algae overload

[skigoof]

I have a 30G reef tank with three small fish, 1 toadstool and a featherduster, and a 80G/Hr protein skimmer, ls/lr, tanks been running for 3-4 yrs...for a little while i have had a hairy algae problem and was just looking for suggestions on how to control it better than picking it all out every time I do a water change...Due to travelling, for a month, they were fed once a week, and even after that month there was still algae growth. not sure if I want to add chemicals to the tank,,,any suggestions?

thanks

[Damon]

Lighting? How often do you change your bulbs? Substrate and depth? waterchanges?

[vvolfe1]

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...light=bryopsis

this link might help. I've not had a problem with it yet to try this.

[skigoof]

lighting is 130 Watts(never changed the bulbs), weekly water changes of 25% ish and substrate is 1-1.5 inches of live sand.

that link looks like what I have...how does your tank look now, is it all gone? see the date was a couple months ago...thanks

[Fishfirst]

1) change the bulbs

2) are you using RO water? Or tap?

3) any clean up crew? if not, get one (10 turbo snails or astrea snails, 15 or so nassarius snails, maybe some hermit crabs)

[Damon]

Originally Posted by Fishfirst

1) change the bulbs

2) are you using RO water? Or tap?

3) any clean up crew? if not, get one (10 turbo snails or astrea snails, 15 or so nassarius snails, maybe some hermit crabs)

I was thinking along the same lines.................

[cpm6372]

Clean up crew, more frequent water changes, maybe a Phosphate reducer?

[leveldrummer]

try to find out if it is indeed bryopsis, or hair algae, hair algae is a piece of cake compared to the dreaded bryopsis, hair algae you can usually add some hermits, a lawnmower blenny, or a sea hare or something, then just start doing more frequent or larger water changes, and get a better skimmer.

bryopsis, the only thing i could do (i had it pretty bad too) i pulled all the rocks out that i could remove easily, scrubbed it off with a tooth brush, and singed the roots with a small torch. rinsed the rock very very well in salt water, then put it back in the tank, had to burn it off 2 times, for everything i couldnt remove that way (bottom rocks, and sand) i would start a syphon with my gravel vac, then just pull it out easily into the syphon, if any tiny bits break off and float away, they will land in an area and resprout, so you should never just pull out what you can. i also got 3 lettuce nudibranchs to help control what was left over after all that. it seemed to work great, but i do still have a few bits here and there, mainly in my over flows.