Reef Discussion

[Dynamic]

Hi there,

Recently some algae has appeared on my live rock. It is like a string of slime and looks brown. When you go near it, there are small red hairs coming off it. It looks yuk and I want it gone. What is this algae and how to I get rid of it?

Thanks

 

[MTG]

hey peter, you tank is still going through its cycling stages. give it time and it will correct itself. are you using RO water for fresh water topups this can help prevent unwanted algae.

 

[Dynamic]

Yeah I am using RO for top ups. But I would still like to know what the algae is.

 

[MTG]

post up a picture

 

[Dynamic]

I can't. I don't own a camera that can take macro shots that good.

 

[MTG]

ill find some photos of some examples and you can tell me what it looks like most

 

[MagicJ]

Any picture would be better then none ;) Even your phone might be OK.

 

[Jonny Glover]

Get some pics up man... It's hard to tell what it looks like by a worded description

 

[MagicJ]

Sounds a bit like cyno - a pic would certainly help ;)

 

[Coastie]

Anything like this?

 

[Dynamic]

Give me a moment, I will take a photo.

 

[Dynamic]

This is the Algae. It is like hair or something...

 

[MTG]

Hair Algae it seems. do you have any snails? a bicolour blenny wouldnt be to big for your size tank and it would eat it

 

[Dynamic]

I have a bicolour blenny. He is not interested in it at all. I also have 2 hermit crabs.

 

[MTG]

maybe look at getting a stromb and a trochas snail

 

[Dynamic]

Is this really bad for the tank? Or is it just that it looks bad?

 

[Snik66]

i heard nothing much will eat hair algue removing it by hand as much as u can is the best option whats your posphate sitting at atm?

dont quote me on that i might be wrong

 

[Dynamic]

No idea dude. I have never checked for phosphate.

 

[MagicJ]

Is this really bad for the tank? Or is it just that it looks bad?

In the short term it is not 'bad' for the tank, only a bit unsightly :(. If it got really bad then it can start to smother your corals and they may die. You will find that as your tank cycles the algae will utilise all the available food in the water and start to decline.

You are not alone - most new setups will go through a stage like this.

 

[jashay]

I had the same algae when I first set my tank up, thought it was going to be a big problem, in the end it settled itself down and eventually left, there is still a little remnants of it on some base rock I used to build up the reef. after it went through the brown algae cycle as soon as it cleared up parameters went right into check. I then had this weird purple/black algae that looked like a fugus spur coming from up out of the sand. this cleared aswell and now algae isnt an issue in my tank as my levels of nitrate and nitrites are 0 and 0.1mg/l (if that).

should clear up champ!