Help! Green Hair algea bloom

[albert_dao]

Originally Posted by StirCrazy

Does it eat normal hair algae though?

Steve

Not sure, but cerith snails go nuts on it and he has some. I'd wager it's probably bryopsis that he's dealing with.

[danny zubot]

Hey everyone, I was to busy at work yesterday to keep up with the posts, glad to see everyone respond though.

Last night I put my big Tourbon snails back in the tank to see if they will help my campagn.
Beverly asked:

Do you have any kind of macroalgae in the tank to help soak up the nutrients?

I do have a shaving bruch calurpa in the tank but I have been messing with it to try and propigate the brushes. It has caused it to grow very slowly so I don't think it has had much effect.

Albert wrote:

I have a seahare I could "rent" out if you want Danny.

I might take you up on your offer, I was also considering an urchin if you have any there. I will be by on Friday after work, are you working?

Gbeef! That is one nasty looking pic of your tank. I'm not there yet and I hope I don't ever get to see my tank looking like that. How long ago was that pic taken?

Thanks everyone for your help, I have a few ideas to help me out now.

[OCDP]

I'm also having some problems with Hair Algae... I just scrubbed the rocks on Saturday and it is now Wednesday... and I already have a "fuzzy coating" of hair algae back on the rocks. I do use conditioned tap water (using prime) but I don't think this is the cause? I scrub the rocks OUT of the tank too, in a bucket of fresh SW. I do weekly water changes (tank is only 20g) .... I have had the tank setup since August. Although, I do not have a cleanupcrew yet... maybe I should start off there first ... what do you guys recommend? I have some cyano and hair algae ... hair algae being my biggest concern right now though. It appears to be more of a fuzzy layer growing on the rocks as opposed to actual hair ... but it is still quite short so I am sure it will get there once it grows.... I just am not sure what size cleanup crew to get, and what type of inverts to get... suggestions? Tank is only 20g!

[danny zubot]

Hi, OCDP.
I use Prime as well, and have been for a while, I don't think its the cause either. Based on what everyone here has told me I have come to this conclusion:

In nature algae blooms occure often after storms which stir the waters, thus coating the rocks above with nutrient rich ditritus. After the storm when the sun comes out algea diatoms germinate and begine to thrive on the detritus. I suppose time is the only cure for this naturally occuring incedence. With the help from my reef crew I might be able to achieve a natural balance once agian.

Does this sound about right?

[AJ_77]

Originally Posted by OCDP

... I have had the tank setup since August. Although, I do not have a cleanupcrew yet... maybe I should start off there first ... what do you guys recommend?

Yikes - that mostly explains it... You need a monster cleanup force, dude. Check what some of the online retailers recommend for your size of tank (20g) and you'll see that you've been about 24 animals short for a few months now... (Look down at Package #2).

As soon as levels permit is the time to get your crabs and snails in there, so they can stay ahead of the growth curve for nuisance algae in its various stages. A good mix of critters is important, as has been mentioned here.

[danny zubot]

Based on those numbers I think I'm a bit shy too! I only have about 40 critters and they say I should have closer to 90.

[albert_dao]

Personally, I have never been a big fan of the "MONSTER" cleanup crew. All the tanks I have ever run have gone with minimal cleanup crew. I think a lot of my success with controlling algae can be attributed to diversity of cleanup crew as opposed to numbers.

For example, in my 75 gallon system (50 gallon sump/refuge), I have the following to control algae:

6 trochus
9 cerith
3 money cowries
1 scarlet red hermit
5 astrea
2 orange turbo's

This is all assuming all these animals are alive since their initial point of purchase (almost three years ago) and that isn't very likely. No new snails or hermits have been added since the initial introduction of the cleanup crew.

My seahare gets dropped in whenever I notice any bryopsis, which is almost never lately.

Aside from that, I also have a naturally occuring population of both blastamusa and a small brown and beige striped snail. These animals fill up the gaps that my reduce numbers have left.

I've always found large numbers of introduced reef janitors to be fairly unstable with many dying off due to starvation. I'd much rather start with a minimal amount and add according to observation and wait for naturally reproducing snails to start populating. Additionally, buying species that consume specific problem algae's is also important. 300 astrea's isn't going to do any better then 5 if you have red turf algae taking over your rocks and neither will perform as well as true Mexican turbo's which are about the only option one would have against this problem algae (a little besides the point, I know, but only for illustration purposes).

Anyway, I'll be there on Friday from 2-6 Dan. Do you think you could take a picture of your hair algae? There's a couple different kinds and I'm sorta curious as to what the hare will and will not eat in case you decide to grab him.

[OCDP]

Albert, if you dont mind me asking... for a 20g tank, what size cleanup crew would you recommend? and consisting of which critters? Like I said, hair algae seems to be the biggest problem right now, but I still have cyano in the tank. Need to get a PH or something soon.

Any True Percs in?

[AJ_77]

Originally Posted by albert_dao

Personally, I have never been a big fan of the "MONSTER" cleanup crew.

Me neither, hence the green smiley... but now he is behind the curve, so to speak, and has fewer options open to him. Not everyone has "Rent-a-Hare" as you do.

But but I like your post Albert, and it explains an approach that is similar to my own. I think I have half as many animals as they recommend, but had adequate numbers and variety from the beginning also.

[danny zubot]

I haven't got access to a camera right now but if you have any in your tanks at Gold's I'll be able to identify it. Are you open tonight?