Best parameters for Hair algae

[mmorrison55]

Is it excessive nitrates (N03) and phosphates (P04) that contribute to hair algae growth? Or I should probably phrase this another way… if you see hair algae starting to grow, what should you be checking for in order to stop it before it gets out of control?

Im just seeing a few spots that looks like it’s the start of hair algae, but I didn’t think my parameters have been too out of whack.

Phosphate at its highest the past few weeks had been .18, it’s currently at .07 as of this morning’s test. Nitrate 5.2. And nitrites .010

Anything else I should be looking at? I have added a few tuxedo urchins about two weeks ago, but so far they don’t really seek the spots out. I had heard that pin chushion urchins may be better, so I may add 1 or two of them as wel.

 

[rtparty]

Hair algae is from a lack of predation, not parameters.

 

[mmorrison55]

Hair algae is from a lack of predation, not parameters.

Predation of what? Livestock that eats it?

I am in short supply of fish (only 3 and no tangs) at the moment omens since I had ich 2 months ago.

I have two fire fish, 1 fairy wrasse, blood shrimp, 2 tuxedo urchins, and a handful of snails and hermits.

In a 150 gallon display

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I would say its caused by increased dissolved organics and lack of algae grazers

 

[fish_collector]

rtparty is correct you have a herbivore problem not an algae problem. I've found manual removal was necessary as well as fish that would clean rocks, convict tangs come to mind. Nothing will eat GHA though, you must do manual removal. If you get it pulled out a few tangs will keep the area clean for you. I have some larger zebra turbos that I thought would mow it down but they actually don't touch it. If you let it get out of control, manual removal is the only way to remove it. With very low nutrients and reef tank illumination it will still grow.

 

[Fish Fan]

Agreed. Your parameters are not high, I'd get a clean up crew on that algae. I like ReefCleaners if you need a suggestion on where to buy CUC critters:

Reef Cleaners| Clean up Crews and Macroalgae - Reef Cleaners

www.reefcleaners.org

This may also help:


Good luck!

 

[mmorrison55]

Thanks all. Im on my way to a LFS now to pick up a pincushion or two, and a tang or two,but the tangs will be qt’d for a few weeks at least before adding to my display.

Will add a few hermits and snails as well while im adding to my cuc.

 

[mmorrison55]

Also, I know I need to cut back on feeding. I’ve always over fed. Working from home, seems like I drop a pinch or two of dry food several times a day. I probably shouldn’t do more than once a day unil I get my population built back up.

Does anyone not feed daily?

 

[exnisstech]

I have to agree with those that say it isn't caused by what some consider elevated N and P. My tanks are all over the place as far as N and P levels. My 330g today tested NO3 37 and PO4 0.38 (has been over 0.9 and never lower than 0.3) and I have never had nuisance algae. I have 8 tangs, snails, and urchins.
The only tank I've had that I battled GHA in was too small for a tang (my favorite herbivore ) and ran N and P at or near 0 when I would dose to get them detectable.

 

[mmorrison55]

I have to agree with those that say it isn't caused by what some consider elevated N and P. My tanks are all over the place as far as N and P levels. My 330g today tested NO3 37 and PO4 0.38 (has been over 0.9 and never lower than 0.3) and I have never had nuisance algae. I have 8 tangs, snails, and urchins.
The only tank I've had that I battled GHA in was too small for a tang (my favorite herbivore ) and ran N and P at or near 0 when I would dose to get them detectable.

So do you think higher N and P are better than lower? Or are you just saying that to show even with higher parameters your nuisance algae was a non issue because of your tang gang and CUC?

 

[VintageReefer]

I have a small clean up crew, no urchins and no algae eating fish. My phosphate is .4 and has been as high as 1.0 and my nitrates are usually .10

I don’t have hair algae issues

Hair algae consumes nitrates and phosphate, but it’s not from the water. It’s related. But it’s more complex than what your test kits tell you.

If hair algae consumes phosphates, it doesn’t matter if your phosphate is .08 or .8 - either way there is phosphate in the water and algae will pull what it needs. If you strip all the phosphate then there is none for the corals and they will suffer

Hair algae doesn’t grow free flowing in water, it doesn’t really matter what the water measures. Algae needs 4 main things - an appropriate surface to grow on / root to, phosphates, light, and water flow

Hair algae grows from phosphates leaching out of rock. Phosphate in the rocks can’t grow algae. Phosphate in the water can’t grow algae. But, when phosphate in the rocks leaches out, and becomes exposed to the surface of the rock, it now instantly has all 4 things needed. It leaches out, becomes exposed to rough surface for rooting, food leaching out directly to the roots, exposure to lighting and flow, and with all of this combined, hair algae grows from the rock surface

 

[exnisstech]

So do you think higher N and P are better than lower? Or are you just saying that to show even with higher parameters your nuisance algae was a non issue because of your tang gang and CUC?

TBH I don't find that high or low levels matter much in my tanks as long as they aren't 0. I don't try to control N and P other than to make sure they aren't 0 because I've read it can lead to dinos which I've been fortunate enough to avoid. When I start a tank I like to just let it run and see where the numbers land and if the tank looks good I just plug along. My acro tanks tank runs lower nutrients but it's just how the tank runs with no intervention on my part. I don't even run a skimmer, just a reefmat and dose some AFR and I sit back and enjoy. I'm sure my 330g has high levels because I have a lot of fish and feed heavy. I'm not one to starve my fish because some number isn't where someone says it should be. I'm not opposed to running GFO or similar but I will only do it because I see something in the tank that warrants it not because of a test result. Keeping things stable and as simple as possible is how I like to roll.

EDIT TLDR
If I had ro choose high or low I would choose high because at least I know coral would be getting fed.

 

[mmorrison55]

Trying to read up on hair algae and I’ve seen low co2 referenced a lot as a trigger for hair algae. Would this only pertain to freshwater planted tanks?

Im not even sure how to measure co2 in a reef tank.i have one of those devices that measure ambient co2 levels in the house, and my co2 is on the high side due to having a dog, and being in Florida where we don’t typically have our windows open, so I can’t I again my tank co2 levels are low.

Regardless, I did buy two new pincushion urchins, and did some rock brushing and vacuuming the water column around the brushed rock through a fine micron filter sock.

I guess only time will tell…