Green hair algae or bryopsis

[Balz3352]

I've been battling an algae problem for a while and want to see if I truly am battling gha

 

[SynDen]

looks like gha to me, but hard to tell from blurry pics. Briops pretty distinctive though and usually has somewhat of a blueish tint to the ends of it, and kind of of an arrowhead shape to the leaves, where as gha has a long thin strands like hair.

 

[J.guokas]

Looks like gha to me too. I have an urchin you can come pick up that will help with that.

 

[Balz3352]

I have an urchin doesn't seem to be helping much but might be one of those cases if I took him out it would be even crazier

 

[J.guokas]

Yeah the one I have took care of all the algae I had.

 

[DyM]

Import less (feed a bit less, more flow, less light)
Export more (No3 and Po4)
CUC (I found the chart at the bottom of this page to be a perfect summary of which does what) http://joejaworski.wordpress.com/2013/10/03/whats-the-best-snail-for-a-reef-tank/

Good luck.

 

[Balz3352]

Tank has been without fish (therefore no feeding) for 2 weeks.
I increased photo period on my fuge.
I have a cuc but maybe not sufficient. (checking out the link next.)
Back to using gfo

I'll decrease my photo period

 

[Balz3352]

Looks like I need a Margarita snail and some astreas... Anyone know where I can get some preferably locally


Awesome article btw

 

[jahmic]

FWIW, I would try getting your GHA to a point where it stops growing before adding CUC. Get the nutrients under control and start removing as much as you can from the tank every few days. Eventually...the GHA will still be present in short "tufts", but will stop growing back into long threads.

Snails are unlikely to touch the long strands of GHA so you're better off adding them once things are under control and they can clean up the leftovers. Removing it is pretty easy with the right tools...I use something like this and just twirl the GHA around it to pull it out. It's quick and easy

 

[Balz3352]

Jahmic did you get those online? If so can you send me a link... Now that I think about it probably a good idea to wait. Thanks,

 

[jahmic]

Let me see if I can a link online...it was just one of those random things that I had laying around from a project several years ago. They some of the online fish shops sell them as filter cleaners...let me see what I can find for you since I need to replace mine anyway

edit: Here you go, found some on Amazon...there are several similar options there. Just a heads up, a lot of the reviews on the link below say they are pretty flexible so you may want to dig around for some more sturdy brushes

http://www.amazon.com/Aquarium-Water-Cleaning-White-Bristle/dp/B007HKHKJU

 

[Balz3352]

Let me see if I can a link online...it was just one of those random things that I had laying around from a project several years ago. They some of the online fish shops sell them as filter cleaners...let me see what I can find for you since I need to replace mine anyway

edit: Here you go, found some on Amazon...there are several similar options there. Just a heads up, a lot of the reviews on the link below say they are pretty flexible so you may want to dig around for some more sturdy brushes

http://www.amazon.com/Aquarium-Water-Cleaning-White-Bristle/dp/B007HKHKJU

Thanks!