Hair Algae - which tests needed ?

[SHLUZER]

Some say test for phosfates, some - for nitrates.
I have one Derasa, 2 starfish (sand sifting, and green brittle ), they survive for over two years.
Yet when I add sea hares or sea urchins (to deal w HA), they die on the 1-2 day (while eating vigorously on first), as if they are being poisoned by something.

Tank in current state was without HA for about 1.5 year, then I had problems with the new skimmer for about 2 months, and by the time I figured out the skimmer, HA is there and not going away. I trim it and do water changes, so it's not spreading but not going away either.

Any advice?

 

[dirtycontour]

When you do water changes, what is your exact routine?
I like to blast my rocks with a turkey baster. Let the detritus settle and siphon up as much as I can. You have to manually remove the HA. Try to rubberband a toothbrush on the end of your siphon tube for water changes. Scrub the GHA with the toothbrush and it will be siphoned up.

Your rock is filled with phosphates, that is why it's constantly growing new algae.

 

[SHLUZER]

I do turkey blaster thing sometimes. Should make it a rule.
I've attached the hard plastic pipe to end of the water siphon hose, and while I'm siphoning water out, I'm pinching HA between the pipe and my finger, and pulling it out. Otherwise most of it stays in place (if I just use water suction).
Will try toothbrush.
Thanks.

 

[falconut]

From my experience PO4 & NO3 are the two. However, when you are having algae problems, they tend to test at 0 because the algae is absorbing it. I had my tank setup for around 4 - 5 years then got a bad algae break for a year. I tried adding a GFO reactor, but it didn't really do much. I found out later, that the GFO was probably getting exhausted too quickly. I started changing the GFO, every couple days for a few weeks and the algae slowly started to go away. It took around a month of doing this to get it under control. Luckily I regen my GFO, so it didn't cost me a ton of money. I didn't have luck with snails during this time.

 

[SHLUZER]

I didn't have luck with snails during this time.

Are you saying that snails died because of heavy GFO usage ? or just that snails did not consume GFO ?
I have a bag of GFO, so I'll try it (changing it more often).

Does activated carbon make any difference for HA ? Or would it cause other problems ?