Hair algae?

[Bthomas]

Tank just completed cycle a couple weeks ago and ive got this hair algae all over the tank. Do i need to do anything to remove this or just let it run its course?
No fish in the tank as of yet, just added small clean up crew few days ago.. 6 astrea, 6 trochus, 2 turbos, 12 hermits, 5 nassarius
I have a couple media reactors on the way that I will be running carbon and gfo in when i get them.
Also have not turned skimmer on yet, should i do that now?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Yup. Start up the skimmer.

Myself , I’d give it a good scrub with a toothbrush. Use a little extra floss or sock and change them afterwards.

 

[sfin52]

What are your numbers. Phosphates and nitrates. You can start running the skimmer. I would hold off on gfo till you know your po4 number.

 

[Bthomas]

Just tested and phosphate seems to be reading 0 with an api test kit (not sure how reliable that is) and nitrate is high at 40..

 

[Bthomas]

Why hold off on gfo?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Gfo will strip the Po4.

If the Po4 is zero. Well... lol.

Gha , can strip water like gfo in a way and gives a false reading.

But gha can also use other things , like ammoina , to grow, if the bio filter isn’t up to speed yet.

So by manually removing the gha , you may get a better idea of the Po4 available in the system , but also it gives the cuc a shot at keeping it down for you.

 

[Bthomas]

It's been a couple days now and the clean up crew dont seem to be touching it.
Will it go away on its own if i dont remove it by hand or will it just get worse

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Plants grow.

And that’s also the thing, they have tiny mouths.
By manualy removing , it makes it small and manageable.

 

[lewisriverfisherman]

Put those turbo snails directly on that hair algea they will eat it.

 

[sfin52]

I just got gha growing and taking off and had to increased my cuc. I have to trim it or pull to allow the cuc to eat it.

Long story excited about seeing the gha.

 

[reeferfoxx]

In my GHA outbreak I just let it starve itself out. Once it starts growing, i let it grow long and then take a toothbrush to the rocks. It might come back some but a little manual toothbrush diligence and it eventually won't grow back.