Green Hair Algae

I have just noticed what appears to be green hair algae covering approx 1" x 1" on 1 of my pieces of live rock in my newly set-up, unclycled tank. I only added the the rock a few days ago.

So I need to know what to do now? How should I get rid of the algae or will the cycle of the tank kill it off? I do not wish for it to get out of control and travel onto the rest of my live rock!

Any advice would be appreciated.

Many Thanks

When your tank has finished cycling, just add your clean up crew. Some hermit crabs will eat the algae. Some fish will also eat it. A lawnmower blenny does, so you could introduce one as part of your CUC.

AK77 said:

When your tank has finished cycling, just add your clean up crew. Some hermit crabs will eat the algae. Some fish will also eat it. A lawnmower blenny does, so you could introduce one as part of your CUC.

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Thanks AK77,

So you dont think the algae will spread rapidly and out of control in the few weeks or so that it will take for the tank to fully cycle? Its my biggest concern as I do not wish for it to get out of have and regret not having done anything about it sooner!

Anyways what hermits will eat the green hair algae... scarlet? blue legged? or algae hermits?

Yeah, don't worry about it! Wait and see how the CUC deal with things. I had loads and loads of all sorts of algae on my LR when I first set it up then within a couple of weeks of having crabs & snails in, there's hardly any! Most of the different types have completely disappeared and the ones that remain don't get a chance to grow large.

That said [once cycled] keep an eye on your water params... nitrate and phosphate can both encourage algae growth (among other things)

Anyways what hermits will eat the green hair algae... scarlet? blue legged? or algae hermits?

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I think all hermits tend to eat the same(?) but maybe at different speeds or with different aggressiveness. I've found Emerald crabs to be hair algae lawnmowers in my tank!

You will get "algae blooms" at certain times, especially in the cycling phaze as more nutrients like nitrates become available to them. This is normal and it may seems as if they are taking over the tank. Things get worse before they get better, so don't be alarmed. As Idle says, the CUC will attack it and after a few days to a week, your tank will look completely different, provided you have a good mix of snails and crabs.

idlefingers said:

Yeah, don't worry about it! Wait and see how the CUC deal with things. I had loads and loads of all sorts of algae on my LR when I first set it up then within a couple of weeks of having crabs & snails in, there's hardly any! Most of the different types have completely disappeared and the ones that remain don't get a chance to grow large.

That said [once cycled] keep an eye on your water params... nitrate and phosphate can both encourage algae growth (among other things)

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Thanks for the heads up idlefingers. So what CUC members have you got in your tank if you dont mind me asking? I'd like to know so I can get some to help control algeal growth!

I've got 10 hermits (5 red-legged, 5-blue), 8 turbo snails, 2 emerald crabs and a cleaner shrimp (the tank is 63g).

Turbos and Astreas (sp?) demolished my hair algae within a week.

idlefingers said:

I've got 10 hermits (5 red-legged, 5-blue), 8 turbo snails, 2 emerald crabs and a cleaner shrimp (the tank is 63g).

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Cheers

I plan on gettin approx 5/6 hermits, about 15/20 snails- different types for different purposes, a mithrax crab, a skunk cleaner shrimp, and a blood shrimp, for my 25G nano reef.

Do you think that would be adequate in helping resolve any algae problems?

Do you think that would be adequate in helping resolve any algae problems?

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It would be adequate in resolving most mild to moderate algae problems, but severe outbreaks due to exceptionally high nutrients are nearly impossible to curb until the nutrients themselves are gone. AK and Idle offer great advice in that patience is the name of the game here.

One great way to try and stave off algae outbreaks before they overwhelm even a good sized cleanup crew is to run a refugium with macroalgae

SkiFletch said:

It would be adequate in resolving most mild to moderate algae problems, but severe outbreaks due to exceptionally high nutrients are nearly impossible to curb until the nutrients themselves are gone. AK and Idle offer great advice in that patience is the name of the game here.

One great way to try and stave off algae outbreaks before they overwhelm even a good sized cleanup crew is to run a refugium with macroalgae

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Yea I plan on getting some macroalgae (cheato) for my HOB refugium, my tank has just finished cylcing so when do you believe is the best time to add the cheato? Should I wait till I have some livestock in there eg. fish?

Nope, add it now

Yup, as Ski said, add it now. Any ammonia in your tank will have been converted into nitrites and then further into nitrates. Adding the Chaetomorpha now, will mean it will start eating into the nitrates and phosphates in the water, which will be required if you are planning on going with a reef tank.

Cheerz guys.

Just looking to buy some macroalgae off ebay. By the way Ive got a hitchhiker common crab in my refugium. It came off my live rock and as I dont know if its reef safe or not, I added it to my HOB refugium.

The crab is just over 1" wide but under 1/2" tall. Its a murky brown/rusty sort of colour and it a VERY slow mover! I keep thinking its dead. The eyes seem to be a murky red/brown colour! I wouldn't say its hairy as such but all its legs seem to have bristles/hair on them. The main body looks quite leathery and is bumpy giving me the image of a brain! looking! The underneath of it is slightly lighter in colour with some white/cream patches. The most obvious thing however is the fact its pincers are white tipped!

Since having added to my refugium, its dug itself into the mineral mud but i occasionally see a pincer of antennae sticking out from underneath a piece of rock or from under the mud. I think it only comes out at night when the main tank lights go off!

You don't think he will eat/attack the cheato macroalgae will he/she? Can anybody help ID it? Also would it be reef safe?

Thanks

The crab is vicious people. I just got home from work and noticed it scurrying around in the refugium, so I decided to tap on the acrylic wall to see what would happen... I expected it to make a run for it. Instead the little sh*t tried pounciing on/ambushing my finger. It ran at the acrylic and tried to claw at me! I moved my finger along the bakc of the refugium about an inch and it constanly kept chasing after it trying to attack me!
Assuming its hungry (been in the refugium over a week and I not fed him!) I went to the fridge and got half a prawn out whcih I dropped near it in the refugium. The crab immediately pounced on it and carrying it in its claws scurried off to its little cave at the back somewhere!!!

So what do you think I should do with it? It defo dont seem safe as I assume it would attack most livestock!