Resistant green hair algae

[mossanimal]

I have these tough tufts of what I'm assuming are green hair algae (or at least a green algae) that is resistant to my crew of urchin, blenny, hermit crabs, limpets and margarita snails. They are VERY difficult to scrub off with a toothbrush. They showed up a while go but since then my chaeto and mangroves have really taken off and nutrients have fallen.... although phosphates are a little high at 0.25 (I have GFO in my sump right now). Is there another CUC member that I should consider adding? I've been hesitant to add tangs and other larger fish as I've wanted this to be mostly an invert tank. Or be patient and let them take care of themselves since it isn't getting worse?

Also.... this tank is only 5 months old but already went through the 'uglies'. Really the only nuisance algae are these tufts. Which isn't a huge aesthetic issue really.

 

[noobreefer2]

A few questions that could help: Phosphates are very high; have you retested that number? What test kit are you using? Do you know the nitrate level? Otherwise, I think this phase is normal for any tank that has just been started; for most people, it lasts about a year, and then it's smooth sailing.

I am currently dosing Algeafix to control a chrysophyte/cyano/GHA problem in my tank; you could try something like that if you need to.

I think the biggest thing for you right now would be manual removal and keeping your nitrates and phosphates at a controlled level, until you get out of this phase

Also, consider the nutrient input to your tank; how much are you feeding? Do you have a skimmer/ how much are you skimming? What does the bioload look like in your tank?

 

[mossanimal]

A few questions that could help: Phosphates are very high; have you retested that number? What test kit are you using? Do you know the nitrate level? Otherwise, I think this phase is normal for any tank that has just been started; for most people, it lasts about a year, and then it's smooth sailing.

I am currently dosing Algeafix to control a chrysophyte/cyano/GHA problem in my tank; you could try something like that if you need to.

I think the biggest thing for you right now would be manual removal and keeping your nitrates and phosphates at a controlled level, until you get out of this phase

Also, consider the nutrient input to your tank; how much are you feeding? Do you have a skimmer/ how much are you skimming? What does the bioload look like in your tank?

My nitrates have crashed to less than 10 lately. My phosphate number comes from the Salifert kit. I test about once a week.

It's a 90 gallon tank and I have a skimmer and sump with chaeoto refugium and a second display fuge with deep mud and mangroves. My fish load is only two clowns and a blenny. I feed frozen in the morning and flakes/pellets in the afternoon. I dose phyto everyday and occassionally Reefroids. I have cephaestra that are growing like crazy but a bunch of zoa and one colony of Xenia and a colony of GSP that have barely grown. My mushrooms are doing great.

 

[mossanimal]

A few questions that could help: Phosphates are very high; have you retested that number? What test kit are you using? Do you know the nitrate level? Otherwise, I think this phase is normal for any tank that has just been started; for most people, it lasts about a year, and then it's smooth sailing.

I am currently dosing Algeafix to control a chrysophyte/cyano/GHA problem in my tank; you could try something like that if you need to.

I think the biggest thing for you right now would be manual removal and keeping your nitrates and phosphates at a controlled level, until you get out of this phase

Also, consider the nutrient input to your tank; how much are you feeding? Do you have a skimmer/ how much are you skimming? What does the bioload look like in your tank?

 

[Reef By Steele Verified Sponsor]

I encountered something similar in my 16 gallon RS XXL750. Really short but dense algae. It really spread. I was told by an LFS that it was briopsis and they told me to treat with ReefFlux. Not going to blame them as I live 2 1/2 hours away and only had pictures but I believe that it is turf algae. I scrubbed with a cleaning brush during water changes and with time it went away.

 

[mossanimal]

I encountered something similar in my 16 gallon RS XXL750. Really short but dense algae. It really spread. I was told by an LFS that it was briopsis and they told me to treat with ReefFlux. Not going to blame them as I live 2 1/2 hours away and only had pictures but I believe that it is turf algae. I scrubbed with a cleaning brush during water changes and with time it went away.

Okay... I didn't think so because the strands aren't 'feathered' like bryopsis. But maybe it's time I take a closer look with a scope.

 

[noobreefer2]

My nitrates have crashed to less than 10 lately. My phosphate number comes from the Salifert kit. I test about once a week.

It's a 90 gallon tank and I have a skimmer and sump with chaeoto refugium and a second display fuge with deep mud and mangroves. My fish load is only two clowns and a blenny. I feed frozen in the morning and flakes/pellets in the afternoon. I dose phyto everyday and occassionally Reefroids. I have cephaestra that are growing like crazy but a bunch of zoa and one colony of Xenia and a colony of GSP that have barely grown. My mushrooms are doing great.

I used the Salifert test kit and hated it; it was extremely inaccurate, and it was hard to differentiate between readings. I highly suggest investing in something more accurate, like the Hannah ULR. You seem to be feeding a ton of food for such a small bioload; that's probably why there are high nutrients. Again, I would say just keep testing, manual removal, and wait it out.

 

[mossanimal]

I used the Salifert test kit and hated it; it was extremely inaccurate, and it was hard to differentiate between readings. I highly suggest investing in something more accurate, like the Hannah ULR. You seem to be feeding a ton of food for such a small bioload; that's probably why there are high nutrients. Again, I would say just keep testing, manual removal, and wait it out.

Maybe... but my nitrates are pretty low. Almost zero actually. And I use such tiny pinches of food. The Reefroids could certainly be contributing to the P04 though.

 

[Reef By Steele Verified Sponsor]

Okay... I didn't think so because the strands aren't 'feathered' like bryopsis. But maybe it's time I take a closer look with a scope.

Yes that is what I figured out. Not briopsis but maybe turf algae which I read is harder to eliminate than like GHA.

Mine was in a predator tank with super high nitrates and phosphates. I originally dosed homemade No-Pox and Lanthanum but now dose exclusively our phytoplankton blend so I can avoid “chemicals”

 

[noobreefer2]

Maybe... but my nitrates are pretty low. Almost zero actually. And I use such tiny pinches of food. The Reefroids could certainly be contributing to the P04 though.

Manual removal sounds like the best option if you want the tank to look aesthetically pleasing. If you don't want to do a water change, you can just siphon the GHA out of your tank into the filter sock in your sump, and then change the filter sock.

 

[fishyjoes]

My nitrates have crashed to less than 10 lately.

Maybe... but my nitrates are pretty low. Almost zero actually.

What were nitrates before the algae showed up? I would think the reading is low now because the algae is gobbling it all up.

 

[noobreefer2]

What were nitrates before the algae showed up? I would think the reading is low now because the algae is gobbling it all up.

This ˆˆˆˆˆˆ

 

[mossanimal]

What were nitrates before the algae showed up? I would think the reading is low now because the algae is gobbling it all up.

The highest reading I've gotten with nitrates after cycling has been 10 (I keep a spreadsheet). For a long time I was completely bottomed out on nutrients and I started using ReefRoids too heavy and my phosphates have been high ever since. Now I only use ReefRoids a few times a month. The GFO and less ReefRoids has brought it down to 0.25 (as measured by both Salifert and the API kit agrees).

I agree that algae is gobbling nitrates... but I think it's the chaeto. That stuff is absolutely thriving in my fuge.

 

[mossanimal]

Manual removal sounds like the best option if you want the tank to look aesthetically pleasing. If you don't want to do a water change, you can just siphon the GHA out of your tank into the filter sock in your sump, and then change the filter sock.

Siphoning has worked with other algaes in the past but not this one. I could pick up an entire chunk of liverock by pulling on those tufts.

 

[noobreefer2]

Look at the technique around 2:49; that's what I would try to do when fighting this stuff, if you pinch it, you can get it off the base.

 

[Lavey29]

You can expect a variety of ugly phases throughout the course of the first year due to tank instability.

 

[mossanimal]

Yes that is what I figured out. Not briopsis but maybe turf algae which I read is harder to eliminate than like GHA.

Mine was in a predator tank with super high nitrates and phosphates. I originally dosed homemade No-Pox and Lanthanum but now dose exclusively our phytoplankton blend so I can avoid “chemicals”

Yeah I just looked at it under a scope and it's definitely not bryopsis. To myself I'm always calling it 'turf algae' but not sure where I got that.

 

[reef_4_ever]

It looks like derbesia. Ive been fighting the same thing. Reef Flux helps knock it down but its very hard to get rid of completely. Its very frustrating.

 

[dadnjesse]

Are you just putting GFO in a bag or a Reactor. It is much more efficent running through a Reactor. Just be careful only use a little and test often as it can drop fast using a Reactor.

 

[mucky1957]

I mentioned this in another post a week or so ago.
I had a fair amount of green hair algae and a lot of dragons breath algae in my tank and when I mentioned this to a friend he suggested I try a particular mix of phyto that he was producing / selling. I did. Two weeks later all the algae was gone..3 months on..it hasn't returned. I still dose about 50ml of the phyto every two days in a 240lt softy tank. Also..my phosphate is now stable at around 0.03 - 0.1.