Green Hair Algae or Bryopsis or ?

acuario · 03/20/2016, 06:03 PM

Does this look like Green Hair Algae or Bryopsis or something else? I soaked this rock a month before the tank was started. Phosphates averaging 0.03, but they go up if I scrub or blow off the algae. Just wondering what I am dealing with. Thanks!

CafeReef · 03/20/2016, 07:43 PM

potentially a mix of the two. definitely some GHA in there tho

bif24701 · 03/20/2016, 08:26 PM

That's bad stuff. What are your nutrient levels? What equipment are you running?

acuario · 03/20/2016, 10:06 PM

API Nitrate = 0 and Hannah ULR = 0
I know the phosphate level seems unbelievable. The tank is 5 months old. I am attempting to follow the full ZEOvit system (it is my first tank in over 10 years). I have performed 16 phosphate tests since mid-December, averaging 0.03. Last test was at 0.05 after trying to pull and blow a bunch of algae off the rocks.
I did soak my "dead" rock for a month before starting the tank. So my theory is I guess it wasn't enough. If I am trying to wait out the algae by leaching phosphate from the rocks with a lower phosphate tank environment, I just wanted to be sure this is indeed green hair algae. If it's bryopsis or something like that, will low phosphates alone take care of it? What else needs to be done.?
Would an algae scrubber be a good idea. Supposedly with ZEOvit you don't need a refugium, so I only have a skimmer going and a sock. The sock I change 3-4 days.
The tank is 45 gallons. I change a gallon of saltwater per day.

bif24701 · 03/21/2016, 09:06 AM

Yes an algae scrubber would be great. Your phosphate test is reading low because the algae use it up too quickly. This is common. Get a GFO reactor and high performance GFO from BRS. Also look into vinegar dosing or "carbon dosing". I used an over dose method when I started my tank with Pulkani rock and it eliminated all algae very quickly. You'll have a cloudy tank for a few weeks and you need to keep your skimmer running at peak performance everyday but when it's through your tank will be crystal clear!

acuario · 03/21/2016, 01:10 PM

Thank you! Would the overdosing carbon method equate to something like doubling or tripling the dosing of ZEOstart 3 and ZEObak? Or can you point me to more information on that? Thanks again.

jbvdhp · 03/21/2016, 03:18 PM

IF it's bryopsis, cant tell from the pics, read up on Kent Tech M. Works very well. Not sure if it works on regular GHA, but it worked like a charm in my tank with some bryopsis issue

bif24701 · 03/21/2016, 05:29 PM

Yes the Kent Tech M does help but you need a good nutrient export system.

I don't know anyone who has done both but essentially it is like that but a lot more. Also a lot cheaper.

What is your system volume?

acuario · 03/21/2016, 09:09 PM

The tank is 45 gallons, minus some rock. The sump I calculate has about 15 gallons in it.

bif24701 · 03/21/2016, 09:34 PM

Start at 10ml of vinegar for 4 days and increase 10 every 4 days until your at 60 ml. If the tank gets a little cloudy that's ok. Keep an eye on your fish and make sure they are not laboring to breath. Keep your skimmer running well by cleaning the neck with water and vinegar. Keep it at 60 until your algae clears or keep increasing to 120 if it doesn't start to reduce.

acuario · 03/22/2016, 03:35 PM

Thank you Bif, I'll give it a try.

03/20/2016, 07:43 PM	#2
CafeReef Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Elkhorn, NE Posts: 1,405	potentially a mix of the two. definitely some GHA in there tho __________________ 50 Gallon cube

03/20/2016, 08:26 PM	#3
bif24701 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Florida, FWB Posts: 3,389	That's bad stuff. What are your nutrient levels? What equipment are you running? __________________ 180 Mixed Reef SRO-5000 Skimmer Neptune APEX Gold Kessil AP700/ MP60+6105 Kalk+2 part/ Cheato Fuge Current Tank Info: 180 SPS Dominant

03/20/2016, 10:06 PM	#4
acuario Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Sioux Falls, SD Posts: 82	API Nitrate = 0 and Hannah ULR = 0 I know the phosphate level seems unbelievable. The tank is 5 months old. I am attempting to follow the full ZEOvit system (it is my first tank in over 10 years). I have performed 16 phosphate tests since mid-December, averaging 0.03. Last test was at 0.05 after trying to pull and blow a bunch of algae off the rocks. I did soak my "dead" rock for a month before starting the tank. So my theory is I guess it wasn't enough. If I am trying to wait out the algae by leaching phosphate from the rocks with a lower phosphate tank environment, I just wanted to be sure this is indeed green hair algae. If it's bryopsis or something like that, will low phosphates alone take care of it? What else needs to be done.? Would an algae scrubber be a good idea. Supposedly with ZEOvit you don't need a refugium, so I only have a skimmer going and a sock. The sock I change 3-4 days. The tank is 45 gallons. I change a gallon of saltwater per day. __________________ 45g Reef Savvy Cube Reef Dynamics INS 135 Protein Skimmer Orphek Atlantik v3 Vortech MP40wQD Current Tank Info: 45 ga. cube

03/21/2016, 09:06 AM	#5
bif24701 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Florida, FWB Posts: 3,389	Yes an algae scrubber would be great. Your phosphate test is reading low because the algae use it up too quickly. This is common. Get a GFO reactor and high performance GFO from BRS. Also look into vinegar dosing or "carbon dosing". I used an over dose method when I started my tank with Pulkani rock and it eliminated all algae very quickly. You'll have a cloudy tank for a few weeks and you need to keep your skimmer running at peak performance everyday but when it's through your tank will be crystal clear! __________________ 180 Mixed Reef SRO-5000 Skimmer Neptune APEX Gold Kessil AP700/ MP60+6105 Kalk+2 part/ Cheato Fuge Current Tank Info: 180 SPS Dominant

03/21/2016, 01:10 PM	#6
acuario Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Sioux Falls, SD Posts: 82	Thank you! Would the overdosing carbon method equate to something like doubling or tripling the dosing of ZEOstart 3 and ZEObak? Or can you point me to more information on that? Thanks again. __________________ 45g Reef Savvy Cube Reef Dynamics INS 135 Protein Skimmer Orphek Atlantik v3 Vortech MP40wQD Current Tank Info: 45 ga. cube

03/21/2016, 03:18 PM	#7
jbvdhp Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: San Diego Posts: 1,131	IF it's bryopsis, cant tell from the pics, read up on Kent Tech M. Works very well. Not sure if it works on regular GHA, but it worked like a charm in my tank with some bryopsis issue __________________ This hobby = no more money Current Tank Info: 8' 240 gallons of headache

03/21/2016, 05:29 PM	#8
bif24701 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Florida, FWB Posts: 3,389	Yes the Kent Tech M does help but you need a good nutrient export system. I don't know anyone who has done both but essentially it is like that but a lot more. Also a lot cheaper. What is your system volume? __________________ 180 Mixed Reef SRO-5000 Skimmer Neptune APEX Gold Kessil AP700/ MP60+6105 Kalk+2 part/ Cheato Fuge Current Tank Info: 180 SPS Dominant

03/21/2016, 09:09 PM	#9
acuario Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Sioux Falls, SD Posts: 82	The tank is 45 gallons, minus some rock. The sump I calculate has about 15 gallons in it. __________________ 45g Reef Savvy Cube Reef Dynamics INS 135 Protein Skimmer Orphek Atlantik v3 Vortech MP40wQD Current Tank Info: 45 ga. cube

03/21/2016, 09:34 PM	#10
bif24701 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Florida, FWB Posts: 3,389	Start at 10ml of vinegar for 4 days and increase 10 every 4 days until your at 60 ml. If the tank gets a little cloudy that's ok. Keep an eye on your fish and make sure they are not laboring to breath. Keep your skimmer running well by cleaning the neck with water and vinegar. Keep it at 60 until your algae clears or keep increasing to 120 if it doesn't start to reduce. __________________ 180 Mixed Reef SRO-5000 Skimmer Neptune APEX Gold Kessil AP700/ MP60+6105 Kalk+2 part/ Cheato Fuge Current Tank Info: 180 SPS Dominant

03/22/2016, 03:35 PM	#11
acuario Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Sioux Falls, SD Posts: 82	Thank you Bif, I'll give it a try. __________________ 45g Reef Savvy Cube Reef Dynamics INS 135 Protein Skimmer Orphek Atlantik v3 Vortech MP40wQD Current Tank Info: 45 ga. cube