Brown Hair Algea

Please check out my photo and see if you can tell me why I have this brown hair algea and how do I get rid of it.... I thought maybe not enough light, I have T-5 lighting so maybe i need to leave the lights on longer. Photo is in my profile.

 

Do you have it throughout your tank or is it isolated to a rock or two? You probably have too many nitrates in your water column, light issue or a combination of the two.
Depending on how much you have , I would remove the rocks affected with the algae, if that is in fact what it is as the picture doesn't let me see a blow up picture of it, and scrub it off with a toothbrush or comparable tool. You may want to do a water change as well as add carbon to your routine. Do your Tangs, snails or hermits eat any of the algae?
Your phosphates, nitrates and pH may be out of whack as well-also what is your temperature of your water?
It is one thing to address the issue at hand but is totally different to remedy the problem so that it doesn't happen again in the future IMO!

 

It appears to be on alot of the rock, but mainly on the rocks in the middle of the tank, which makes me wonder about the lighting as I have two 36 in T5's on the tank, so maybe the center of the tank doesn't get quite as much light. I do a 15 percent water change weekly, the tangs, snails and crabs, don't seem to eating of this algae in this area, but are eating other in other areas of the tank. Water temp has been around 78.
Took a sample of my water in to LFS yesterday, and PH and Nitrates were ok, not sure about phosphates. I use chemi-pure in my aqua hang on filter and canister filter....I know...i need a sump and refuguim.... working on that....

 

How long has the tank been operating and what type of water do you use well or city and how old are the fitters in the R/O unit or the D.I resigns are they exhausted ? Might want to tset the PO4 in the make up water and is the problem in both tanks or the F/O system ?

 

The problem is only in the 125 gallon, use city water ran thru the R/O DI unit, The TDS meter registers 174 ppm right out of the tap and 008 out of the water ran thru the RODI unit.... no knowing much about the RODI system maybe the DI filter does need changed.... Tank has been up and running for 3 months

 

There will always be the battle to get rid of Hair Algae- IMO. But you can reduce the amount by keeping Nitrates, Phosphates and Silicates in check. Your janitors should take care of the rest. If the problem still persist- do what Coral Reffer mentioned. Get each rock out and scrub with a tooth brush. I do. Also, once you get the sump/refuge going, the macroalgae will assist in reducing nutrient and phosphate levels down.

 

No a TDS of 8 is good what is the ca and carbonate levels of this tank ? Is this a reef or F/O also.. On the D.I is it a dual polymer resisen in the unit also is the D.I a vertcial and or horizontally mounted cannister.

Have any snails and such in there n ot a huge fan of the Hermits myself I keep a few not near as many as I do snails though..

 

Not really I or anyone I ever knew had a on going battle battle with it once the proper water parameters where met and the food amount was controled then the algae went away with proper parameters and good pure make up water was used.

 

Right now this is a FOWLR, The RO/DI unit is a compact reefer from Air Water and Ice.....The calcium was a little low...350 .... seems like most of my snails have died.... have a few hermits...

 

Whats the dkh or alk setting at ? get the Ca up to 450 and the DKH up to atleast 12. This happens with F/O most often in that they make a lot of waste and that lowers the Carbonates and then the algae has a fied day a F/O tank should maintian the same water parameters as a reef tank They are reef fish and just because they can adjust does not mean they should have to Notrates also may be way high in there as well most likely are..t