To Use Substrate or Not to use Substate?

[mikelush78]

I am going to be starting a 90gl reef. I have a 24gl nano cube and hair algea is out of control and I have been fighting it for 4 months now. I have been told to take the Live Sand out (keep it in a 10 gl tank with a power head and use it in my sump for the 90gl until I am ready for it) and see if that helps with the hair algea. my phosphates are .03 my ph is 8.2 - 8.3 and I seriously cut down on my food and still cannot get it to go away.

Does removing the sand from my Nano cube sound good...
Also should I use sand in my 90 gallon when I start it up, obviously got to have sand in the Sump / Refugium

Thanks a bunch
Mike

[AW2EOD]

I dont see how the substrate would be the cause of the hair algea. I've always kept tanks with substrate and any time I've had a hair algea problem, it's due to phosphates, in the water, or the lighting cycle.

I've had one tank, that I went barebottom with, and I'll NEVER do it again. My pH was always fluctuating, the nitrates were high, etc.

Since I put sand back in the tank, water parameters have been perfect (even nitrates lower than .5 and I have a predatory tank).

[mikelush78]

good enough for me. I love the Sand look in the tank anyway. I will keep the sand and the sand sifting star fish then...
Thanks a bunch
Mike