Hair Algae to start spreading in my tank?

[Avengerx77]

I introduced my first coral plug last Saturday to start testing my tank and lights, a couple of zoas polips. Seems the plug has some green algae around it, but doesn't look very hairy (pics coming tomorrow). Anyway, I just started to notice some very small green patches on some of my rocks, so I am fearing it is spreading. I guess it is almost impossible to avoid this algae all together, but wanted to start to put some controls early on, while it is still manageable.

What do you think is best to control/eliminate? Yesterday, my parameters were sitting at Phosphates 0,05ppm and Nitrates around 5,00ppm. CuC is mainly Nerites and Astreas which they mainly seek for diatoms. Will Turbos take care of it? I can also take the frag out and dip in Coral RX, but could be late for that? Thanks for advice.

 

[Spare time]

What size is the tank?

 

[vetteguy53081]

-Is this tank at or near a window?
-Also, are you using tap water from the faucet or RODI WATER ?
-Reduce or turn off white lighting for 7 days
- pull as much as you can and add following snails:
Turbo grazer
Astrea
Trochus
Cerith
Nassarius

Also pin cushion urchin
Emerald crabs

 

[Avengerx77]

Thanks, Tank is a 60gal one. It is in my home office but sunlight is not hitting the tank directly. I am using RODI water. Lights are Radion XR15 Blue and running for 12hrs, the cold white goes only at 39% and high peak runs for 8 hours. In terms of CuC, unfortunately no LFS where I live have many of them, they are expecting an import around mid December, so hopefully they will bring Turbos and Nassarius, which are the ones I am mainly missing, want to avoid any type of crabs.

I will be doing a water change this Friday, so will take advantage to pull the small patches I can see and dip the coral plug as it seems the main culprit. Tanks is now around 3 months old.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Start with your RODI tds, if your making your own water.

 

[Spare time]

Thanks, Tank is a 60gal one. It is in my home office but sunlight is not hitting the tank directly. I am using RODI water. Lights are Radion XR15 Blue and running for 12hrs, the cold white goes only at 39% and high peak runs for 8 hours. In terms of CuC, unfortunately no LFS where I live have many of them, they are expecting an import around mid December, so hopefully they will bring Turbos and Nassarius, which are the ones I am mainly missing, want to avoid any type of crabs.

I will be doing a water change this Friday, so will take advantage to pull the small patches I can see and dip the coral plug as it seems the main culprit. Tanks is now around 3 months old.

You could throw in a pair of emerald crabs, some turbo snails, and possibly some small algivorous fish. You could also scrub the little bit off with a brush.

 

[R0L0]

pin cushion urchin

+1 to this. Pin cushion urchins or really most urchins will lawn mow most algae (especially GHA).

 

[tharbin]

If you think there is algae on the frag plug, use a toothbrush dipped in Hydrogen-Peroxide to clean the plug but be careful to keep the H2O2 from getting on the actual frag. CUC will certainly help but go after the source as well.

 

[Freakmachine01]

Vibrant

 

[Avengerx77]

So, maybe is not GHA after all?

 

[Avengerx77]

Any ID on that algae?

 

[tharbin]

The lettuce looking one looks to be Ulva. Many herbivore fish will eat it. It is a macro algae and beneficial unless allowed to grow out of control. The other one I just can't tell. Maybe someone else will chime in.

 

[jt8791]

Around the frag plug it almost looks like chrysophites, no idea how to spell it, by the fuzziness. Not sure on the green on the plug, definitely sea lettuce in the other picture and looks like either diatoms or Dino’s around it.