Hair Algae management in Macroalgae nano tank?

[charliedarling]

Hey all,

I’ve got quite the hair algae takeover happening in my 6 gallon nano, Macroalgae dominant mixed reef. This is my first tank (up for 3+ months), so any suggestions would be awesome!

Current parameters:

35ppt salinity
9.2 Alk
8.56 pH
3.4ppm Nitrate
0.05ppm Phos
445 calcium
1380 magnesium

Stock:

Just added 10 dove snails
Pair of clowns
1 blue leg hermit
1 marginella snail
1 cerith snail
Lots and lots of copepods
1 chalice coral
3 hammer/frogspawn frags
1 small alveopora
1 small gorgonian (?)
10+ species macroalgae

Equipment:
Nano kessil a80 mounted 4 inches above water line, 100% strength, 6hrs, 10,000k
Fluval freshwater planted led 3.0, 1 inch above water line, 20% strength, 8hrs, 6,500k
Rear chamber filtration: ceramic balls, carbon, sponges
Nano hygger wavemaker

Dosing:
1ml neophos daily on dosing pump (tank consumption is ~2.5ppm nitrate daily and rising)
2.5ml chaetogro daily
1ml fermion every other day
PE pellets daily
Amino acids & Frits coral max feeding twice weekly for corals

Maintenance:
20% biweekly water change with TM pro salt

———————————————-

Pictures below of the green hair algae takeover- I just added 10 dove snails yesterday, and have more snails on the way (1 trochus snail, 2 chestnut turbo snails, 3 marginella snails, 2 Cerith snails, 2 astria snails).

Have been doing manual removal twice weekly but my efforts aren’t keeping up with the rapid growth. I wish I could use a syphon to remove the algae but the volume of my tank is so small this isn’t a viable option. I might be able to use a spare pump to redirect water back into the tank but seems like more hassle than it’s worth? Any advice on how to get this under control? Pictures below.

Thanks!

 

[Dan_P]

Hey all,

I’ve got quite the hair algae takeover happening in my 6 gallon nano, Macroalgae dominant mixed reef. This is my first tank (up for 3+ months), so any suggestions would be awesome!

Current parameters:

35ppt salinity
9.2 Alk
8.56 pH
3.4ppm Nitrate
0.05ppm Phos
445 calcium
1380 magnesium

Stock:

Just added 10 dove snails
Pair of clowns
1 blue leg hermit
1 marginella snail
1 cerith snail
Lots and lots of copepods
1 chalice coral
3 hammer/frogspawn frags
1 small alveopora
1 small gorgonian (?)
10+ species macroalgae

Equipment:
Nano kessil a80 mounted 4 inches above water line, 100% strength, 6hrs, 10,000k
Fluval freshwater planted led 3.0, 1 inch above water line, 20% strength, 8hrs, 6,500k
Rear chamber filtration: ceramic balls, carbon, sponges
Nano hygger wavemaker

Dosing:
1ml neophos daily on dosing pump (tank consumption is ~2.5ppm nitrate daily and rising)
2.5ml chaetogro daily
1ml fermion every other day
PE pellets daily
Amino acids & Frits coral max feeding twice weekly for corals

Maintenance:
20% biweekly water change with TM pro salt

———————————————-

Pictures below of the green hair algae takeover- I just added 10 dove snails yesterday, and have more snails on the way (1 trochus snail, 2 chestnut turbo snails, 3 marginella snails, 2 Cerith snails, 2 astria snails).

Have been doing manual removal twice weekly but my efforts aren’t keeping up with the rapid growth. I wish I could use a syphon to remove the algae but the volume of my tank is so small this isn’t a viable option. I might be able to use a spare pump to redirect water back into the tank but seems like more hassle than it’s worth? Any advice on how to get this under control? Pictures below.

Thanks!

What your system is experiencing is normal. You are also in the typical new aquarium situation: fighting algae growth in a fully stocked aquarium. I think you will be getting a boat load of suggestions about how to proceed.

My go to solution is the Mexican turbo snail. This might not work for you because they are big and can bulldoze rocks and frags around, especially in a little system.

 

[charliedarling]

What your system is experiencing is normal. You are also in the typical new aquarium situation: fighting algae growth in a fully stocked aquarium. I think you will be getting a boat load of suggestions about how to proceed.

My go to solution is the Mexican turbo snail. This might not work for you because they are big and can bulldoze rocks and frags around, especially in a little system.

Thanks for the reply,

Yes hopefully it just dies down as the tank matures! I’ve looked into Mexican turbo’s but have heard mixed information on their appetite for decorative Macroalgae.

 

[Dan_P]

Thanks for the reply,

Yes hopefully it just dies down as the tank matures! I’ve looked into Mexican turbo’s but have heard mixed information on their appetite for decorative Macroalgae.

Oops, I forgot that point. Mexican turbos would decimate macro algae. So will many other snails and urchins.

 

[charliedarling]

Bump

 

[Dan_P]

Bump

This is going to be nearly impossible to selectively weed out one macro algae from another.

 

[charliedarling]

This is going to be nearly impossible to selectively weed out one macro algae from another.

Not quite sure what you’re referring to? I want to keep & grow all of my decorative Macroalgae species; just trying to get rid of the hair algae.

 

[Dan_P]

Not quite sure what you’re referring to? I want to keep & grow all of my decorative Macroalgae species; just trying to get rid of the hair algae

I referred to green hair as a macro algae. Removal by hand or spot poisoning might be the only options for you

 

[charliedarling]

I referred to green hair as a macro algae. Removal by hand or spot poisoning might be the only options for you

Ah I see what you mean, sorry. At this point with how rampant it is, I would have to agree

 

[Subsea]

I referred to green hair as a macro algae. Removal by hand or spot poisoning might be the only options for you

GHA is a macro algae. Just as in my garden, I hand weed what I don’t want to see.

 

[Dan_P]

GHA is a macro algae. Just as in my garden, I hand weed what I don’t want to see.

It seems easier to weed a garden than an aquarium.