green plant like algea

[HkySk8r187]

It's hard to see in this pic but it has one point which it is attached to the glass on my tank, then it brances off like a plant. Anyone know what it is? Thanks.

[Caesar777]

Bryopsis--may want to clear it out. Grows like mad, will cover the live rock and choke out everything.

[HkySk8r187]

What is the best way to clear it out? Is there anything that eats it? I understand that getting something to eat it doesn't eliminate the cause of the growth so I'd like to go to the root if possible. My tank just finished cycling too, so maybe this is normal at this stage? Thanks.

[Reef_Mad_Man]

High nutrient levels. Too long of a lighting cycle. High nitrates and nitirites. All wil contibute to its growth.

If you just finshed cycling then expect quite a few more algae blooms! LOL!

Like cyano. brown diatom, hair.. blah blah blah.

Now is also the time you will begin to see any un wanted hitch hikers comming out of the rock so pay close atention to that as well.

[HkySk8r187]

What is the best way to get rid of it though? Will scraping it off the glass be enough or does it need to be syphoned out of the tank?

[Reef_Mad_Man]

scraping it off the glass works best either syphon it out or keep it a float long enough in the current to let your filter catch it and rinse your filter.

[bluebastion]

I've had the same stuff grow on my glass when my tank first cycled... dropped in a few snails (Margarita, Cerith, and another type... don't recall what kind it was) and they went to work on that algae... Haven't had a problem with that stuff since. Hermits may have helped too.

[Six]

start dosing calcium supplements regularly. that will allow the coralline to grow and consume the nutrients and choke out the hair algae. most nusience algae do not grow on coralline.

 

Also like others have said, high nutrients will allow this stuff to take over. make sure you're doing regular water changes with RO water (tap has phosphate, usually, and is a great fetilizer = algae growth).

 

Also, green algae like this use the red wavelengths of light. Red wavelengths are common in older bulbs. If your bulbs are older than 12 months, its probably time to change them. Try a 10-20K light instead. I'd recommend 14-20K if you arent supplementing your lighting with actinics. (gives you more blue wavelenghs = better red algae growth ((coralline= red algae)) ).

 

Snails and hermits will help some, but remember that hermits get their shells from somewhere- snails. i stock snails only since all my hermits end up killing 1/2 my snails. saves me a little $$$ too.