What kind of algae is this?

[TheTrav13]

Hey guys I have massive amounts of this algae growing on my rock recently. I was trying to get an identification on it and figure out a way to combat it.

 

[TheTrav13]

More pics...

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

Green hair algae?

 

[mr_X]

Yep. Bryopsis. Your water is very high in nutrients. Cut way back on feeding and increase water changes.

 

[TheTrav13]

Thanks guys. I buy my saltwater premixed at the store with the reef crystals. Should I just buy regular saltwater? Also I have a 14 gallon biocube with two clowns and a 6 lined wrasse
And a blood shrimp. I normally feed them a formula one cube every other day. How often should I feed them and how much? Also would the amount of light I run a day have anything to do with it?

 

[mr_X]

How often are you doing water changes? Cutting back the photo period may help some, but I'm thinking a nutrient build up. The amount of feeding may be ok, but the amount of nutrient export may not be enough.

 

[TheTrav13]

I'm runnin 36 watt LEDs for 7 hours. I do water changes 15%, once a month. I just talked to the guy at the lfs and he said to feed them a half a cube every other day. Like I said I have two clowns, a six lined, and a blood shrimp. Is that gonna be enough food for them?

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

I'm runnin 36 watt LEDs for 7 hours. I do water changes 15%, once a month. I just talked to the guy at the lfs and he said to feed them a half a cube every other day. Like I said I have two clowns, a six lined, and a blood shrimp. Is that gonna be enough food for them?

Should be plenty... I have 2 clowns, a 6 line, anthias, algae blenny, tiger goby, and clown goby and do half a cube every other day, sometimes every 3 days...

 

[Crystal A]

IMO you should be doing water changes at least every week to two weeks. I do it every week and I have next to no algae and great coraline growth. Pwc really are the only way to export the nutrients that feed the algae. Feeding less or lessening light cycles will help but it definatly won't cure the problem of excess nutrients. Pwc is a saltwater keepers best friend.

 

[mr_X]

I would go every week for a while. As for the food, I feed a tank I maintain 2 times a week. Been doing so for the last 2 years, and the fish are fat and seemingly happy.

 

[TheTrav13]

Got it. Thanks guys.

 

[TheTrav13]

Should I buy a fox face or an urchin to eat this crap? I have my water levels back to normal and it's stopped drastically but the remnants are still everywhere. I heard urchins eat it but I also heard they eat coralline...and keep in mind I have a 14gallon nano.

 

[Liberty]

Should I buy a fox face or an urchin to eat this crap? I have my water levels back to normal and it's stopped drastically but the remnants are still everywhere. I heard urchins eat it but I also heard they eat coralline...and keep in mind I have a 14gallon nano.

No don't get a foxface, they get big. Mines 7inches and still growing. 4 years old in a 310gl

 

[Liberty]

Forgot to say cuc blue legged hermits

 

[Beau_123]

Just wondering what would take the algea off because I have some would snails do it or what would I need

 

[Hesselrode]

Buy a few turbo snails and they will devour it in a few days!!! My lfs had some algae problems and told them to get a big order of turbo snails and I would buy 15 of them. The loved them so much that they keep an abundance of them now. Just be careful as they can knock over rocks that aren't 100% stable.

 

[Beau_123]

How big do they get

 

[Hesselrode]

Up to half dollar size is my biggest.

 

[Ingy]

My big turbo is bigger than a golf ball. About a racket ball size.
But they grow slow and if he got too big you could probably trade your LFS for a smaller one.

 

[Hesselrode]

Wow mine is just a tad bigger than golf ball size.