Green Hair (I think) Problem

[Dan13]

Hey Guys,

My tank is coming along nicely now, it has been up and running since November and is full of life. So full of life that the green algae has appeared and is spreading like wildfire. CUC is not doing anything at all against it, and attempting to pull it out is a nightmare as bits float all over the place and next thing I know its growing somewhere else!

My tank was completely clear of any of this algae about 5 weeks ago, then I added some coral and some chaeto from a reputable home grower, and its all of a sudden gone to pot! I added an Emerald Crab from my LFS, but that died after 2 days. God knows what happened to him, just found him one afternoon being taken apart by a Scarlet Cleaner!

My current readings:

• Temperature 26
• Salinity 1.026
• Ph 8.2
• Alkalinity 8.0
• Ammonia 0
• Nitrite 0
• Nitrate 20
• Magnesium 1520
• Calcium 420
• Phosphate 0.6

More information:

• Tank running for 8 months
• 6x 39W T5 bulbs from 12pm to 10pm daily
• 95G tank
• Skimmer and chaeto in sump
• Standard amount of flow
• 15% water changes every 2 weeks
• I use distilled water (Zero TDS) with Red Sea Coral Pro Reef Salt
• Rotate between Formula One flakes and mysis or artemia
• Feed my coral 2 times a week with Microbe-Lift Coral Food Plus (I am in Austria and do not have the selection available to me like you guys do, please don't tell me to use different coral food!)
  

Inhabitants:

• 1 Oscellaris Clown
• 1 Blue Tang
• 1 Firefish
• 3 Yellowtail Damselfish
• 2 Blue Green Chromis
• 1 Bicolor Blenny
• 1 Sleeper Banded Goby
• 1 Peppermint Shrimp
• 2 Scarlet Cleaner Shrimp
• 1 Blood Red Fire Shrimp
• 1 Blue Tuxedo Urchin
• 1 Orange Collector Urchin
• 5 Turbo Snails
• 8 Hermit Crabs
• 1 Large Bubble Tip Anemone
• A bunch of coral (want me to name it all and I will. Other than one....bottom left of my tank....I think its an Oxypora?!)

I have a media reactor on its way along with some active carbon to run in my sump.

If anyone has any thoughts or comments, they would be greatly appreciated! And if there is anything I have missed out, just ask and I will let you know!

Many thanks in advance!

5 Weeks Ago


Tank Today

 

[Brew12]

Unfortunately, I think that looks like Bryopsis.

Not much will eat it, but Fluconazole will clear it up.

 

[ReefersDelite]

That does look like GHA. I've been successful with a sea hare just to get it under control and my PO4 was then detectable because the GHA wasn't consuming it. Once I was able to get a correct PO4, i was able to keep the GHA at bay with NOPOX and a GFO/Carbon reactor. I also tried the UWC Vibrant and my GHA was very slow to recede but it was doing the trick. Now I dose that each week at water change time.