What's gonna eat this algae?

[Der_Iron_Chef]

Is it really coarse? Looks like it could be bryopsis...which is difficult to eradicate. There's a thread on Reef Central about raising Mg levels to get rid of it.

[ponokareefer]

I tried a number of different critters before a short spine urchin took care of it for me.

[Aquattro]

I have a bit of that, I found some snails that just chow it down. Kinda like turbos but with spikes around the base of their shell.

[Myka]

That is hair algae (bryopsis). It is NOT hard to get rid of provided you do everything right. The only time that I have ever seen hair algae be a real nuisance to eradicate was from "dirty" live rocks that leached phosphates.

Hair algae is caused mainly by excess nutrients;phosphates and nitrates primarily or any combination of low calcium, alkalinity and/or magnesium. It can also be caused by old bulbs as well as several other less likely problems.

In regard to excess nutrients, you may or may not actually have any nitrate or phosphate readings. This is because the algae is eating it as fast as your tank is producing it, so there isn't any left in the water to show up on your test kits. It's all being held by the algaes! Macro algae in the sump should help quite a bit for this. As well as cutting down on feeding (including liquids like phyto etc). Make sure there aren't any dead spots in your tank for detritus to settle and break down.

Your calcium should be at least 400 ppm. I aim for 400-425 ppm. Alkalinity should be 8-10 dKH to help prevent hair algae, although many people operate their tank both above and below these numbers. Magnesium should be 1350-1400 ppm. All these numbers are very important for your corals in their ability to grow their skeletons, so you should have your numbers in these ranges anyway as I see hard corals in your photos.

MH bulbs should be replaced every 12 months, T5 bulbs every 8 months, and PC and NO bulbs every 6 months. This is because the spectrum changes; slowly fading from the bluer end to the redder end (yellow) which promotes algae growth.

So, here's some questions you need to answer to help you with your hair algae. Please don't leave any out:

How old is your tank?
How often/what size waterchanges?
What kind of course water? (RO, RO/DI, tap, etc)
What temperature is your tank?
What kind of filtration? What medias do you use?
What kind of lighting?
How long do your lights run each day?
How old are the bulbs?
How many of what kind of fish?
What do you feed? How much? How often? (Include liquid foods)
What are your water parameters? (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, calcium, alkalinity, magnesium)

Let's start there.

Originally Posted by reef_raf

I have a bit of that, I found some snails that just chow it down. Kinda like turbos but with spikes around the base of their shell.

Those are Astraea snails. They shouldn't eat bryopsis. You likely have green turf algae.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by Myka

Those are Astraea snails. They shouldn't eat bryopsis. You likely have green turf algae.

No, it's not bryopsis, but the snails are not astrea either. Never seen them before.

[Myka]

Originally Posted by reef_raf

No, it's not bryopsis, but the snails are not astrea either. Never seen them before.

Do they look like this?

[imisky]

most of my algae disappeared on me when i started to dose a source of carbon into my tank (vodka,sugar,vinegar) except for one type which i dont know what it is...its red and looks like hair algae.

i would do a combination of manual removal/using animals/ dosing carbon to let the bacteria take up the NO3 and PO4

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by Myka

Do they look like this?

Yes, those are thems, but they are not what I've ever received when ordering astrea snails, and doing a quick google, not what comes up for pics..

http://www.reefcorner.com/SpecimenSh...trea_snail.htm


If you have a positive ID on these, or know where to get them, please let me know.

[jvision]

Originally Posted by Myka

So, here's some questions you need to answer to help you with your hair algae. Please don't leave any out:

How old is your tank?
How often/what size waterchanges?
What kind of course water? (RO, RO/DI, tap, etc)
What temperature is your tank?
What kind of filtration? What medias do you use?
What kind of lighting?
How long do your lights run each day?
How old are the bulbs?
How many of what kind of fish?
What do you feed? How much? How often? (Include liquid foods)
What are your water parameters? (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, calcium, alkalinity, magnesium)

Let's start there.

The tank itself is fairly new - running for a month or so. However, everything in it is from a tank that was over 1yr. I do about 1/3 WC every 3 weeks or so. Thinking about upping the frequency and lowering the amount - maybe 1/4 every 2 weeks? And, I use tap water.
The tank is kept right around 80F, and is filtered via sump. THe sump has a DSB and LRR. Thinking of lighting it for frags, and am adding an AC2000/500 for macro.
Lighting is 2x 96W PC - 1actinic + 1 10K, on for 12hrs/day. The bulbs are just over 3 months old. I am probably switching to T5/MH in the near future.
Only fish in the tank are a pair of tomato clowns and a lawnmowre blenny. Probably going to pick up a pair of signal gobies, or something simlar/small to sift sand a bit more. I feed about 10-15 pellets most days, and about 2x/wk I feed about 1/2"sq of Mysis.
I've been doing planted tanks for years, and have not used a test kit in years (the tank usually tells what it needs ). But, being a SW noob, guess I may have to break down and get some!
I add Purple up about once a week.

Guess it may be time to raise the flame shield.

[Reefer Rob]

Looks like plain old hair algae to me. Bryopsis looks like tiny little ferns, very pretty... but evil. Running phosphate absorber, and an urchin would be a good start. Ditch the DSB IMO, it's just a place to store crud. At the very least buy bottled RO/DI water, or better get ahold of Aquasafe and get your own setup.