Brown hair algae? Don’t know what to do

[Misha]

I have had this brown hair algae on my substrate for 3 weeks now I tried adding a big turbo snail, didn’t help much but he does his job. 2 weeks ago I went to my lfs because of a problem with my zoanthids (closing up during day). He suggested adding po4 and no3 because they were low. The adding did help the zoanthids a little bit but the algae is enjoying it way more. I make my own saltwater with red sea coral pro. 0 TDS

tank info:
15 gallon nano
9 months old

Cleanup crew:
4 hermits
1 turbo
Bunch of stomatella’s

here are my params:

temp: 25.5 c
Salinity 1.025

ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 3
Phosphate 0.05
Kh 7.7

 

[Aquaman102]

Could be the start of dinoflagellates. Get a cheap microscope to identify what type you are battling. There's several threads about dino's you can read up on. I'm battling them currently too.

 

[Misha]

Could be the start of dinoflagellates. Get a cheap microscope to identify what type you are battling. There's several threads about dino's you can read up on. I'm battling them currently too.

I really hope not... I can see “hairs” instead of slime that are not visible on the picture.

because they are mostly on the substrate I can suck them out but it comes back

 

[Dal-Reef]

How old is the tank

 

[Misha]

How old is the tank

9 Months

 

[Dal-Reef]

I had very similar and still do a little bit. My tank is only 3 1/2 months old so to going maturing. May you tank still just maturing. I did add some fighting conch and they move around the cleaning it really will.

 

[DanH86]

I have the same and am putting it down to new tank syndrome. At least that’s what I hope it is - mines 4 months old and has brown hair algae.

 

[Misha]

I have the same and am putting it down to new tank syndrome. At least that’s what I hope it is - mines 4 months old and has brown hair algae.

I hope so. A quick search about brown hair algae doesn’t make me smarter.

 

[Misha]

Also the algae is only on the substrate that is has direct light. And in the evening it is way more than in the morning. Also saw air bubbles but that could be cyano?

 

[DanH86]

Still sounds exactly the same as my brown algae. It’s worse in the eve because it’s had a day of light to help grow. Mine also gets small air bubbles develop, especially if I stir it up. I am still putting it down to new tank settling in. I don’t get it on sand bed because my goby keeps it clean but its all over the rocks and will cover tank walls every few days.

 

[Don Lidtke]

I have been dosing Vibrant and have had good success but it’s not a quick cure.

Checkout BRS video on the testing they did with Vibrant and algae, the outcome looks pretty good.

 

[Qasimja]

hm i hope its not but thats how my dinos looked when it started i got rid of it by dosing microbactor 7 and outing the lights for a week but mine were REALLY bad on the sand bed everyday if i didnt stir the sand within 4-5 hours of the lights being on my sand bed would be heavily covered with them

 

[Bbfishb81]

IMO it looks like diatoms. Conch snail, nerites or ceriths should help take care of that.

 

[Misha]

My LFS confirmed it are dino's... because they are mostly on the sandbed that has direct light I will suck that sand out and perform a 3 day blackout. I've got some Colombo Bacto left that I will add

 

[Misha]

Still sounds exactly the same as my brown algae. It’s worse in the eve because it’s had a day of light to help grow. Mine also gets small air bubbles develop, especially if I stir it up. I am still putting it down to new tank settling in. I don’t get it on sand bed because my goby keeps it clean but its all over the rocks and will cover tank walls every few days.

My LFS said it are dino's. If yours are dino's to you need to act before it gets out of control

 

[Misha]

I have been dosing Vibrant and have had good success but it’s not a quick cure.

Checkout BRS video on the testing they did with Vibrant and algae, the outcome looks pretty good.

I've heard positive things about Vibrant but I can't get it where I live

 

[DanH86]

My LFS said it are dino's. If yours are dino's to you need to act before it gets out of control

I’ve had it under a scope and it neither looks like dinos or diatoms. Still putting it down to new tank syndrome and too small of a clean up crew. Time will tell I guess!