Re:fin rot

Hey Pete,
Wow….that was alot of info. I am still baffled about the hair algae or maybe it isn’t hair algae after all.
I purchased my tank three months ago and began cycling it immediately. It went unstocked for a month (24 gal nano) I started it with live sand and 12lbs. of live rock. I check my levels every week religiously. ammonia-0, nitrites-0 and nitrates-0 PH-8.3. I put live plants and macro algae in to assist with the nitrates(and make great hitching posts). I am also doing 3 gal. water changes every week (with dechlorinated tap water….gonna change that to R/O).
The lights should still be good due to only using it for 3 months. On my 46 gal I change them yearly needed or not.
What really baffles me about the algae is that it seems that where ever the hair alge starts to grow macro algae will begin to take over shortly after. There is just one corner that gets taken over. So I have been removing it weekly.
I guess that leaves the phosphates.
Thank you for telling me about the lights and the Furan2…I had no idea. I guess I will have to retreat the tank because the lights have been on all day.
I guess all I can do is hope that they are still ok when I get home. The other two pipe fish are happy (the dragons). I think that the elevated water temp could have been the big problem. Since I have gotten the temp. under control and added the air stone I have noticed that my sea horses are more active and happy.
thanks
Sandy