I’m so confused

[epetrillo]

My fairly new tank is being overrun. At first it was just a dusting of brown that I thought was diatoms but it got worse. It started getting long and hair like so I thought hair algae but it is brown. I’ve also seen pictures of dyno that look like my problem. I need help figuring out what I’ve got so I can research treatment. It is much more brown than the pic looks although there are greenish areas.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

My fairly new tank is being overrun. At first it was just a dusting of brown that I thought was diatoms but it got worse. It started getting long and hair like so I thought hair algae but it is brown. I’ve also seen pictures of dyno that look like my problem. I need help figuring out what I’ve got so I can research treatment. It is much more brown than the pic looks although there are greenish areas.

reach in and start pulling that out - suck out those bits with airline tubing as you get it to release - you've got a LOT so once you start treatment, its going to die off and release nitrates and phosphates helping it grow even more... That is THICK growth and thinking you don't have corals else they'd be smothered and you'd have written about coral deaths

Perhaps cut back on lighting during treatment and if near window then block window with cardboard (not just curtain)

It seems feathery edges but photo not close enough so +1 vote bryopsis and Reef Flux will treat it. Google bryopsis and if it matches what you see, then *IF* matches proceed with Reef Flux. I found someone recommending dose 2x and that is what I did - but I nearly lost my yellow tang. All other fish, inverts & corals were fine and yellow tang was moved to hastily setup QT where yellow tang "vacationed" for 3 weeks before moving home.

You've likely already stared at this link but post #4 here is what I *think* you might have but photo isn't clear enough - don't get hung up on green vs brown - lighting, water parameters, specific species can change that green/brown mix:

A Simple Guide To Common Problematic Algae And The Means To Control It..

As we all know algae is inevitable in both Marine and fresh water aquariums and if not watched and without proper procedures for removal can quickly turn a beautiful aquarium in to something that resembles a scene out of a old Swamp thing episode. Some are easy to control some are a non stop...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[epetrillo]

Thanks for the link. I looked at post #4 and it doesn’t look like what I’ve got. Mine looks more like fine hair. I have started pulling it out but most of it is shorter than the pic and is hard to get a hold of.
my water parameters are 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 8ppm nitrates, 0 phosphate, ph 8.3

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Thanks for the link. I looked at post #4 and it doesn’t look like what I’ve got. Mine looks more like fine hair. I have started pulling it out but most of it is shorter than the pic and is hard to get a hold of.
my water parameters are 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 8ppm nitrates, 0 phosphate, ph 8.3

Sadly then if not fluffy ends, then think you've got hair algae.

If you can take rocks out to scrub then rinse and return that will help those areas. Its a pain to pull out with fingers, but its really best way inside tank. Scrubbing IN tank with toothbrush seems easier initially (and soul satisfying once that hair algae is killing your corals), but that toothbrush is going to settle hair algae somewhere... so without UV or strong skimming its just moving problem and not solving. Cutting back on lighting might help, refugium growing macroalgae to outcompete might help, but if you go Vibrant path then know your macroalgae likely will die AND you don't want to 'save' some potentially infected with hair algae macroalgae because when you try to restart refugium you are re-seeding hair algae ... Google and there are zillion posts on hair algae removal - go with what helps you

Hair algae is terrible - fighting it myself. Just got a UV light installed this week because felt I was losing this round (Spring I won using Vibrant, but I must have been only 98-99% gone because it came back with a vengeance while I was out of town most of summer.)

Your nitrate and phosphate numbers are okay (though... are you sure you are at true zero phosphate - that can cause problems; maybe you don't have an ultra low phosphate reader/tester - I use Hanna but there are others ... if you get Hanna - its actually phosphorus tester, so once you get result, multiply by 3 and divide by 1000 ... or just use Hanna conversion chart - which is on their website but not included with tester... ). My nitrate and phosphate numbers were sky high but gotten them down using variety of things most successfully with biopellet reactor (I'm an over feeder... )

 

[epetrillo]

I don’t have room in my sump for a refugium or UV. I am going to try Vibrant if that doesn’t work not sure what I’m going to do. As far as my phosphate level, I am using Hanna test so not sure what to make of that.
I am doing weekly 20% water changes and using RODI for top off and mixing salt. The only coral I have at this point is a small green star frag so if the vibrant doesn’t work I may try turning off the lights for a few days.