red hair algae

[RevDaniel]

To make this short and sweet, I've got a 100 gallon that houses a snowflake moray, a 29 gallon with two clown fish and an assortment of polyps and coral, and a 55 gallon sump. All three share the same water as they are all tied into the same system. All my parameters are at zero, but i'm having a problem with red hair algae in my 29 gallon coral/clown tank. I don't want to damage my polyps by physically removing the algae, does anyone know a better way? Ie cleanup crew etc.?

 

[Lowsdime]

I don't know of any cuc member that eats the stuff. I have been battling the same problem for a while now I found that better orientated flow helps a lot, and also when doing water changes take a turkey baster and use it to clean your rocks really good. I'm assuming that there is a flow issue in your 29 because it's hasn't spread to your other tanks. So it may be from uneaten food hanging around your rocks or sand bed. I would maybe get some nassarius snails and some emerald crabs to pick off any left over food. But first you should try to get that stuff outta there. Maybe blow everything off w the baster but shut the flow off to you sump and larger tank while doing so as to not spread the bad stuff during a pwc. Hope somethin helps

 

[bigben2057]

In my 29 gallon I was told the same thing what I did was add more snails and the problem was solved. I have 3 turbos, 4 margaritas, 4 nasurus (spelling...).

 

[RevDaniel]

I really don't think it's from leftover food, as my clowns and shrimp eat everything. I only feed a little at a time. Any thoughts on it being my lighting? I doubled up on lights, so I'm running two t8's, 10,000k and actinic, and the same in a t5 setup. It grows really fast, we pick it off as much as possible but it just keeps coming back. I was thinking about a sea hare or nudibranch of some sort but am unsure of which species.

 

[Lowsdime]

It may be from fish poo on the rocks and sand not getting filtered out. Try stiring your sand w your hands once in a while it may help any of that get filtered up. And also clean your filters in your canister or sump regularly. Make sure if you change filter media to use some of the old media to seed the new stuff

 

[Lowsdime]

I run a six light t6 system and have had a few cyano break outs but I don't believe it's cause from lighting, it's caused from nitrate and phosphate. And if you're testing your water for both of those things you may be getting a reading of 0ppm but it maybe a false reading because the cyano is actually eating the phosphate so I don't think you will get a true reading. You may want to test te water you're using to do your pwcs before you add and make sure it's phos free. Do you have any pictures??