Algae ID Please

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makeme1098

makeme1098

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Jul 10, 2006
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Kirkland
Please help ID this algae.
I need to figure out how to tackle this problem.

IMG_1385.jpg
 
Is it possible to get a photo that's more focused, on the algae? Your photo seems to be more focused on the Acan polyp, making it a bit difficult to clearly see the algae. It looks to possibly be Hair Algae, but a more focused picture might show details, which could lead to an ID of Bryopsis. Do the ends appear "feathery?" If so, it's more likely Bryopsis, which unfortunately, is a lil' more difficult to treat, but is treatable.
 
Looks like hair algae to me too. From the pic it doesnt look feathery. Bryopsis is a little darker too, isnt it? I had a few thick patches like that a year ago or so. It was hair algae. Took a little while and staying on top of manually removing it, but it all went away.
 
Yep I am going with hair algae as well. Just a general assumption based off the blurry look of it.
 
Looks like hair algae to me too. If it was bryopsis like I've had in the past it would look a bit different. I've found that playing a little with the salinity will get rid of the hair algae. Of course you will have to find the root cause to keep it gone and put your salinity back to norm.

If it is bryopsis, I've had good luck getting rid of it by raising Mg levels.
 
returnofsid said:
Is it possible to get a photo that's more focused, on the algae? Your photo seems to be more focused on the Acan polyp, making it a bit difficult to clearly see the algae. It looks to possibly be Hair Algae, but a more focused picture might show details, which could lead to an ID of Bryopsis. Do the ends appear "feathery?" If so, it's more likely Bryopsis, which unfortunately, is a lil' more difficult to treat, but is treatable.
Click to expand...

Thank you for commenting.
The end do not look feathery. I will take a better picture tomorrow and please take a look.
 
spllbnd2 said:
Looks like hair algae to me too. If it was bryopsis like I've had in the past it would look a bit different. I've found that playing a little with the salinity will get rid of the hair algae. Of course you will have to find the root cause to keep it gone and put your salinity back to norm.

If it is bryopsis, I've had good luck getting rid of it by raising Mg levels.
Click to expand...

At first i thought these were Bryposis and tried Kent Mag but no damage to the algae. If it's HA, I got a bottle of Algaefix Marine that I was going to give it a shot.
 
I will agree with the photo provided that it looks like hair algae as well. If so, you have a nutrient problem in your tank that you will need to address (excess nitrates, phosphates etc that the algae feeds on). You can help by manually removing as much of it as you can to export these bound up nutrients it is using for it's growth out of the tank and just conitnue to allow the process to continue (ie you letting it grow a bit then manually removing it). It's a great opportunity for you to allow the algae to work for you in removing nitrates and phosphates from your system (basically what a refugium using an algae for nutrient export does). Medications are usually only temporary fixes and finding the root of your problem is always the best choice. Whichever route you take good luck!! Hair algae beat me up real bad one time ago so I know how it can be. :)
 
Dont bother with the algaefix...it imo is a waist of time. And you dont want to add chemicals if you dont need to. Like Krish said, let a little bit it stay for a while to help eat up the nutrients which is feeding the problem. Pull the larger denser clumps by hand and use a turkey baster or a powerhead to blow the detritus out of it. detritus and food particles get caught in it and settle at the bottom of the mass and also feed it. Then you end up with red slime too. Keep it cleaned out and pull the majority of it by hand. It will go away. I spent a couple months, in a 75 gal tank that was probably 1/3rd covered in hair algae, pulling it and blowing it out. It just all of a sudden was gone and hasnt come back. Feed a little less, do a few extra small water changes. Make sure your using ro/di water and your ro/di filters are good. It will go away.
 
NateC has been a Algae eating nudibraches (sea hare) producing off spring. He has been traveling to West side. If you want to try one of those.
 
When I do weekly WC, I pull HA manually but they reappear shorly after.
I was thinking about trying Sea Hare. How can I get a hold of NateC?
 
+1 on the Sea Hare, fantastic Hair Algae eating machines. You will be amazed at how much algae they can consume and how fast they grow from something the size of your thumb to a large Kosher Dill in no time. But once they have completed thier mission they will slowly waste away, so pass it along when the tank is all cleaned up. For general maitenance of HA the little Green Lettuce Nudibranchs will last much longer and are prettier if that matters lol.

Cheers, Todd
 
But once they have completed thier mission they will slowly waste away
Click to expand...

Todd is dead on about nuds, not only will they waste away, but release a toxin to the tank when they die.
so best to get them out before this happens.
 
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