Bryopsis or hair algae??

Saltgator · Sep 17, 2012

I hope this is a couple pics (that turns out OK) that can help some others with issues and treatment after I get a positive I.D. for myself from others. Please post your opinion on which this is and your treatment for it. Thanks

Country Boy using tapatalk on his EVO

RichieT · Sep 17, 2012

Looks like hair algae to me. I'd suggest:
1. Manual removal of what you can get at.

2. A good clean-up crew

3. Make sure that your parameters are where they should be

4. Make sure you have a good light schedule.

Those are just general rules. I'm sure if you post specifics of your tank and parameters you can get more specific help.

cdness · Sep 17, 2012

Well from a distance it looks like your everyday hair algae. Bryopsis has more of a feather appearance close up. I am not able to see that in the images...

Before anyone can give a good way to get rid of it we need your current water parameters. Especially important are the magical numbers of Nitrate and Phosphate.

General treatments include lowering feedings, lights out period, water changes, manual removal and algae eating clean up crew. But with all those treatments, you still need to solve the issue of what is feeding the algae in the first place.

Saltgator · Sep 17, 2012

cdness said:
Well from a distance it looks like your everyday hair algae. Bryopsis has more of a feather appearance close up. I am not able to see that in the images...

Before anyone can give a good way to get rid of it we need your current water parameters. Especially important are the magical numbers of Nitrate and Phosphate.

General treatments include lowering feedings, lights out period, water changes, manual removal and algae eating clean up crew. But with all those treatments, you still need to solve the issue of what is feeding the algae in the first place.

All parameters read great (probably false reading due to the obvious), but here you go.
Nitrate is zero, phosphate is zero, nitrite and ammonia both zero, alk @ 9, Cal @ 435, not sure on my mag. WC is done 1 a week with rodi water reading zero on my tds meter and meter, filters, and media are less than 3 months old.

A few lps and a few random softies, a 2 frags of sps, 2 anemones, 2 clams, no fish for the last 5 weeks so no feeding to my DT since then, not to many snails (more on the way), several (unknown amount) of blue legged hermits, booming numb of pods and bristle worms.

Lights out was conducted for 3 days of total black out. Lights are reef breeders LED 120 watt fixtures (4 total) and are a few months old.

Country Boy using tapatalk on his EVO

Saltgator · Sep 17, 2012

Outside pics for better shots (I hope).

Country Boy using tapatalk on his EVO

Saltgator · Sep 17, 2012

More

Country Boy using tapatalk on his EVO

RichieT · Sep 17, 2012

How long are you running your lights for each day?

Saltgator · Sep 17, 2012

RichieT said:
How long are you running your lights for each day?

Actinics on @ 3p - 11p, whites on @ 4p - 10p. Mounted 13 inches above surface and just last week bumped them up to 100% actinic, 75% whites.

Saltgator · Sep 17, 2012

Bump

Country Boy using tapatalk on his EVO

zemuss · Sep 19, 2012

Saltgator,

This is hair algae IMO.

Questions:
1. Is this for the 240 G?
2. WHat CUC do you have?
3. How many fish and what are you feeding them?

Hair algae is opportunistic algae, meaning if the Nitrate and PO4 are present it will feed on it.

You also mentioned the lighting schedule and I am wanting to know what kinds of lights your using. MH? LEDS? T5? Have you notice a change in the spectrum output? I know from experience when my MH bulb needed to be replaced the color changed from a crisp white to a warm white. When this happened, and because I was on a business trip, I came home to Hair Algae growth!

"Z"

Saltgator · Sep 19, 2012

zemuss said:
Saltgator,

This is hair algae IMO.

Questions:
1. Is this for the 240 G?
2. WHat CUC do you have?
3. How many fish and what are you feeding them?

Hair algae is opportunistic algae, meaning if the Nitrate and PO4 are present it will feed on it.

You also mentioned the lighting schedule and I am wanting to know what kinds of lights your using. MH? LEDS? T5? Have you notice a change in the spectrum output? I know from experience when my MH bulb needed to be replaced the color changed from a crisp white to a warm white. When this happened, and because I was on a business trip, I came home to Hair Algae growth!

"Z"

Thanks Z. This is a 240 (8 x 2 x 2) gallon. Cuc is blue leg hermits and nerite snails (tiny amount and ordering more with a variety). Lights are LEDs and only a few months old. No spectrum change noticed. All my fish have been in placed in my qt for almost 6 weeks, so no feeding tank since 6 weeks ago. WC each week, changing flows to attend any dead spots and manual removal yet still a battle. I'm looking at starting Bio pellets and upping my gfo a bit.

Country Boy using tapatalk on his EVO

zemuss · Sep 19, 2012

IMO , others chime in, Hair Algae isn't a flow issue its a Nitrate and PO4 issue combined with light. So your using a LED setup. Can you extend of the details? Combination of Royal Blues to Whites? etc..

Is this a new tank, did your tank cycle? If it is a new tank then you might want to let it run its course.

I know many do a lights out period during the cycle, however, even if it isn't a new tank you can perform a lights out period for a few days. However, it might not be beneficial if the Nitrate and PO4 is detected.

When I had Hair ALgae it was due to the lights. So when I came home I did two ten gallon water changes (8 hours a part) and pulled as much of the algae out by hand. I then waited a week and did two more big water changes. This corrected the issue.

zemuss · Sep 19, 2012

Ok so I read your thread which is linked in your signature. What is the reading on TDS meter for the RO/ DI water? IF it is not zero this might be your issue.

Also where in South Florida are you and is the 125 or 120 for sale?

Saltgator · Sep 19, 2012

zemuss said:
Ok so I read your thread which is linked in your signature. What is the reading on TDS meter for the RO/ DI water? IF it is not zero this might be your issue.

Also where in South Florida are you and is the 125 or 120 for sale?

Cape coral Florida. I sold the 125 for $125 and traded out the 120 (sorry). My tds reads zero and filters are a couple months old including di resin.

Country Boy using tapatalk on his EVO

zemuss · Sep 19, 2012

Ok then I can only assume that Nitrates and Po4 is the cause of your Hair Algae issue.

I have read Algae scrubbers can help control algae by concentrating it on the scrubber. Have you research a Algae scrubber?

Saltgator · Sep 19, 2012

zemuss said:
Ok then I can only assume that Nitrates and Po4 is the cause of your Hair Algae issue.

I have read Algae scrubbers can help control algae by concentrating it on the scrubber. Have you research a Algae scrubber?

Yes I have and had everything in place (screen, pvc, maxi jet and light) but just haven't given in to it yet. Maybe a safer alternative to Bio pellets.

Country Boy using tapatalk on his EVO

zemuss · Sep 19, 2012

Run it man.. Lets see it that helps.

Keep us posted.

Saltgator · Sep 20, 2012

zemuss said:
Run it man.. Lets see it that helps.

Keep us posted.

Will do, but also thinking of a carbon source to assist instead. IDK, I might run the scrubber on my cube and a pellet reactor on the 240 and compare. I'll let yall know. :tongue: