Green Hair Algae

[cameronh21]

I have a Fluval Evo 13.5 that has been established for around 8 months and has a terrible GHA problem.

Stock: 2 ocellaris clownfish
1 yellow clown goby
4 small snails
1 fighting conch
A couple corals

I can’t figure out what my problem is or how to get rid of it, I have been battling it for months and it is really discouraging. I use distilled water for my water changes, I don’t feed that much and I only feed every other day and water changes every 2-3 weeks.

I was thinking about getting some hermit crabs to help out a bit more than the snails do. Any suggestions are welcome and appreciated, thanks!

 

[smartwater101]

Clean-up-crews are suplimental. They won't solve the problem. (Same with Tangs/Foxfish ect)

First, what are your water parameters? How much water do you change out each time?

Do you run a fuge or skimmer?

A fuge/skimmer/water changes, and proper feeding schedule should be all you need. Sometimes it's takes awhile to dial in. Let us know about these things and we can probably help ya narrow it down.

In the meantime, the GHA will need manual removal.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Tank lights are a tad bright. Lower white little and increase blues.
Additionally, over CUC, a lawnmower blenny or pencil urchin will mow on this.
Pick as much as you can by hand and do water change.
In the water- are you using RO or tap from sink?
Have you checked phosphate level?reducing quantity of food fed will also help.

BY CHANCE IS TANK AT OR NEAR A WINDOW??

 

[cameronh21]

Clean-up-crews are suplimental. They won't solve the problem. (Same with Tangs/Foxfish ect)

First, what are your water parameters? How much water do you change out each time?

Do you run a fuge or skimmer?

A fuge/skimmer/water changes, and proper feeding schedule should be all you need. Sometimes it's takes awhile to dial in. Let us know about these things and we can probably help ya narrow it down.

In the meantime, the GHA will need manual removal.

;Droid

Parameters:
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0
pH - 7.5

I am not running a fuge or skimmer at the moment. I want to start a fuge but none of my local fish stores sell macroalgae.

I appreciate the help!

 

[cameronh21]

Tank lights are a tad bright. Lower white little and increase blues.
Additionally, over CUC, a lawnmower blenny or pencil urchin will mow on this.
Pick as much as you can by hand and do water change.
In the water- are you using RO or tap from sink?
Have you checked phosphate level?reducing quantity of food fed will also help.

BY CHANCE IS TANK AT OR NEAR A WINDOW??

Unfortunately the light settings on my light aren’t adjustable.

Would I be able to add a lawnmower blenny to a 13.5 gallon with 2 clowns and 1 clown goby? My LFS has lawnmower blennies but not pencil urchins.

I’m using distilled water until I can get an RODI system.

I haven’t checked phosphate level and my tank is in a room with windows but it is pretty far away from them.

I appreciate the help!

 

[jeffchapok]

As you address the water parameters, a pincushion urchin will clean up what's already in there. Turbo snails are good too. I haven't found hermit crabs to do much, although my Sally light foot crab is a voracious GHA eater.

 

[Quietman]

I may look into reading 0 nitrate with no fuge, no skimmer and 2-3 week water changes with your livestock load in small tank. Granted your feeding is light but still.... something to look into. Could be test kit, could be GHA is taking up nitrates reducing tested value. Maybe try a small daily WC for a couple weeks and see if algae is affected before adding more bioload.

 

[Lorenzo Angotti]

Hi, a sea hare ( like a slug ) is pretty good at getting rid of GHA that’s all they eat and once the job is done take it back to the store and you can get a discount on perhaps a frag or something. Only one thing is, if you have a cleaner shrimp in your tank they tend to probe the sea hare in its rear and you end up with a Dead Sea hare. I had to put my cleaner shrimp in my sump, until the sea hare did it’s job. This is only a temporary fix because you need to isolate what’s causing this, in your water parameters or lighting. Good luck

 

[ChiSox Rabbitfish]

More snails and a urchin would help tiger conch does better for me not sure the difference between tiger and fighting conch to be honest though