Algae ID

rmorris_14

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Hey! So we acquired a tank that has an ongoing algae issue. We have been working on it for the last 4 weeks. On top of water changes, and physical removal, we have been dosing once a week with vibrant. It doesn’t seem to be helping that much yet? I’ve read it can take several weeks to start working.. the instructions say to dose 2 x a week for turf algae... I have been treating it like GHA but now I’m second guessing it. Or maybe I have both??.. can any one tell me what they think it is based off the photos posted? TYIA!

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Look like green hair algae
Pull as much as you can and reduce white light intensity. Is tank at or near a window?
Are you using tap water from faucet or RODI water ?
Add snails such as;
Turbo grazer
Astrea
Nassarius
Cerith

Also a pin cushion urchin
These will help maintain control
 
Look like green hair algae
Pull as much as you can and reduce white light intensity. Is tank at or near a window?
Are you using tap water from faucet or RODI water ?
Add snails such as;
Turbo grazer
Astrea
Nassarius
Cerith

Also a pin cushion urchin
These will help maintain control
Thanks! The tank is not near a window
We are using RODI water for water changes
We have snails, hermits, and emerald crab
We just added a lawn mower blenny last week
Check water parameters frequently all looks good now (as I said we kind of inherited the problem from previous owner who did very little maintenance.) I even had the reef store check it as well just to make sure my kit wasn’t off
The only thing we don’t have is the pin cushion urchin
I guess I just need to be more patient . It’s not my strong suit .
 
Thanks! The tank is not near a window
We are using RODI water for water changes
We have snails, hermits, and emerald crab
We just added a lawn mower blenny last week
Check water parameters frequently all looks good now (as I said we kind of inherited the problem from previous owner who did very little maintenance.) I even had the reef store check it as well just to make sure my kit wasn’t off
The only thing we don’t have is the pin cushion urchin
I guess I just need to be more patient . It’s not my strong suit .
Lawnmower blenny is a myth. Although they will eat Some algae, their main food source is meat and uneaten food
 
After watching him for the last week... I believe you lol.. the reef store sold us as he was our best option.
Seldom do they pay attention to GHA. The trickiest part about keeping a blenny is making sure it gets enough to eat. You can tell this visually by looking at the abdomen, which should be a healthy rounded shape. A blenny with a pinched midriff isn’t finding enough food.
Although a blenny needs plenty of algae to survive, a common misconception is that it can survive on algae alone. Since blennies frequent shallow tropical waters, they find their sanctuary within the coral reefs. They circle areas with coral branches and sponges, scraping their way along the diverse sea bottom. Their feeding techniques are to pound and gnaw the coral, and as a result, they ingest detritus, or waste material primarily, from the coral. This includes bits of coral skeleton, sand, gravel, and other organic matter, such as fish eggs and tiny crustaceans.
Since a blenny in the wild does not subsist on solely algae, it stands to reason that their captive diet must be supplemented. If a blenny is not getting enough calcium carbonate in its diet, its condition will rapidly deteriorate. Therefore, it is important to offer an occasional selection of commercial algae-based wafers or pellets.
 
Seldom do they pay attention to GHA. The trickiest part about keeping a blenny is making sure it gets enough to eat. You can tell this visually by looking at the abdomen, which should be a healthy rounded shape. A blenny with a pinched midriff isn’t finding enough food.
Although a blenny needs plenty of algae to survive, a common misconception is that it can survive on algae alone. Since blennies frequent shallow tropical waters, they find their sanctuary within the coral reefs. They circle areas with coral branches and sponges, scraping their way along the diverse sea bottom. Their feeding techniques are to pound and gnaw the coral, and as a result, they ingest detritus, or waste material primarily, from the coral. This includes bits of coral skeleton, sand, gravel, and other organic matter, such as fish eggs and tiny crustaceans.
Since a blenny in the wild does not subsist on solely algae, it stands to reason that their captive diet must be supplemented. If a blenny is not getting enough calcium carbonate in its diet, its condition will rapidly deteriorate. Therefore, it is important to offer an occasional selection of commercial algae-based wafers or pellets.
Thanks for the info! I'll keep an eye on it and make sure it is getting what it needs :)
 

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