Hair Algae/ High Nitrates

[02f350psd]

I posted on here a few weeks ago about having a hair algae problem. Came to the conclusion i need to use RO water so i purchased an RO/DI system and have been doing 10-20% water changes every week for a few weeks now. The algae seemed to slow down for a while now it is back again. Phosphates are about 0.1 and nitrates are between 20-50ppm. I do rinse the food first. Any ideas???

 

[addictedreefer]

Are you running any phosphate removal media? .1 is pretty high. Your phos should be kept below .02 at the highest, but undetectable is best if you want to starve that algae.

 

[jojo1n2]

nitrates are too high. Phosphates are tough cuz everything in your tank will produce them.

 

[02f350psd]

it's a 90g tank with five fish and some green star coral and i am not currently running any phosphate removal media. i did get some cheato from another member to help. any other suggestions on what could be causing it or what to do to help lower it? thanks so much!

 

[American Flyer]

I read somewhere in this forum that "good things happen slow and bad things happen fast." There is no immediate fix. I would reduce feedings, continue to do weekly water changes with RO/DI water. I assume you have a skimmer, if not, see if you can get a hold of one and run a little on the wet side for a while. Clean out your collection cup each day. Drawing wet skimmate will pull more waste (in my opinion) and reduce the dissolved organics likely adding to your phosphate problem. When you run your skimmer wet, monitor your SG because if you top off with water only you will reduce SG as wet skimming pulls out salt faster. I can't emphasize enough that slow and steady wins the race.

 

[moparmussel]

i have been using the phos pad filter pad with some success.try cutting down on lenght of light cycle also.

 

[maxfischer]

Did you buy the RO/DI unit new?

 

[stingythingy45]

^^^
What's the TDS of the ro/di?
Are you running a good skimmer?
What is your bioload?
How often do you feed and how much?
Do you run any device that has filter pads,socks...ect?
How much live rock?
How much sand do you have?
You mentioned chaeto,do you have a refugium/sump?
How old is this tank?

I ask these questions because I have a 90 gallon and have never registered nitrates and phosphates below or at .07.

 

[fishindude]

About rinsing your food, you should! I strain mine through a net so all I'm left with is the food.

 

[02f350psd]

Have about 100lbs of rock, 2-3" sand bed, TDS of RO/DI is 2-3ppm and yes it was purchased new, small bioload (5 fish), running an aquaclear 125 skimmer, tank is about 2 years old maybe a bit more, chaeto is in the refug. part of my sump (middle chamber). I feed one cube of food every other day and hang seaweed every few days (3-4).

 

[gobie1313]

How long do you run your lights?

 

[02f350psd]

lights are on for about 5 hours.

edit: it is a pro-clear aquatics 125 skimmer.

 

[02f350psd]

any other ideas? i'm losing fish now...

 

[stingythingy45]

any other ideas? i'm losing fish now...

You're losing fish because of high nitrates?::
You need to check for ammonia.
Also,could something have died in the tank recently and be in an area where it can't be detected?

 

[stingythingy45]

lights are on for about 5 hours.

edit: it is a pro-clear aquatics 125 skimmer.

Pro-clear makes a skimmer?
Are you sure it's not a filter with bio-balls?

 

[02f350psd]

it is def. a skimmer. no bio-balls. all my fish are accounted for so i don't think anything could have died. ammonia is reading 0.25ppm

 

[American Flyer]

Ammonia should be zero in an established tank. Did you recently add somthing to your tank? LR or dry LR? Something is amiss.

 

[02f350psd]

nothing added. just lost two anthesis so maybe they caused the ammonia? just can't seem to get the nitrates down...

 

[02f350psd]

tank crashed, lost everything. i quit!

 

[bill120mph]

Damn! Hate to hear that.. Sorry