Hair Algae Question - First Saltwater Tank

[TysFish]

Hey everyone!
This is my first ever aquarium, and it’s a saltwater setup specifically for a Peacock Mantis Shrimp. I just finished cycling the tank, and everything is finally ready for him — super excited!

I do have one question, though. I’ve noticed a good amount of hair algae growing on the PVC and some on the rocks. At first, I actually liked the look — it adds some natural “greenery” to the tank and that’s what I wanted, so I let it grow.

But now that I’m about to add the mantis (very soon), I’m starting to wonder if that was a mistake.

I’ve heard hair algae can spread quickly and become a pain, and the last thing I want is for it to take over and block visibility or smother the inside of the tank— especially since I won’t be able to reach in and scrub once the mantis is in.

Should I be worried about this or just let it be? If so, how. Do I go about removing it?
Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[TysFish]

Hey everyone!
This is my first ever aquarium, and it’s a saltwater setup specifically for a Peacock Mantis Shrimp. I just finished cycling the tank, and everything is finally ready for him — super excited!

I do have one question, though. I’ve noticed a good amount of hair algae growing on the PVC and some on the rocks. At first, I actually liked the look — it adds some natural “greenery” to the tank and that’s what I wanted, so I let it grow.

But now that I’m about to add the mantis (very soon), I’m starting to wonder if that was a mistake.

I’ve heard hair algae can spread quickly and become a pain, and the last thing I want is for it to take over and block visibility or smother the inside of the tank— especially since I won’t be able to reach in and scrub once the mantis is in.

Should I be worried about this or just let it be? If so, how. Do I go about removing it?
Thanks in advance for the help!

I really would love to keep it on the PVC because it looks so cool but I am worried that it’ll grow ALL over.

 

[Biokabe]

I'm not sure that I would do a mantis for my first aquarium... but ultimately, your choice!

But regardless - what is your filtration set-up for the tank?

You can't really pick and choose where hair algae is going to be - either you go au natural and just let it grow wherever it grows, or you get rid of all of it. If you leave a patch and your tank is conducive to hair algae, you will get hair algae on every surface.

So you need to decide right now whether you want to just let nature take its course or get rid of the algae. For myself, I'd get rid of the algae, but it's ultimately a personal choice.

Here's a thread from another mantis owner and how they dealt with algae. Tl;dr, anything you want in the tank with the mantis, you need to have in there before he's in there. Almost all CUC will become dinner, so you combat algae through lighting control and nutrient export (which is why I ask what your filtration is). You do have an opportunity, before the mantis is in, to manually remove the algae. Though personally I would try to get rid of the algae without manually ripping it out, just to simulate battling it with the mantis in the tank.

If you like the look of greenery with your mantis, you can consider planting some saltwater plants as competitors for the hair algae.

 

[TysFish]

I'm not sure that I would do a mantis for my first aquarium... but ultimately, your choice!

But regardless - what is your filtration set-up for the tank?

You can't really pick and choose where hair algae is going to be - either you go au natural and just let it grow wherever it grows, or you get rid of all of it. If you leave a patch and your tank is conducive to hair algae, you will get hair algae on every surface.

So you need to decide right now whether you want to just let nature take its course or get rid of the algae. For myself, I'd get rid of the algae, but it's ultimately a personal choice.

Here's a thread from another mantis owner and how they dealt with algae. Tl;dr, anything you want in the tank with the mantis, you need to have in there before he's in there. Almost all CUC will become dinner, so you combat algae through lighting control and nutrient export (which is why I ask what your filtration is). You do have an opportunity, before the mantis is in, to manually remove the algae. Though personally I would try to get rid of the algae without manually ripping it out, just to simulate battling it with the mantis in the tank.

If you like the look of greenery with your mantis, you can consider planting some saltwater plants as competitors for the hair algae.

I have a Seachem tidal 55 HOB Filter

 

[Uncle99]

I have a Seachem tidal 55 HOB Filter

Create conditions that algae don’t like.

Rock solid and non changing salinity and temp.
Trace nitrate (say 5-10ppm) and phosphate (.1-.15ppm) both staying steady. Use water changes if they keep rising. Dose them up if they are constantly falling.

When you keep these things in check and stable, over several months your biological friends, algae and bacteria will populate and help keep hard surfaces clean and sand white.

The mantis is an extra challenge as he’s a messy (and big) eater and will add to nutrients fast, so, you’ll have to use water changes to keep them in check.

 

[TysFish]

I have a Seachem tidal 55 HOB Filter

Create conditions that algae don’t like.

Rock solid and non changing salinity and temp.
Trace nitrate (say 5-10ppm) and phosphate (.1-.15ppm) both staying steady. Use water changes if they keep rising. Dose them up if they are constantly falling.

When you keep these things in check and stable, over several months your biological friends, algae and bacteria will populate and help keep hard surfaces clean and sand white.

The mantis is an extra challenge as he’s a messy (and big) eater and will add to nutrients fast, so, you’ll have to use water changes to keep them in check.

Currently my nitrate is about 2.5ppm is that really bad? What can I do to bring it back up to a safe level?

 

[Fish Fan]

This kind of algae is quite common in new tanks that often go through an early "ugly stage".

Its growth is fueled by elevated nitrate and phosphate, so you can check those levels, and try lowering them if need be.

You can turn the lights off for a few days to knock the algae back a bit. You can in general run with lower lighting for just a Mantis tank.

You can also add a Clean Up Crew here, you just have to be OK with the Mantis picking off the CUC critters whenever he feels like it. A lot of times they leave CUC critters alone for a while, especially when the mantis is kept well fed otherwise.

Good luck!

 

[Uncle99]

Currently my nitrate is about 2.5ppm is that really bad? What can I do to bring it back up to a safe level?

That’s perfect. Anywhere between 2-10ppm is fine.
What we don’t want is for it to be increasing, week to week or becoming zero.

If it increases week to week, you’ll need to either increase water change frequency and/or % or add additional filtration methods, there are many, but get expensive.

Water changes easy Way to manage.

Due the same with phosphate….say .1-.15ppm is perfect, but, again, it’s the stability rather than the number.

If phosphate is too high, you can lower that with GFO in a media reactor, the phosphate binds to the GFO, and is removed that way. And again, never go zero.

 

[Fish Fan]

Currently my nitrate is about 2.5ppm is that really bad? What can I do to bring it back up to a safe level?

Do you know what your phosphate level is?

 

[TysFish]

Currently my nitrate is about 2.5ppm is that really bad? What can I do to bring it back up to a safe level?

That’s perfect. Anywhere between 2-10ppm is fine.
What we don’t want is for it to be increasing, week to week or becoming zero.

Okay so I think that’s what I’ll do, I get my mantis shrimp tomorrow so I’ll keep an eye on it, I really don’t even mind the hair algae and it only grows below the light I have so it’s not growing on the front for some reason. I’ll take the pvc and rock out, scrub it off, and ride it out and see how it goes keeping my levels stable and constant. Thank you you’ve been really helpful :)

 

[TysFish]

Currently my nitrate is about 2.5ppm is that really bad? What can I do to bring it back up to a safe level?

Do you know what your phosphate level is?

I might have made a grave mistake lol…. I haven’t tested my phosphate levels yet. I got the API testing kit and didn’t know about that until just now, I’m going to get a phosphate kit now and am going to test it asap.

 

[Uncle99]

I might have made a grave mistake lol…. I haven’t tested my phosphate levels yet. I got the API testing kit and didn’t know about that until just now, I’m going to get a phosphate kit now and am going to test it asap.

Relax, no grave mistake.
It’s not toxic.
Mantis don’t care much about that.

Nitrate and phosphate feeds the good guy algae and bacteria (most you can’t see) and yes, we want to feed that group, but not overpolute the tank.

Go ahead, put your mantis in. He will then add ammonia to your water which turns to nitrite, then nitrate.

Phosphate is mostly added through feedings.

As these build week to week, keep an eye on them and just don’t let them rise week over week.

 

[Bartanto]

Just throwing something out there…you may be okay w/ algae now but you may be in a honeymoon phase and soon hate it (as a maturing reefer). Your occupant will make it had to do much in-tank manual labor. Clean it while you can?

 

[Fish Fan]

I might have made a grave mistake lol…. I haven’t tested my phosphate levels yet. I got the API testing kit and didn’t know about that until just now, I’m going to get a phosphate kit now and am going to test it asap.

Agreed with Uncle, phosphate relates to your hair algae growth, but nothing you have to be overly concerned about

 

[TysFish]

Just throwing something out there…you may be okay w/ algae now but you may be in a honeymoon phase and soon hate it (as a maturing reefer). Your occupant will make it had to do much in-tank manual labor. Clean it while you can?

Yeah, I plan on scrubbing it off of the PVC and rock and limiting the time I have my light on, I feel like that could have played a massive part in the growth

 

[Fish Fan]

Yeah, I plan on scrubbing it off of the PVC and rock and limiting the time I have my light on, I feel like that could have played a massive part in the growth

I think that's a good plan, and I again don't think it's a bad idea to get some CUC critters here. They make good natural prey for the Mantis and will help with the algae for the time they're around lol!

 

[mpatterson42]

The good news since this is for a mantis shrimp the light isn't necessary. If it gets bad you can just turn the light off for 1 to 2 weeks and it'll all die.

 

[TysFish]

The good news since this is for a mantis shrimp the light isn't necessary. If it gets bad you can just turn the light off for 1 to 2 weeks and it'll all die.

yeah that is true, it kind of all comes together and should work out in the end, thanks for the tip!!

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I might have made a grave mistake lol…. I haven’t tested my phosphate levels yet. I got the API testing kit and didn’t know about that until just now, I’m going to get a phosphate kit now and am going to test it asap.

Don't get the API test for phosphate... API is not recommended on this forum, and the API phosphate test is completely useless. Salifert is a better choice.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I might have made a grave mistake lol…. I haven’t tested my phosphate levels yet. I got the API testing kit and didn’t know about that until just now, I’m going to get a phosphate kit now and am going to test it asap.

I also would like to throw in that API test are generally inaccurate. Grab yourself some Red Sea, Hanna's, or Salifert test kits to test your water! You'll get more accurate results and will be better able to pinpoint issues in your tank! I'm also going to recommend this thread below as it is full of good information and can help answer some of your questions as well!

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-supreme-guide-to-setting-up-a-saltwater-reef-aquarium.138750/