Hair algae? Problem

[Mike1995]

So I have hair algae I think? It's about an inch long and flows with the water current as if someone had thier hair in it. It's only on a few spots on my rock, but it's all over my overflow in the back of the tank .
My tank parameters-
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrates 5
Phosphate ?
pH 8.2
Salinity 1.024

I don't have any phosphate tests or anything. Or anything other than the basics. Could phosphates be what's causing this algea or whatever It is?

 

[Mike1995]

 

[vetteguy53081]

Algae Blenny or foxface rabbit or even kole tank will break this down. Also a sea hare

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I can’t see enough of the structure to tell if it’s a bryopsis.
But assuming it’s a GHA , yes I’d say you need more clean up crew.

Pretty common to happen in such a new tank

How old is it?

 

[Mike1995]

I can’t see enough of the structure to tell if it’s a bryopsis.
But assuming it’s a GHA , yes I’d say you need more clean up crew.

Pretty common to happen in such a new tank

How old is it?

I've had the tank up and running since late May. For clean up crew, what should I get, more hermits and ceriths? Snails?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

If the fish vetteguy mentioned aren’t feasible, I like turban snails, turbos , and asteria snails

Are you on rodi water?

I may be Crazy(I actually am), but the picture just makes me feel like something is off.

 

[lapin]

+ 1 to the above. Search for the different types and sizes of snails. Get a few of each. Then pull out by hand what you can and the snails will eat the rest until a balance is reached.

 

[Flippers4pups]

You need a phosphate test kit.

What's your source water?

Is this a new tank?

Did you use dry rock?

 

[Mike1995]

If the fish vetteguy mentioned aren’t feasible, I like turban snails, turbos , and asteria snails

Are you on rodi water?

I may be Crazy(I actually am), but the picture just makes me feel like something is off.

Yes I use rodi water

 

[Mike1995]

You need a phosphate test kit.

What's your source water?

Is this a new tank?

Did you use dry rock?

I use rodi water. Tank has been running since May. Half of my rock when I put it in was already live, half was dry

 

[redpine42]

Be ready for more. My GHA is finally under control and now I got Cyno. It's all about nitrates.

 

[Mike1995]

Be ready for more. My GHA is finally under control and now I got Cyno. It's all about nitrates.

Now I'm confused.. someone else earlier said something about phosphates. And you're mentioning nitrates .Should I get tests/test for both? Are they both a cause of this algae? If I lower those two things will it kill the algae?

 

[redpine42]

Now I'm confused.. someone else earlier said something about phosphates. And you're mentioning nitrates .Should I get tests/test for both? Are they both a cause of this algae? If I lower those two things will it kill the algae?

I test for both. My Nitrates while I had GHA were 5 PPM and .04 PPM for phosphates. So I had normal levels and even my ICP test showed that. I had a problem with skimmer leaking and not skimming. Once I fixed that and started dumping skimmate daily my GHA start to die and my Nitrates spiked. My PO4 stayed the same. My Nitrates today were 10 ppm, so I'm hoping that in the next few days my Cyno will start to die. If not something else is wrong.

I think having your skimmer working and tuned is critical to algae control. Mine fills up twice a day with a tea like substance. I read if you tune it first to a darker substance your not skimming enough.

 

[Mike1995]

I test for both. My Nitrates while I had GHA were 5 PPM and .04 PPM for phosphates. So I had normal levels and even my ICP test showed that. I had a problem with skimmer leaking and not skimming. Once I fixed that and started dumping skimmate daily my GHA start to die and my Nitrates spiked. My PO4 stayed the same. My Nitrates today were 10 ppm, so I'm hoping that in the next few days my Cyno will start to die. If not something else is wrong.

I think having your skimmer working and tuned is critical to algae control. Mine fills up twice a day with a tea like substance. I read if you tune it first to a darker substance your not skimming enough.

I have a bubble Magnus curve 5 skimmer. I usually empty the cup every day or every other day . The stuff it collects is like a light to medium brown color. Is that okay or should I adjust something?

 

[landlubber]

there is plenty of decent advice coming in so I'll take a different approach and suggest spending an hour watching some brs videos about nutrients. it will pay off huge in knowing how to deal with your algae and better still, how to prevent it.

 

[redpine42]

I have a bubble Magnus curve 5 skimmer. I usually empty the cup every day or every other day . The stuff it collects is like a light to medium brown color. Is that okay or should I adjust something?

Same skimmer. The arm on the bottom of my cup had a crack and was leaking. Also, I'm no expert and found most of the info on the web useless on how to tune a skimmer. I found one article that was useful. The explanation was to tune it so the skimmate was a tea color. After a few days of skimming if it turns to a dark color turn the skimmer up a little until it's tea color. Keep doing until it stays a consistent tea color.

I've retuned once. Mine I dump twice a day. Assume this is related to the Nitrates and algae problems I'm having.

 

[Dmsick]

I had what seemed like endless hair algae. I added a gfo reactor which I think has helped but the true algae destroyers have been my foxface, turbo and nerite snails. I have some blue leg hermits but I don't think they do much compared to the others I mentioned.

 

[Mike1995]

I had what seemed like endless hair algae. I added a gfo reactor which I think has helped but the true algae destroyers have been my foxface, turbo and nerite snails. I have some blue leg hermits but I don't think they do much compared to the others I mentioned.

I have a ton of nerites. And hermits. Would a foxface be good to add to eat the hair algea? I currently have a maroon clown. Would a foxface be okay with that?

 

[Dmsick]

I have a ton of nerites. And hermits. Would a foxface be good to add to eat the hair algea? I currently have a maroon clown. Would a foxface be okay with that?

Foxface are peaceful except with other foxface. They are also not easily bullied as they have venomous dorsal fins which deter aggression from most other fish. They love algae. Mine eats it nonstop. I don't remember seeing the size of your tank. A one spot foxface is ok for a 70 gallon but all the other species require a larger tank. My foxface is my favorite fish.

 

[Mike1995]

Foxface are peaceful except with other foxface. They are also not easily bullied as they have venomous dorsal fins which deter aggression from most other fish. They love algae. Mine eats it nonstop. I don't remember seeing the size of your tank. A one spot foxface is ok for a 70 gallon but all the other species require a larger tank. My foxface is my favorite fish.

My tank is 75g
So, Along with my clown, would a one spot foxface and a lawnmower/algea blenny (someone suggested that earlier) and some turbo snails be a good combination?