Green algae and wave makers.

[Cracked Fish Man]

I have herd that a wave maker increases the growth of hair algae. Why is this? I am having a slight problem with this and was wondering what I should set my wave maker pro on to ease this problem.

Thanks

The CFM

[cabowabo]

Fish Man,
Good post. I'm wondering the same thing, because I just bought the wavemaker pro and am woundering if I should even set it up? Of course right after I bought it I heard rumblings that they increase hair algae. I dont see how they could increase it. There was a post about a month ago on wavemakers and the general concensus was that you should'nt be with out one for a reef. Anyway, Other than the possibility of hair algae, how do you like yours?


Mike

[Snailman]

Power heads do not make any nutrients so it is going to be real hard for them to make hair algae grow regardless of if the power head is on all of the time or turned on an off. If you are growing hair algae then there are more nutrients going into the the tank than are being consumed. Algae often grows around return ouputs and power head outputs because there is a lot of water flow to carry nutrients to it. The current is not the cause of the nutrients just the carrier. Check your phosphates.

[dendronepthya]

If you are seeing a proliferation of hair algae after the addition of a wave making device, it is not the reason for the algae bloom. The reason for the bloom was always in the tank(excess nutrients), but the wavemaker simply exposes the problem by providing a more algae friendly environment. Hair algae proliferates much faster in an environment that has strong alternating flow. this is not to say you shouldn't get a wave maker, but rather to be more conscious of your tank's ability to handle excess nutrients and stop the problem at that point. Is you tank thoroughly cycled, and matured? Are you adequately filtering your tank(skimmer, ATS, live sand bed, etc.). The list goes on and on which I am assure you are already well aware of. If you handle these issues, I am certain that you will not have an algae problem by adding a wave maker.

[Cracked Fish Man]

Mike,

I think dendronepthya and snailman responded very well. Thanks guys. I think I am just feeding my tank to much. I will continue farming and neting the algae out as well as reduce my feeding until I get it under control. T love the wave maker. My corals love it more. I now have no dead spots in my reef.

BTY: Hows RI. I used to hang there years ago. Used to play the sax to. Had a girlfriend there who is in the medical field now. You might know her. Small world.

The CFM.