[jsgates]

My tank has been running for almost 6 months now, and is doing excellent. Purple coralline algae has come on my live rock, all fish and inverts are doing well, and all corals LPS, Leathers, & Zoos are all doing well. I have a Lawnmower Blenny, Percula Clown, Foxface Lo, Royal Gramma. I am feeding every other day and alternating between a a flake food from LFS & Frozen Mysis shrimp. I only use RO/DI water and recently switched from Instant Ocean salt mix to Tropic Marin salt mix. My rock has been nice and clean of algae since adding the Lawnmower & the Foxface. However, Green hair algae keeps forming on the back glass. I can remove it with a razor blade, and a few days later it comes back. I also get green algae on the other tank glass. There shouldn't be any phosphates in the water since I only use RO/DI. I need suggestions for cleaning this up. There is also some type of hair algae I beleive that was growning in my sand and has since dies off, leaving a mess of roots. I will post pics tomorrow as well as current water parmameters. Any suggestions appreciated.

[stacef]

This is going to seem probably odd.

But the only differences I can make in the info you have mentioned,

Was the hair algae appearing before you changed saltwater mix??

[e_baer]

Have you checked your TDS from the RO/DI water?

[unclejed]

Depending on the brand of flake food, many contain phosphates. Try stopping the flake for a couple of weeks and substitute with Formula II I think that one has the algae your probably going after.

[jsgates]

I'm thinking it is the food. Haven't fed fish since the water change sunday afternoon, and things seem to be clearing up pretty good, especially the sand. I may have been adding to much food. I'm feeding some type of flake blend the LFS buys in bulk. It's what they feed all their fish. Round flakes that are green and orange. Not sure what it is. I fed the fish about an hour before the water change sunday, so I'll feed them some frozen mysis tomorrow, but only a small amount. I feel confident now that the food was causing the problem. And to answer the other question..........hair algae was there before the salt mix change. Calcium level is also up now, so I'm debating whether to switch back to Instant Ocean since it is almost half the cost of Tropic Marin salt mix. I just need to maintain my calcium level now. For the price difference in the salt mixes, I can dose Essential Elements & use IO salt mix cheaper than using the Tropic Marin. I have to pay $80 for Tropic Marin locally, and I can get Instant Ocean for about $44! Any suggestions?

[unclejed]

Hi, I have used instant ocean for 25 yrs. It is one of the best. Only add trace elements if you need them, the salt refurbishes well.

[Gohn]

If you have some HOT - (hang on tank) filter or some such - you can buy a pack of pads which controls phosphates for about $5.00 and put a piece in there. I use my HOT for water flow only + tried that for a short time and the green algae is gone - I took out the pad as I'm not sure it will affect my corraline but - just in case.

[msbdiving]

You said the tank has been up and running for about 6mo. It is possible you had a spectrum shift from worn out lights. It would also be nice to know what your tests are showing. Is a skimmer being run? How much LR do you have and what type of substrate?

[msbdiving]

Oops, saw that you had sand, never mind about the substrate.