Is this hair algae or something else

[Twotoedsloth]

Just wondering what this is exactly. I thought it was hair algae, but I’m not sure.

I’ve been brushing it off every few days, so it’s not super crazy yet, but I fear it taking over. My phosphates are high, which I assume is the issue, and I am working on that, and they are coming down.

I was just curious what exactly it is, so I can target the best method of getting rid of it.

And if anything eats it that would be great, my emerald crab doesn’t really tough it.

My tank is only 40 gallons so things like Tangs aren’t really an option.

Thanks in advance.

 

[blaxsun]

Yea, GHA.

 

[Reefahholic]

Looks like hair algae. Pretty harmless. Manual removal via siphon pulling with your thumb is easiest. Siphon down to a sock in the sump.

What is the PO4 level. Is this a new system?

 

[Twotoedsloth]

Looks like hair algae. Pretty harmless. Manual removal via siphon pulling with your thumb is easiest. Siphon down to a sock in the sump.

What is the PO4 level. Is this a new system?

Yeah that’s what I’ve been doing, it’s staying at bay pretty well, just wanted to make sure I was fighting the fight I thought I was fighting. I put in an emerald crab hoping she would help it along, but she doesn’t seem to want to deal with it.

It’s coming up on a year, doing pretty well. My PO4 was around .6 but it’s dropping now so I just need to keep up the fight and I think I’ll win the day.

Thanks!

 

[Reeferbadness]

Yeah that’s what I’ve been doing, it’s staying at bay pretty well, just wanted to make sure I was fighting the fight I thought I was fighting. I put in an emerald crab hoping she would help it along, but she doesn’t seem to want to deal with it.

It’s coming up on a year, doing pretty well. My PO4 was around .6 but it’s dropping now so I just need to keep up the fight and I think I’ll win the day.

Thanks!

I've had GHA with 0.0 P04 so that's not a clear cut way to eliminate. I would definitely add some help with Turbo Snails and Urchins + have a few grazing fish like tangs and fox face. Siphoning definitely helps + if you can take a rock out, you can scrub with some hydrogen peroxide.

 

[Uncle99]

Yeah that’s what I’ve been doing, it’s staying at bay pretty well, just wanted to make sure I was fighting the fight I thought I was fighting. I put in an emerald crab hoping she would help it along, but she doesn’t seem to want to deal with it.

It’s coming up on a year, doing pretty well. My PO4 was around .6 but it’s dropping now so I just need to keep up the fight and I think I’ll win the day.

Thanks!

.6ppm really or do you mean 0.06ppm?
.6ppm would fuel a ton of fast growing green.
0.06ppm would be fine in a new system.
Range is 0.05ppm to .2ppm or so in a mature system medium load.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Just wondering what this is exactly. I thought it was hair algae, but I’m not sure.

I’ve been brushing it off every few days, so it’s not super crazy yet, but I fear it taking over. My phosphates are high, which I assume is the issue, and I am working on that, and they are coming down.

I was just curious what exactly it is, so I can target the best method of getting rid of it.

And if anything eats it that would be great, my emerald crab doesn’t really tough it.

My tank is only 40 gallons so things like Tangs aren’t really an option.

Thanks in advance.

Agree on GHA and stay ahead of it if you can.
Seeing no coral on this rock, I would place it in a container of tank water and pull off as much as you can by hand and scrub the rest with a firm toothbrush and some 3% hydrogen peroxide.
Return to tank, reduce white light intensity and number of hours of white lighting and add some snails such as :
Astrea
cerith
turbo grazer
trochus

A Pencil urchin
8-10 Caribbean blue leg hermits

Are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet ?
Is your phosphate level .6 as indicated?
Is tank at or near a window?