Algae ID and how to remove

[gabesreef]

This is a 15g tank with a clown fish and flame hawk fish. It’s about 1.5 years old and mostly soft coral. Lights are on for about 8hrs per day and it’s not in direct sunlight. I’ve tried vibrant and microbacter and large water changes but nothing touches this stuff. I don’t over feed this tank and it’s running phosphate removers, carbon and a small skimmer. This clearly is not the normal green hair algae and it’s been a huge pain to get rid of. I’ve been doing manual removal but nothing works it grows right back. Any ideas of how I can clear this stuff out and how to prevent from growing back.

Been running reef tanks for some time but I’ve never had an algae issue like this and don’t know how to correct it.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Possibly a Lychaete sp.? For example:

Lychaete herpestica Filamentous Green Algae

Lychaete herpestica is commonly referred to as Filamentous Green Algae. Difficulty in the aquarium: Not suitable for aquarium keeping. Toxicity: Toxic hazard unknown.

www.reeflex.net

If not, I'd lean toward it being something else from that family (Cladophoraceae) like a Cladophora species. For example:

Luxuriant Cladophora, Cladophora catenata

 

[gabesreef]

Possibly a Lychaete sp.? For example:

Lychaete herpestica Filamentous Green Algae

Lychaete herpestica is commonly referred to as Filamentous Green Algae. Difficulty in the aquarium: Not suitable for aquarium keeping. Toxicity: Toxic hazard unknown.

www.reeflex.net

If not, I'd lean toward it being something else from that family (Cladophoraceae) like a Cladophora species. For example:

Luxuriant Cladophora, Cladophora catenata

Thanks for the input any idea of how to get rid of this stuff

 

[Kevinmj70]

I would try a Tuxedo Urchin. I have had lots of luck keeping algae under control with them.

 

[gabesreef]

I would try a Tuxedo Urchin. I have had lots of luck keeping algae under control with them.

Yeah I might do that I’m sure in a tank this small they would make quick work of the algae

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Thanks for the input any idea of how to get rid of this stuff

Not entirely sure, unfortunately. An urchin is a good idea; I've also heard of a similar algae being eaten by emerald crabs, so those may potentially work as well.

 

[gabesreef]

Not entirely sure, unfortunately. An urchin is a good idea; I've also heard of a similar algae being eaten by emerald crabs, so those may potentially work as well.

Do you think an emerald crab would be okay with my small flame hawk fish?

 

[sfin52]

Do you think an emerald crab would be okay with my small flame hawk fish?

Yes bigger hawk maybe not.

 

[gabesreef]

I’ll give it a try I’m going to swing by the lfs today and get the urchin, snails and an emerald crab. I’m going to continue to dose the vibrant

 

[gabesreef]

I don’t feel like it’s a nutrient problem. This is the first time I’ve had this issue with a tank but it’s also the first time I haven’t had a refugium. Wish there was an easy way to add a fuge to a small aio