red hair algae

[bill120mph]

I have been developing a case of red hair algae in my 180 and 55, the only thing I am doing differently is using tropic marin pro reef salt. at this point I am doing a 50/50 mix of TM and IO.it may have been present before starting the switch, but is growing rapidly now.I added a sea hare to the 55 and he seems to be eating some of it.. as well as a little cyno I had in there My phosphate is .25 and I am working on it.I use rodi water. nitrates are below 10 but not perfect in the 55 and 0 in the 180.
Any ideas on what i can do to combat this?

 

[Behrmon]

What kind of snails/crabs do you have?

 

[bill120mph]

turbo snails and emerald crabs

 

[addictedreefer]

IMO it is the phosphate levels that are causing your problems. They should be kept below .02 at the highest. Are you running phosban? If not, run some, or some other phosphate remover and do some water changes to get those levels down.

 

[biggyclops]

hows the mg level? i have also noticed that when my mg drops low that i get cyno

 

[bill120mph]

IMO it is the phosphate levels that are causing your problems. They should be kept below .02 at the highest. Are you running phosban? If not, run some, or some other phosphate remover and do some water changes to get those levels down.

I have been runnig phoseguard for the last 2 days. and will continue till I reach 0 or close to it.

 

[bill120mph]

hows the mg level? i have also noticed that when my mg drops low that i get cyno

I have not tested the 55 which has it(waiting for new kit) the 180 as of last week was fine and no cyno so you may be right

 

[afboundguy]

I have been runing phoseguard for the last 2 days. and will continue till I reach 0 or close to it.

If you have visible algae in your tank you have phosphates in the tank even if your reading is zero. The algae uses up the phosphates in the tank fast enough and gives you a false reading...

Also is there anyway you can snap a pic? When I first saw red I thought cyano because I've never heard of red HA...

 

[bill120mph]

If you have visible algae in your tank you have phosphates in the tank even if your reading is zero. The algae uses up the phosphates in the tank fast enough and gives you a false reading...

Also is there anyway you can snap a pic? When I first saw red I thought cyano because I've never heard of red HA...

I will snap a picture tonight when I get home and post it. Braintree water is LOADED with phosphate I switched to RODI last year and dont think I have ever truley been 100% phosphate free in my tanks.

 

[theone]

I have found that just doing water changes are useless unless you blow off the detrus from rock work and out of the dead spots in your tank before you siphon. If left there it just rots and releases algae loving nitrates and phosphates into the tanks. you have to get your tank dirty in order to get it clean.

and at the first sign of algae get it out of there.

 

[Greg Hiller]

There are several forms of 'red' algae. A photo will help a lot. Some are very easy to deal with.

 

[RiverReefer]

i have this same form of red algae....a few little tiny patches...definitely not cyano for me...its like maidens hair for me...but red...not long and flowing but like a well manicured lawn or a moss but red and strandy...looks almolst stiff...feels completely different from the regular maidens hair is alot tougher when i grab it and pull it off...

this might help...http://www.melevsreef.com/id/algae.html

there is a red algae on there

 

[bill120mph]

hers the pic, sorry I didnt get it on last night....

 

[bill120mph]

I have found that just doing water changes are useless unless you blow off the detrus from rock work and out of the dead spots in your tank before you siphon. If left there it just rots and releases algae loving nitrates and phosphates into the tanks. you have to get your tank dirty in order to get it clean.

and at the first sign of algae get it out of there.

I do have a few spots that could use a little blowing off, I think I will do that tonight.

 

[bill120mph]

i have this same form of red algae....a few little tiny patches...definitely not cyano for me...its like maidens hair for me...but red...not long and flowing but like a well manicured lawn or a moss but red and strandy...looks almolst stiff...feels completely different from the regular maidens hair is alot tougher when i grab it and pull it off...

this might help...http://www.melevsreef.com/id/algae.html

there is a red algae on there

sounds like the stuff I have. I didnt see a picture that matched on the link tho. THanks!

 

[bill120mph]

Bump, this stuff is driving me crazy.. and I have some free time today.. someone gimme an excuse to go to the LFS lol

 

[stingythingy45]

Looks like cotton candy algae.
Go get some Turbo snails and they'll eat it.
Also try the zebra trocus snails.

 

[RiverReefer]

mine doesn'tl ook like yours...its like a pinkish color and it resembles the stuff on the melevs link under "red hair algae"