Algae ID-Please

[MikeyNice]

This stuff is kicking my A$$. I think I may actually have slowed it down a bit.

[MikeyNice]

And another

[dhodorow]

Looks like hair algae to me. You need to lower nutrients in your tank. Do you have a refugium? If not, setting one up helps out tons. You can then use other types of macro algaes that eventually will outcompete for those nutrients. Try something like Chaeto algae. Looks like spaghetti. Several people sell the stuff online. I take several handfuls from my refugium weekly.

Dave

[kmk2307]

Gooomba,

Try looking up Bryopsis. Do you use tap or purified/filtered water (like RO) to mix your saltwater and top the tank off? Do you test your phosphates and nitrates?

Kevin

[MikeyNice]

Yes I use RO/DI. This crap has been haunting me for about a year. Ive been doing weekly 25 gal water changes for the past month. I added Rowaphos, carbon, cut feedings down to every other day and I just built a sump thats going to hold an ASM G2 skimmer. In the past month Ive noticed it slowing down a bit. The 4 Mexican Turbos I have are actually putting a dent in it and its not coming back as fast but still kinda coming back. As for the last week or two all water parameters are very good. How long would anyone guess this stuff will take to die off and not return provided I keep my water good? Tank is 90gal with:
100lbs LR(adding another 40lbs)
Mag7 return
4-MJ 900s
Amiracle Wet/Dry w/ bio-balls and built in skimmer(slowly being removed)
Temp-80f
calcium-380
alk-9.3dKH
Ph-8.0day/7.7night
amon-0
trite-0
trate-0 to 0.2 has been at this for about a week
phos-0 has been at o for 2 weeks

[kmk2307]

Gooomba,

It sounds like you are doing everything right. I would try doing as much mechanical removal as possible. Another thing you could do is encourage the growth of a macroalgae like Caulerpa in your tank which would take nutrients away from the hair algae.

Kevin