Green Hair Algae

[AUSXMD]

Hi,

Apologies if this is in the wrong forum. I have a 230 gallon aquarium that's been running about 8 months now. Everything has been great, parameters fine, until a sudden and fast growing green hair algae issue the past few weeks. I've tried manually removing it and scrubbing with a toothbrush to no avail. I have a new test kit arriving tomorrow so I can't share stats now, but all inhabitants seem very healthy. I do have a large regugium that has chaeto in it about the size of a shoebox. I feed once a day and free feed nori. Can too much of a fuge be a bad thing? I'm wondering if it's the cause of the green hair algae, bht maybe that's a dumb assessment. This is new territory for me. I do a 15% waterchage once a week with ro/di water and Fritz salt. I have about 15 big turbo snails in there and a lawnmower blenny coming tomorrow. I have AI lighting with whites turned way low and they're on about 7 hours a day plus ramp up/down. Ive ordered NoPox, but I hate adding chemicals to the tank. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Scott

 

[56longroof]

What are your current parameters including phosphate?

 

[Jmcg89]

I feel like this is around the time i developed a hair algae problem in my 180, I went with an algae scrubber and started doing large water changes and was able to get it under control but it took some time.

 

[AUSXMD]

I feel like this is around the time i developed a hair algae problem in my 180, I went with an algae scrubber and started doing large water changes and was able to get it under control but it took some time.

Thank you! It's better than it was and I attribute that to the snails. Maybe instead of dosing NoPox, I should wait. Appreciate the response!

 

[Jmcg89]

You end up ready low or no nutrients because the algae is taking it all up but in my case I beleive it was still a nutrient issue even though tests showed none so that's how I treated it.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I would up your CUC if you haven't already!

 

[AUSXMD]

I would up your CUC if you haven't already!

I just added some more snails and we'll see what the lawnmower blenny does, but it's 230 gallons so room for more CUC!

 

[PocketGoose]

I just picked up an urchin about two weeks ago to cull out a few patches of hair algae specifically and he has absolutely demolished 95% of it. First time ever owning one in roughly 15 years of the hobby and I don't know that I'll ever get anything else. He was listed as a "rose-pink" urchin which I'm 95% positive these are the same thing. https://www.orafarm.com/product/variegated-urchin/

 

[AUSXMD]

I just picked up an urchin about two weeks ago to cull out a few patches of hair algae specifically and he has absolutely demolished 95% of it. First time ever owning one in roughly 15 years of the hobby and I don't know that I'll ever get anything else. He was listed as a "rose-pink" urchin which I'm 95% positive these are the same thing. https://www.orafarm.com/product/variegated-urchin/

I got an urchin too that was supposed to be good for eating it. I rarely see it. He's in the rock caves. Someone said GHA is the sign of a healthy tank. That it's all over the reefs in the ocean. We just don't see it because there are plenty of things that eat it. I think it's unsightly and would like it gone. :)

 

[AUSXMD]

What are your current parameters including phosphate?

So I ordered a new test kit that arrives tomorrow. It's been pretty consistent at temp 78, spec gravity 1.024, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 10, Ammonia 0, ph 7.8 and phos I'll know tomorrow but it did read high in the past.

 

[AUSXMD]

What are your current parameters including phosphate?

So I ordered a new test kit that arrives tomorrow. It's been pretty consistent at temp 78, spec gravity 1.024, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 10, Ammonia 0, ph 7.8 and phos I'll know tomorrow but it did read high in the past.

 

[JonoH]

I had the same problem in my 220 Gal just recently - i resisted all chemicals and now have none in the tank at all.
What i found was my Phosphates were slightly elevated which 'may have been' feeding it.
What i did
- Reduced light period down (running 8 hours a day, with a 1hr ramp up and ramp down each day)
- Removed with a toothbrush every week
- Weekly water changes
- Added in more live rock (20kg) (added in bio diversity) to the sump
- Stopped trimming my Chaeto as much in my fuge (also running fuge 24hrs a day)
- Reduced feeding down (figured my Tangs may start eating it also)

My tank was a similar age also to yours (albiet it was transferred from an existing tank, so actual age is 4+ years). I feel its just a cycle that tanks go through, and i'm sure it will be back for me at some point!

 

[anthonymckay]

Rich Ross's MACNA presentation should be required viewing for anyone dealing with algae issues


I dealt with this problem earlier this year in my 230. Manual removal every day for 10-20 minutes and an appropriate CUC of herbivores (snails, hermit crabs, sea hare, and tangs) was my silver bullet. I didn't mess with my nutrients, I didn't use chemicals. I just added the right management crew. Took a few months, but eventually it got under control.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi,

Apologies if this is in the wrong forum. I have a 230 gallon aquarium that's been running about 8 months now. Everything has been great, parameters fine, until a sudden and fast growing green hair algae issue the past few weeks. I've tried manually removing it and scrubbing with a toothbrush to no avail. I have a new test kit arriving tomorrow so I can't share stats now, but all inhabitants seem very healthy. I do have a large regugium that has chaeto in it about the size of a shoebox. I feed once a day and free feed nori. Can too much of a fuge be a bad thing? I'm wondering if it's the cause of the green hair algae, bht maybe that's a dumb assessment. This is new territory for me. I do a 15% waterchage once a week with ro/di water and Fritz salt. I have about 15 big turbo snails in there and a lawnmower blenny coming tomorrow. I have AI lighting with whites turned way low and they're on about 7 hours a day plus ramp up/down. Ive ordered NoPox, but I hate adding chemicals to the tank. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Scott

To begin with best assessment, please post pic of tank and algae under white light intensity as there are several algaes confused with Green hair

 

[AUSXMD]

I had the same problem in my 220 Gal just recently - i resisted all chemicals and now have none in the tank at all.
What i found was my Phosphates were slightly elevated which 'may have been' feeding it.
What i did
- Reduced light period down (running 8 hours a day, with a 1hr ramp up and ramp down each day)
- Removed with a toothbrush every week
- Weekly water changes
- Added in more live rock (20kg) (added in bio diversity) to the sump
- Stopped trimming my Chaeto as much in my fuge (also running fuge 24hrs a day)
- Reduced feeding down (figured my Tangs may start eating it also)

My tank was a similar age also to yours (albiet it was transferred from an existing tank, so actual age is 4+ years). I feel its just a cycle that tanks go through, and i'm sure it will be back for me at some point!

Thank you! Yes, it may just be a wait it out and see. I'll know more tomorrow when my test kit arrives.

 

[FUNGI]

I just picked up an urchin about two weeks ago to cull out a few patches of hair algae specifically and he has absolutely demolished 95% of it. First time ever owning one in roughly 15 years of the hobby and I don't know that I'll ever get anything else. He was listed as a "rose-pink" urchin which I'm 95% positive these are the same thing. https://www.orafarm.com/product/variegated-urchin/

Hopefully, you have something for him to continue eating.....otherwise find him a new home.....

 

[PocketGoose]

Hopefully, you have something for him to continue eating.....otherwise find him a new home.....

Don’t worry I’ve done my research, thanks! I don’t recklessly put things in my tank I don’t intend to fully care for.

 

[AUSXMD]

Rich Ross's MACNA presentation should be required viewing for anyone dealing with algae issues


I dealt with this problem earlier this year in my 230. Manual removal every day for 10-20 minutes and an appropriate CUC of herbivores (snails, hermit crabs, sea hare, and tangs) was my silver bullet. I didn't mess with my nutrients, I didn't use chemicals. I just added the right management crew. Took a few months, but eventually it got under control.

Thank you!

 

[Ironwill723]

If your phosphates do end up being elevated, GFO is an easy way to lower them into range. Just don't added too much at once as it is very effective at lowering.

 

[AUSXMD]

Can GFO just be put in a mesh bag like carbon?