Algae ID

[G_Lows]

Been struggling with this algae for a little over a month. Any idea what it is and how to get rid of it? It doesn’t scrape off easy at all. Tank is 9 month old, it was finally starting to look great with coralline then this took over. Nitrates and phosphate are pretty much bottomed out although it is likely a false read. Photos under whites only. Thanks.

 

[GHOSTLY]

Gha hair algae. Usually having too much light would be a problem but manual removal and an urchin would clean that right up. What's your cuc looking like

 

[EnterName]

Algae identification beyond "it's green hair algae" is near impossible from normal pictures, so you won't get much more info than that.

However, I don't think your nutrient readings are false, the green hair algae has simply grown so much it is eating away all nutrients as fast as they get introduced into your tank.

I would try the following things:
- Manual removal with a toothbrush and small net
- Regularly cleaning filter socks
- Wetter skimming
- Reduction of red and green tones in lighting (or overall light reduction)
- Better targeted feeding/feeding less if possible
- Improve flow so detritus actually ends up in the overflow and doesn't just get stuck in the algae
- Add algae grazers/Clean up crew
- If rocks can be taken out wash them in waste water of a water change, otherwise blast them in the tank with a turkey baster and make sure there is a lot of water flow to get all that detritus into the overflow.
- Frequent Water during which detritus is stirred up and/or siphoned out to get rid of as much as possible.
- ICP-MS (not OES!) test for an overall overview

A bit more "experimental" for your case:
- DIY "Coral snow" (https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-kz-coral-snow-with-97-purity.211722/)
- Carbon dosing

If you are persistent you might be able to beat the algae issue. If not, you can still think about chemical options such as Fluconazole. I don't really like recommending medicine/algaecides/etc., especially not for a young tank such as yours, but if there is absolutely no other way, it will get the job done for a while during which you will need to get the nutrients in check.

I hope I didn't forget too much, but that's hopefully already something you can try. I'm sure others will have additional ideas.

 

[G_Lows]

Algae identification beyond "it's green hair algae" is near impossible from normal pictures, so you won't get much more info than that.

However, I don't think your nutrient readings are false, the green hair algae has simply grown so much it is eating away all nutrients as fast as they get introduced into your tank.

I would try the following things:
- Manual removal with a toothbrush and small net
- Regularly cleaning filter socks
- Wetter skimming
- Reduction of red and green tones in lighting (or overall light reduction)
- Better targeted feeding/feeding less if possible
- Improve flow so detritus actually ends up in the overflow and doesn't just get stuck in the algae
- Add algae grazers/Clean up crew
- If rocks can be taken out wash them in waste water of a water change, otherwise blast them in the tank with a turkey baster and make sure there is a lot of water flow to get all that detritus into the overflow.
- Frequent Water during which detritus is stirred up and/or siphoned out to get rid of as much as possible.
- ICP-MS (not OES!) test for an overall overview

A bit more "experimental" for your case:
- DIY "Coral snow" (https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-kz-coral-snow-with-97-purity.211722/)
- Carbon dosing

If you are persistent you might be able to beat the algae issue. If not, you can still think about chemical options such as Fluconazole. I don't really like recommending medicine/algaecides/etc., especially not for a young tank such as yours, but if there is absolutely no other way, it will get the job done for a while during which you will need to get the nutrients in check.

I hope I didn't forget too much, but that's hopefully already something you can try. I'm sure others will have additional ideas.

Thank you. Manual removal is difficult, it’s even hard to scrape it off the glass. I thought gha was more stringy and what I have seems more like a turf except for a few longer strands. I added a tuxedo urchin last week (tank is 33 gal) but it hasn’t touched it. I have fluconazole on standby as a last resort but I’m a bit weary as I’ve never used it before.

 

[EnterName]

Algae identification beyond "it's green hair algae" is near impossible from normal pictures, so you won't get much more info than that.

However, I don't think your nutrient readings are false, the green hair algae has simply grown so much it is eating away all nutrients as fast as they get introduced into your tank.

I would try the following things:
- Manual removal with a toothbrush and small net
- Regularly cleaning filter socks
- Wetter skimming
- Reduction of red and green tones in lighting (or overall light reduction)
- Better targeted feeding/feeding less if possible
- Improve flow so detritus actually ends up in the overflow and doesn't just get stuck in the algae
- Add algae grazers/Clean up crew
- If rocks can be taken out wash them in waste water of a water change, otherwise blast them in the tank with a turkey baster and make sure there is a lot of water flow to get all that detritus into the overflow.
- Frequent Water during which detritus is stirred up and/or siphoned out to get rid of as much as possible.
- ICP-MS (not OES!) test for an overall overview

A bit more "experimental" for your case:
- DIY "Coral snow" (https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-kz-coral-snow-with-97-purity.211722/)
- Carbon dosing

If you are persistent you might be able to beat the algae issue. If not, you can still think about chemical options such as Fluconazole. I don't really like recommending medicine/algaecides/etc., especially not for a young tank such as yours, but if there is absolutely no other way, it will get the job done for a while during which you will need to get the nutrients in check.

I hope I didn't forget too much, but that's hopefully already something you can try. I'm sure others will have additional ideas.

Thank you. Manual removal is difficult, it’s even hard to scrape it off the glass. I thought gha was more stringy and what I have seems more like a turf except for a few longer strands. I added a tuxedo urchin last week (tank is 33 gal) but it hasn’t touched it. I have fluconazole on standby as a last resort but I’m a bit weary as I’ve never used it before.

Green turf algae is actually a thing in reef tanks so that might be what you got there.

Possible Examples: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/green-turf-algae-problem.928331/

Is this turf algae?

Turned whites all the way up for better visibility. Just now realized myself how bad it got because I never have the whites this high smh. Luckily it is primarily only on this specific rock, but there are patches on the back wall of my tank (I have an AIO so the back isn’t glass.) and other...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[v!kas]

gha or turf, clean manually as muchas you can get it out, add fluconazole and some phosphate absorbing media