Help Identify This Algae!

[Platinum Reef]

Hey guys I need some help identifying 2 different kinds of algae in my tank. Here is some quick facts on my tank. Its a 75 gallon mixed reef only 4 months old but all of my corals are doing well. 2 months in I noticed what I thought was hair algae but now I'm not so sure. Its rapidly been taking over my tank and in 2 months is now pretty much everywhere. None of my herbivores really touch the stuff (lawnmower blenny, Baby blue tang and different snails/hermits. I try to pull it out when it gets long enough but it just comes back with a vengeance and keeps spreading! Here is 2 different pics of the algae around my tank. I NEED HELP!

 

[Platinum Reef]

Here is the 2nd kind of algae I cant identify. It came in with a zoa frag and I did my best to scrap it off now its in another spot.

 

[Sharkbait19]

I’d say green hair algae but it definitely sounds much more relentless than typical algae...

 

[dvgyfresh]

Looks like bryopsis, urchin will clear through it

 

[tapeworm123]

Bryopsis use fluconazole or reef flux to clean out don’t tear it or try to remove it or it will release spores and seed your rock else were.

 

[Platinum Reef]

Bryopsis use fluconazole or reef flux to clean out don’t tear it or try to remove it or it will release spores and seed your rock else were.

Alright I did a little more research I'm 99% sure you guys are right and it is bryopsis as the traits are the same. I'm going to order some fluconazole and give that a try. Do you think clearing out as much as I can right before I start treatment would be beneficial? I read nitrates can rise a lot from die off during this period.

 

[vetteguy53081]

This is some of the hardest to remove species of macroalgae encountered in the hobby are B. pennata and B. plumosa. These two species have noticeable discernible midribs (center portion of the algae), that are wider than their branches. They are fast growing, and form a mat like root system on the rocks. Algae that grows from mats, instead of singular holdfasts, are harder to remove if they spread in your tank. This is due to the tedious work that is required to remove all of the algae from the surface it is growing on. Any piece that remains will likely continue growing.
There are many, many species of Green Hair Algae that have feathery branching and look like bryopsis, and are not necessarily members of the Bryopsis genus.
Flux does Not always work as again, you must get to the root and remove it for total removal. Remove all you can by hand. Just be careful about it, and if you can pull the rock out to remove it all the better. If it has taken hold in the sand, sift it out with a net. If you don't remove the rhizomes (roots) it will grow back. Also. starve it out - if you can lower nutrients nuisance algae has a harder time taking hold, or coming back after manual removal. Repeat every time you see a little bit come back. Try to be aggressive when removing these species.

Some cleaner crew that will help with this are : Pitho Crabs, urchins, Emerald Crabs, chitons, and even larger Astraea snails.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Alright I did a little more research I'm 99% sure you guys are right and it is bryopsis as the traits are the same. I'm going to order some fluconazole and give that a try. Do you think clearing out as much as I can right before I start treatment would be beneficial? I read nitrates can rise a lot from die off during this period.

Clearing it by hand is the first defense. You can use a crochet hook or tweezers to pull the root from crevices.

 

[Platinum Reef]

This is some of the hardest to remove species of macroalgae encountered in the hobby are B. pennata and B. plumosa. These two species have noticeable discernible midribs (center portion of the algae), that are wider than their branches. They are fast growing, and form a mat like root system on the rocks. Algae that grows from mats, instead of singular holdfasts, are harder to remove if they spread in your tank. This is due to the tedious work that is required to remove all of the algae from the surface it is growing on. Any piece that remains will likely continue growing.
There are many, many species of Green Hair Algae that have feathery branching and look like bryopsis, and are not necessarily members of the Bryopsis genus.
Flux does Not always work as again, you must get to the root and remove it for total removal. Remove all you can by hand. Just be careful about it, and if you can pull the rock out to remove it all the better. If it has taken hold in the sand, sift it out with a net. If you don't remove the rhizomes (roots) it will grow back. Also. starve it out - if you can lower nutrients nuisance algae has a harder time taking hold, or coming back after manual removal. Repeat every time you see a little bit come back. Try to be aggressive when removing these species.

Some cleaner crew that will help with this are : Pitho Crabs, urchins, Emerald Crabs, chitons, and even larger Astraea snails.

Originally I was aggressive in removing it but it almost falls apart as I'm ripping it off the rock so I'm pretty sure that is just spreading the spores faster. I may try and add a few emerald crabs but there is so much I doubt they could keep up with it. My astreas don't touch it but they aren't full size yet. Id only want to remove my rock to scrub it as a last line of defense. I have 90+ pounds of rock with 20+ corals throughout the tank and the bryopsis is on pretty much every rock. I think I'm going to try to manually remove what I can and then start the fluconazole treatment and run that for a couple weeks at least. If that doesn't work I suppose ill have to undertake the dreaded task of removing all my rock