Brown hair algae help!

[Particularharbor]

Hello all! I have been battling a large brown hair algae outbreak in my 75 gallon tank for a few months. Over the past 2 days i have taken out all of the rocks and scrubbed the algae off and scrubbed it off the tank the best I could, also took a net and tried to scoop up as much of the stray ahead floating around. I am trying a black out for a couple of days to see if that helps. Anything else I can do? I have gone through this process and it always comes back. I am feeling defeated to the point I am actually thinking of getting rid of the tank . Pictures without light as I am in the blackout . Also how long is safe to do a blackout? I only have mushrooms and devils hand for corals. I do have snails but my Valentini likes to pick them off, I have about 7 right now…do I need to get more? What kind? Busy place to buy online? Thanks!!!

 

[FUNGI]

Not mine but just saves time:

GHA a broad term that covers hundreds of species of green simple filamentous algae. The best thing about this algae is the ease of pulling it by hand to remove and prepare to rid of it. It takes patience but pull by grabbing it. Get as much as you can by hand, Thereafter, you can loosen the rest with a hard toothbrush and be sure to net or siphon what you loosen with toothbrush.
An excess of nutrients, particularly phosphates and nitrates contribute to GHA, so you may want to have these levels tested. Keep an eye on possible iron and potassium sources which may also help fuel/feed hair algae. Hair algae spores and fragments are so abundant that keeping it out of the tank via quarantine is unlikely to be successful. Your best bet to preventing this algae from taking hold is to maintain a regular water change regimen, maintain your filtration and perform manual/natural algae removal as it forms. Proper magnesium levels generally help deter GHA.
After these steps, reduce white light intensity or even turn of white lights for abut 4-5 days. When done, add some clean up crew such as Caribbean Blue Leg hermits, larger Cerith and astrea snails, Chitons, Turbograzer snails and conchs.

is your tank at or near a window?

Credit: @vetteguy53081

How to get rid of green/brown hair algae?

Hello. I need help to get rid of GHA. It's all over my back side of a tank (600 l). Tank is 3 years old and before this, I didn't have any algae issue. All the parameters are stabile for a long time. I have a mix tank, with a lot of SPS. I dose complete Red Sea program, and the only thing that I...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[PharmrJohn]

A couple of questions, what's the bioload in the tank (fish) and what kind of flow do you have?

 

[Particularharbor]

Not mine but just saves time:

GHA a broad term that covers hundreds of species of green simple filamentous algae. The best thing about this algae is the ease of pulling it by hand to remove and prepare to rid of it. It takes patience but pull by grabbing it. Get as much as you can by hand, Thereafter, you can loosen the rest with a hard toothbrush and be sure to net or siphon what you loosen with toothbrush.
An excess of nutrients, particularly phosphates and nitrates contribute to GHA, so you may want to have these levels tested. Keep an eye on possible iron and potassium sources which may also help fuel/feed hair algae. Hair algae spores and fragments are so abundant that keeping it out of the tank via quarantine is unlikely to be successful. Your best bet to preventing this algae from taking hold is to maintain a regular water change regimen, maintain your filtration and perform manual/natural algae removal as it forms. Proper magnesium levels generally help deter GHA.
After these steps, reduce white light intensity or even turn of white lights for abut 4-5 days. When done, add some clean up crew such as Caribbean Blue Leg hermits, larger Cerith and astrea snails, Chitons, Turbograzer snails and conchs.

is your tank at or near a window?

Credit: @vetteguy53081

How to get rid of green/brown hair algae?

Hello. I need help to get rid of GHA. It's all over my back side of a tank (600 l). Tank is 3 years old and before this, I didn't have any algae issue. All the parameters are stabile for a long time. I have a mix tank, with a lot of SPS. I dose complete Red Sea program, and the only thing that I...

www.reef2reef.com

Thank you for all of that information! The tank is on the opposite wall of a glass slider in my dining room. It’s pretty far, not much light reaches

 

[Particularharbor]

A couple of questions, what's the bioload in the tank (fish) and what kind of flow do you have?

Currently have a bristletooth tang, dwarf angel, royal gramma, Valentini puffer, 3 ocellaris clowns for 75 gallons I have about 3 hermits and 7 snails. I have 3 wavemakers creating a pretty good flow

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hello all! I have been battling a large brown hair algae outbreak in my 75 gallon tank for a few months. Over the past 2 days i have taken out all of the rocks and scrubbed the algae off and scrubbed it off the tank the best I could, also took a net and tried to scoop up as much of the stray ahead floating around. I am trying a black out for a couple of days to see if that helps. Anything else I can do? I have gone through this process and it always comes back. I am feeling defeated to the point I am actually thinking of getting rid of the tank . Pictures without light as I am in the blackout . Also how long is safe to do a blackout? I only have mushrooms and devils hand for corals. I do have snails but my Valentini likes to pick them off, I have about 7 right now…do I need to get more? What kind? Busy place to buy online? Thanks!!!

There is a lot of light reflection at glass making it hard to clearly see.
Is this tank at or near a window that I can see?
Are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet?

Please post a couple of pics under bright white intensity when room darkens

 

[FUNGI]

Currently have a bristletooth tang, dwarf angel, royal gramma, Valentini puffer, 3 ocellaris clowns for 75 gallons I have about 3 hermits and 7 snails. I have 3 wavemakers creating a pretty good flow

Thats a lot of food.....

 

[PharmrJohn]

Currently have a bristletooth tang, dwarf angel, royal gramma, Valentini puffer, 3 ocellaris clowns for 75 gallons I have about 3 hermits and 7 snails. I have 3 wavemakers creating a pretty good flow

Well. I suck. I was thinking a combination of low flow and a bacterial population that was somewhat lacking (competition for space)

 

[Particularharbor]

Well. I suck. I was thinking a combination of low flow and a bacterial population that was somewhat lacking (competition for space)

I wish it was that simple. Sadly I have no clue why this keeps happening. I will
Recheck my phosphates again. But thank you

 

[Particularharbor]

There is a lot of light reflection at glass making it hard to clearly see.
Is this tank at or near a window that I can see?
Are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet?

Please post a couple of pics under bright white intensity when room darkens

The tank is in a dining room across from a glass slider, the curtain is open during the day and it’s a south facing window but not much light reaches across to the tank. Here are a few more of the tank with the flash. I will wait to turn the whites on until tomorrow

 

[vetteguy53081]

The tank is in a dining room across from a glass slider, the curtain is open during the day and it’s a south facing window but not much light reaches across to the tank. Here are a few more of the tank with the flash. I will wait to turn the whites on until tomorrow

I suspect UV from indirect sunlight is contributing to this issue
Are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet?

 

[Particularharbor]

I suspect UV from indirect sunlight is contributing to this issue
Are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet?

Always RODI water

 

[FUNGI]

Bet this doesn't help either.....

 

[vetteguy53081]

Bet this doesn't help either.....

Recessed lights should not be an issue unless they are on full time

 

[BetteMidler]

What are the three wavemakers you are using? The pictures really are not showing anything besides a lot of rockwork. Probably the most rockwork I have seen in a long time.

 

[Particularharbor]

Recessed lights should not be an issue unless they are on full time

We only put these lights on if we are sitting at the table eating or doing something at the table. Maybe once a day for an hour 2 hours the most

 

[Particularharbor]

What are the three wavemakers you are using? The pictures really are not showing anything besides a lot of rockwork. Probably the most rockwork I have seen in a long time.

Here are photos of the wave makers and another close up of the algae in more natural light now that it’s daytime. Do I have too much rock? No one has told me that before, would that contribute to this?

 

[BetteMidler]

Here are photos of the wave makers and another close up of the algae in more natural light now that it’s daytime. Do I have too much rock? No one has told me that before, would that contribute to this?

Looks like some Hyggers or Koralia pumps? I am guessing those top out around 1000gph. Anyways, is there debris settling in any particular spot? I would find it hard for those pumps, one at the top left & two lower next to the overflow to work well. I would suggest putting all three of those pumps spaced out evenly across the rear of the tank & grab a strong pump on the left pushing water towards the overflow. Something like a Nero 5, Gyre style pump, or a Vortech MP40. I say "like" as there are many alternatives. Possibly something that tops out in the 3000gph range.
The rockwork seems to be edge to edge to every part of the tank, even leaning against the back glass?

Overall, the algae is not too terribly awful, looks to be just a nuisance. It simply looks a little bit neglected and too much detritus & food has settled over time. It will take some time to correct this. I didn't see any info on your skimmer or if you have a refugium? Feed only what the fish will consume in 10 minutes & be patient on you filtration to catch up on the neglect.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Here are photos of the wave makers and another close up of the algae in more natural light now that it’s daytime. Do I have too much rock? No one has told me that before, would that contribute to this?

There may be some turf algae present. Some causes:
Lack of water movement
Overfeeding
high phosphates
Long light hours

Reduce light hours
add snails such as astrea-turbo grazer- ninja-cerith and nassarius

pencil urchins

pitho crabs

 

[Particularharbor]

Looks like some Hyggers or Koralia pumps? I am guessing those top out around 1000gph. Anyways, is there debris settling in any particular spot? I would find it hard for those pumps, one at the top left & two lower next to the overflow to work well. I would suggest putting all three of those pumps spaced out evenly across the rear of the tank & grab a strong pump on the left pushing water towards the overflow. Something like a Nero 5, Gyre style pump, or a Vortech MP40. I say "like" as there are many alternatives. Possibly something that tops out in the 3000gph range.
The rockwork seems to be edge to edge to every part of the tank, even leaning against the back glass?

Overall, the algae is not too terribly awful, looks to be just a nuisance. It simply looks a little bit neglected and too much detritus & food has settled over time. It will take some time to correct this. I didn't see any info on your skimmer or if you have a refugium? Feed only what the fish will consume in 10 minutes & be patient on you filtration to catch up on the neglect.

Thank you so much for all of the information, it is greatly appreciated. I have kept the lights off for 5 days now and will be putting them back on tomorrow. There have been little to no algae growth since the lights have been off. That being said, I’m wondering if it’s the type of lights I have. I have attached a photo
We have the lights on 5 hours with blue lights, 3 hours with white and blue at 1%. I fear the algae returning once the lights are put back on.

Yes they are hygger wave makers. I will pick up one more larger wave maker and place them as you have mentioned. We have a refugium but we don’t have a skimmer. Will getting a skimmer help reduce the algae? If those lights are not good can you recommend others that are better that won’t break the bank?

The rock work is only up against the back left wall right now temporarily. I placed them that way quickly when I was putting them al back in the tank after scrubbing them down, they aren’t normally up against the glass, I will be fixing that. Do you think there is too much rock work? Would that contribute to the algae? I can remove a few pieces. I will take a better photo once the lights in the tank are put back on tomorrow
Thank you again!!