Green Hair Algae has taken over!

[EB707]

My tank has been overrun with GHA! I left on a business trip last Sunday and there was no visible algae in the tank. When I got home yesterday it looked like this. The tank has been running for about 6 months. Why did this algae explode so quickly and what would be my best options to get rid of this?

 

[DrkNMighty]

What are your parameters? Did you have someone feeding your tank while you were gone? Maybe the tank was overfed while you were gone and it resulted in a nutrient spike.

 

[vetteguy53081]

My tank has been overrun with GHA! I left on a business trip last Sunday and there was no visible algae in the tank. When I got home yesterday it looked like this. The tank has been running for about 6 months. Why did this algae explode so quickly and what would be my best options to get rid of this?

I would place rock in a container of tank water and pull off as much as you can by hand and scrub the rest with a firm toothbrush and some 3% hydrogen peroxide. Some causes are high UV, overfeeding, useof tap water and heavy organics as well as lighting too bright.
Return to tank, reduce white light intensity and number of hours of white lighting and add some snails such as :
Astrea
cerith
turbo grazer
trochus

A Pencil urchin

8-10 Caribbean blue leg hermits

Are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet ?
What is your phosphate level?
Is tank at or near a window?

 

[EB707]

What are your parameters? Did you have someone feeding your tank while you were gone? Maybe the tank was overfed while you were gone and it resulted in a nutrient spike.

I haven’t had a chance to test the water since I got home. My wife was feeding while I was gone and she says that she fed like I normally do.

 

[EB707]

I would place rock in a container of tank water and pull off as much as you can by hand and scrub the rest with a firm toothbrush and some 3% hydrogen peroxide. Some causes are high UV, overfeeding, useof tap water and heavy organics as well as lighting too bright.
Return to tank, reduce white light intensity and number of hours of white lighting and add some snails such as :
Astrea
cerith
turbo grazer
trochus

A Pencil urchin

8-10 Caribbean blue leg hermits

Are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet ?
What is your phosphate level?
Is tank at or near a window?

I haven’t had a chance to test the water yet. I use distilled water for water changes. The tank is near a window that gets a lot of afternoon sun. My wife said that she left the blinds open quite a bit while I was gone.

 

[Cali Reef Life]

Sounds like overfeeding more light and no water change. Give it a nice water change and listen to advice above.

I tell my girlfriend a pinch no more then 15 pellets and 1 cube per day. When I only said a pinch or so she would over feed. Showed her the amount for future trips.

 

[Solo McReefer]

Why haven't you got brushes and brushed it off?

Curious

Reefcleaners.org can sell you snails and hermit crabs to help fight that
.

 

[Lavey29]

Normal GHA stage in a 6 month tank. Get yoyr hands wet every day

 

[slingfox]

I would not get too alarmed. Manually remove what algae you can and then add a variety of CUC to keep new growth in check. Tuxedo urchin and some snails would likely work great.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I haven’t had a chance to test the water yet. I use distilled water for water changes. The tank is near a window that gets a lot of afternoon sun. My wife said that she left the blinds open quite a bit while I was gone.

The UV from the sun will do this daily. Block the side of tank that gets sunlight with black construction paper , which alone will reduce this