wdbill said:
I have a bit of a green hair algae problem. I have a 50 gallon tank with 4 fish. how do you keep nitrates down. I was doing a 25% water change twice a week and that kept them lower but not at away. I have a small frog spawn and some colony polyps. Im trying to cut back on some of the lighting. I have 130 watts and now I went to 65 watts th see how that will work. me and my fish are tired of scrubbing the rocks do you think if I add a 20 gallon fuge th my tank that will do something me ???
thanks WD Bill
hair algae = phosphate. Other than phosphate, high silicate and nitrate will promote algae growth.
Solution :
1. Change water with RO/DI source.
2. Apply high quality(iron based) phosphate remover eg. Purephos, Rowa and etc.
3. To completely kill those hair algae, either cook ur LR or shutdown light completely for 1 week. Algae will died off due lack of foods.
4. Get algae eater such as Blue leg hermit crab, foxface, tang(to nip small tiny algae),sea urchin and other algae eater.
5. Increase water flow to prevent dead spot inside your tank so that algae will not attack those LR.
6. For future guarantee, you may apply Algone into your sump to absorb NO3 (efficient when ur current NO3 level <20ppm) and prevent other bad algae grow.
Hope it's help.