Help to ID the Algae please

[manishkasera]

I have some algae that is growing on one of the rock and back of my tank wall. I need the help to identify and remove from the tank, so any help will be.

[Michael Hoaster]

Not a great pic. It looks kinda hairy. The basics of algae removal are pretty much the same for all species, so ID isn't necessary. They are nutrient control, competition for nutrients, and predation.

Getting nutrients down to desirable levels usually involves reduced feeding/dosing, testing and water changes. Manual removal of the algae removes the most concentrated food source. This is critical because algae will just come back if there is adequate food.

Competition for nutrients means adding some kind of macro algae either in the display or hidden in a refugium. It can be challenging to get plants started, so you try to favor them with good light, while you also manually remove the unwanted algae.

Predation refers to animals that eat algae, like snails and tangs, etc. Reproducing snails like Ceriths and Mini Strombus are my two favorites. Pods are also helpful, believe it or not. Hermit crabs are useless unless their is no other food. Once they get a taste for fish food, they lose interest in algae. And they kill snails.

These basics will help you get rid of algae and keep it at bay. There are bottled solutions but they don't address the cause. Hope this helps and good luck!