Hair algae gone wild

well, that doesn't sound too bad. When I first read it, it sounded like you may have had several that died. Maybe the one is just sitting and munching and munching

 

i just moved him around and he came out looking for something to attach to. he seems like he is ok. i bought these guys really big figuring they could really eat alot for their size. i hope this one survives. i do not have anything else dying. i put my black tuxedo urchin in yesterday and he is hiding. i assume he will be out tonight hopefully eating hair algae. his black colors make him look evil. my son calls him lord vader.

 

For each snail and such that die in your tank, it contributes to your nitrates & the green hair is feeding off of it. I would be iffy about adding more livestock. I know everyone is looking for something to quickly eat the algae but what it eats just turns back into waste that feeds algae. Doing water changes & use that old water to pull the algae off into so any loose hair stays in dirty water. The algae eats waste & your testing will show up low cause algae consumes it. Too bad corals don't grow as fast as gha. Lol

 

Turn your temp Up. My target temp is 80.

 

Normally yes but my fuge is packed with live rock so it esilly repopulated the tank and I experienced no change in water quality. Don't wory I would never do something reckless, I love all of my inhabitants.

 

Chum,

I'm going through a similar battle right now with BOTH GHA and Bryopsis... Although it isn't cured yet, I think I am making some headway with two approaches that may help you out.

I cut my lighting back to 6 hours per day and I have started doing large (30%) water changes every week. I have a decent CUC, but the key is to get your water quality under control. The CUC can eat all it wants, but the algae will continue to grow unless you find the source of the nutrients.

The other thing that I found really helps is running a GFO reactor. They are pretty cheap and it helps keep phosphates down.

I know its a PITA, but keep with it, eventually you will win the battle!

 

What size tank is this?

 

hello, i have been running a nextreef with phosban and kent marine reef carbon for the last month or so. phosphates before were at .25 and now are at zero. thanks for the help.

 

this is a 66 gallon corner. the display has 40 gallons,the overflow has 8 gallons and the sump holds around 12 gallons.

 

One other thing- just make sure it is truly GHA and not bryopsis. They can look very similar. I didn't realize I had both until I took a really close look at a few different areas.