the ocean into a nano fraction glass cage.

Constant water changes is a must.
You may already do all of this but I figured I'd comment

IMHO

 

[mnavick]

Thanks again
Happy Holidays

 

[ReeferDude]

Sea Hare

 

[MSMAN825]

I am using a 55g as a sump/refugium that has atleast 75lbs frag rock, 40lbs crushed argonite (1 partition), 30lbs live sand (2nd partition), bio balls,caulerpa ,2 Tetratec PF500 mech. filters ,Lifegard 4 unit filter system and a RedSea Prizm skimmer. The lighting runs 8 hrs a day (MH only 6 of the 8).
Any thoughts on where I might be going/doing wrong? I'd throw the bio balls out a few at a time, and the crushed argonite is holding nitrates