Hair Algae, a Symptom Rather Than the Problem?

[revhtree Verified Admin]

A recent post by @Hans-Werner in Randy’s Tank and Learn thread inspired this thread.

Usually we see threads about how hair algae or cyano is killing coral but maybe they are a result of the coral already dying?

Could hair algae or cyano be showing up because something else in the tank is dying or breaking down, rather than being the cause of the problem in the first place?

Curious what others think and whether you’ve seen this happen in your own tanks.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I am in the midst of a severe hair algae issue. It's depressing and gives me a new found empathy for those struggling with it.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

I am in the midst of a severe hair algae issue. It's depressing and gives me a new found empathy for those struggling with it.

I can tell you that even when it looks like a lost cause, it doesn't have to be!

What type of hair algae eating critters do you have in the tank?

 

[EnterName]

Algae, cyanos and dinos often grow only in specific spots in a tank. For example, I never get algae on rocks or substrate, even though my snails prefer the glass, while a 3D-printed stand for a Homophyllia grows Ulva(ria) all the time. The frag plug that is sitting on it, however, stays clean.
My powerheads grow Ulva(ria) too, and if I clean them with bleach or HCl, they get covered in diatoms until the sea lettuce comes back. I can only assume the harsh flow doesn't allow the right biofilm to establish, so I would have to get them covered in coralline before they stay free of other algae.

@Dan_P pointed me to this "periphyton theory", and so far it's the only explanation I've found for why algae skips certain spots that get exactly the same light and flow. The organisms living mostly unnoticed on our rocks, like coralline algae, diatoms, and biofilms, must have evolved ways to keep themselves free of algae. Otherwise they would eventually starve or get shielded from light and flow.

It also more or less explains the ugly phase and why sometimes "resetting" the periphyton with something like the UV sweeper or by bleaching rocks can help. The only thing I have not figured out yet is how to get the "good periphyton" to grow everywhere

Obviously, this is all just theory, but it can be backed to some extend by the scientific literature.

 

[Subsea]

I can tell you that even when it looks like a lost cause, it doesn't have to be!

What type of hair algae eating critters do you have in the tank?

“What type of hair algae eating critters do you have in the tank?“

Not sure how much the large amphipods eat but they live amongst its matrix.

 

[exnisstech]

Algae, cyanos and dinos often grow only in specific spots in a tank. For example, I never get algae on rocks or substrate, even though my snails prefer the glass, while a 3D-printed stand for a Homophyllia grows Ulva(ria) all the time. The frag plug that is sitting on it, however, stays clean.
My powerheads grow Ulva(ria) too, and if I clean them with bleach or HCl, they get covered in diatoms until the sea lettuce comes back. I can only assume the harsh flow doesn't allow the right biofilm to establish, so I would have to get them covered in coralline before they stay free of other algae.

@Dan_P pointed me to this "periphyton theory", and so far it's the only explanation I've found for why algae skips certain spots that get exactly the same light and flow. The organisms living mostly unnoticed on our rocks, like coralline algae, diatoms, and biofilms, must have evolved ways to keep themselves free of algae. Otherwise they would eventually starve or get shielded from light and flow.

It also more or less explains the ugly phase and why sometimes "resetting" the periphyton with something like the UV sweeper or by bleaching rocks can help. The only thing I have not figured out yet is how to get the "good periphyton" to grow everywhere

Obviously, this is all just theory, but it can be backed to some extend by the scientific literature.

This is similar to my experience. I have certain rock that algae grows on while rock next to it remains mostly algae free.
For example about 2 weeks ago I removed this rock, brushed all the algae I could see off and sprayed it with peroxide. The algae came right back.

This rock sits next to and against that rock.

It isn't the first time I've had individual rock grow nuisance algae while other rock in the same tank remains algae free.

 

[AgentKooper]

I am in the midst of a severe hair algae issue. It's depressing and gives me a new found empathy for those struggling with it.

I had a massive months-long GHA outbreak this summer that I finally beat back with Vibrant. It was a last resort that I finally decided to try because the algae was clogging my weirs and return pump and getting close to overflowing the tank if I didn't clean them daily. I was afraid I'd wake up to a flood every morning. Vibrant completely cleaned the tank in about 4 weeks without any noticeable effect on any fish, corals, or CUC. The tank has been clear for a couple months now. I've been dealing with a bit of cyano here and there since then, but I've been using the Sunny X coral snow method and that's fading away too.

 

[W31Olds]

A recent post by @Hans-Werner in Randy’s Tank and Learn thread inspired this thread.

Usually we see threads about how hair algae or cyano is killing coral but maybe they are a result of the coral already dying?

Could hair algae or cyano be showing up because something else in the tank is dying or breaking down, rather than being the cause of the problem in the first place?

Curious what others think and whether you’ve seen this happen in your own tanks.

Good theory, however in my case it doesn't hold up. I have had GHA consistently for over a year and have tried many things to get rid of it. It has diminished some, but I also have been seeing Bryopsis, which is as everyone knows, very difficult to remove. The dying Coral causing problems is logical, however I have a FOWLR Tank and no event comes to mind since I have had this setup that would cause a GHA outbreak.
For Randy, I'm thinking of a trying new method of removing a Rock with GHA, manual removal, treating it with Peroxide, rinsing in SW and the spraying on Microbacter-7 to colonize the Rock.

 

[Evil1]

A recent post by @Hans-Werner in Randy’s Tank and Learn thread inspired this thread.

Usually we see threads about how hair algae or cyano is killing coral but maybe they are a result of the coral already dying?

Could hair algae or cyano be showing up because something else in the tank is dying or breaking down, rather than being the cause of the problem in the first place?

Curious what others think and whether you’ve seen this happen in your own tanks.

I definitely believe there is a correlation between unhealthy coral or dying coral and hair algae and cayno. I have experienced small isolated breakouts of both around and near a dying frags. This of course does not explain bad breakouts throughout an entire system that’s a whole different story.

 

[kevgib67]

A sea hare will take care of your symptom while you figure out your problem. My Son’s 55g was infested and 10 days after adding a sea hare it was gha free.

 

[Reefer Matt]

My experience shows it’s mostly about localized nutrients, not just what’s dissolved in the water. Not many creatures eat the long stuff, and it must be removed by hand in most cases. Then a large CUC should be put in to mow it down, then address the cause. Usually need more flow to prevent detritus from settling as well. I keep higher nutrients at 15 ppm no3, and .1 ppm po4 with clean rocks and sand. My secret is many mouths eating the algae before it’s a problem. My coral seem to thrive in the higher nutrients, even acros.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

A sea hare will take care of your symptom while you figure out your problem. My Son’s 55g was infested and 10 days after adding a sea hare it was gha free.

I've had the same experience @Randy Holmes-Farley!