Algae problem

Jonathan Schor · Jan 20, 2018

I need a little help identifying and getting rid of this algae. The tank is a 20 gallon IM FOWLER. The algae grows on the rocks walls and sand bed. Any help is appreciated.

Crabs McJones · Jan 20, 2018

Jonathan Schor said:
I need a little help identifying and getting rid of this algae. The tank is a 20 gallon IM FOWLER. The algae grows on the rocks walls and sand bed. Any help is appreciated.

Green hair algae. Manual removal works best. But to really help you have to get to the root of why there is excess nutrients in your tank that the algae is consuming. What and how often are you feeding? Are you using RO/DI water for water changes, if so how often and how much are you changing, and when were the filters last replaced? Was your rock live or dry rock when you got it? Are you running a skimmer?

Chris Villalobos · Jan 20, 2018

I second the algae manual removal. Take those rocks out and scrub them with H2O2 avoiding any corals. For years people told me I could starve that stuff out but I could never get rid of it fully until I scrubbed my rocks.

thaitopher · Jan 20, 2018

Free hair algae. This means your phosphates are too high. I would recommend using GFO or macroalgae to lower your phosphates.

thaitopher · Jan 20, 2018

I would also recommend upping your water changes to maybe 30% a week

Jonathan Schor · Jan 20, 2018

Is it bryopsis?

Chris Villalobos · Jan 20, 2018

Jonathan Schor said:
Is it bryopsis?

Is it fan shaped or hair shaped? There are some hair algaes that are almost as bad a bryopsis though this one (below) almost drove me from the hobby altogether until I scrubbed my rocks and got my nutrients under control. By the way testing for NO3 and PO4 with all that hair algae in your tank will definitely throw off your readings.

Brew12 · Jan 20, 2018

I think every reef tank should grow hair algae. I realize not everyone agrees but I don't think it is a problem unless you have a good size CuC and it can't keep it in check.

Before I would start adding chemicals, what do you have in your tank for a CuC?

reeferfoxx · Jan 20, 2018

Brew12 said:
I think every reef tank should grow hair algae. I realize not everyone agrees but I don't think it is a problem unless you have a good size CuC and it can't keep it in check.

Before I would start adding chemicals, what do you have in your tank for a CuC?

+1

Manual removal and light feedings with weekly water changes and it will go away on its own.

Jose Mayo · Jan 20, 2018

Jonathan Schor said:
Is it bryopsis?

It looks like Derbesia sp, to me.

Here's how it looks:

Best regards

Chris Villalobos · Jan 20, 2018

reeferfoxx said:
+1

Manual removal and light feedings with weekly water changes and it will go away on its own.

It all depends on the tank and the type of algae that is being dealt with. When ever I asked for advice the above answer is what I got. After two years of starving my tank I either had to change my plan of attack or get out of the hobby because the algae was not going away. I always wonder how many people give up this hobby because the algae they are dealing with is one that the clean up crew will not eat and is also able to live in a Ultra Low NO3 PO4 environment.

Jonathan Schor · Jan 20, 2018

It’s hair.

a49panhead · Jan 20, 2018

I found that zebra snails seem to be my best offense against green hair algae

becks · Jan 20, 2018

If It is GHA, starving it is difficult on its own in my experience once it's got a foot hold.

I overcome mine by scrubbing with hydrogen peroxide and setting up a GFO reactor instead of just having GFO in my sump.

After doing a water change, I kept the old water and transferred into multiple buckets, one with hydrogen peroxide and the other with clean water to rinse.

Just be careful with any rocks with corals.

Jonathan Schor · Jan 22, 2018

Thankfully, its a FOWLER tank. I scrubbed the rocks as best I could and turned out the lights. Hopefully a few water changes will help. The its a 20gallon IM tank no real room for a fuge or GFO reactor. Im running chemipure elite and purigen. Hopefully it will make a dent. I have a suspicion that I'm I'm going to have to clean the rocks a few more times to get it under control.

Jonathan Schor · Jan 22, 2018

I took out the rock and scrubbed as much of it as I could get off. Then washed with peroxide. Thankfully its a FOWLER so no coral to worry about. Just a few ticked off clownfish. I also turned out the lights. There is still some small amount remaining on the rocks. May need a repeat treatment in a few days.

The issue is that the tank is a 20gallon nano IM tank. No real room to add a refugium or a GFO reactor. I am running purigen and chemipure elite in the filter to help control phosphates.

Thanks for all the advice. The tank has a good number of banded crocus snails. Probably needs some nassarius to help control detritus.

Brew12 · Jan 22, 2018

I am a big fan of Vibrant from Under Water Creations but I never recommend it as the first choice over a CuC. It is what I would use before running any other phosphate or nitrate reducer.

For most hair algaes it will take them out in under a month. The down side? Killing off algae quickly releases A LOT of nutrients into the water which need to be removed. If you aren't careful you can easily turn an algae problem into a cyanobacteria issue.