Red Turf Wire Hair Algea

[reefman]

I'm starting to get enough of this. Mostly on some rocks but not others. I have read endless acticles and threads on this but the common conclusion is that there is no way to rid of this. Only reducing it to a managable level. I did notice that it loves to grow on frag plugs.
what has any1 have used that had success in reducuing or even elminating most of it.
heres a pic of the algea I am talking about.

 

[tosiek]

i have these huge turbo's that ate mine rather quickly. It grew a nice patch in the tank too i wanted to keep

 

[noodleman]

turn the rock over

 

[DallasNYC]

I also have the same algea and would love to know the answer. I have the usual assortment of crabs and snails, including turbos, and occasionally I will find a large area, say the size of a siver dollar, completley cleared off. Unfortunately, I have yet been able to figure out which creature is doing the work. The good thing is, that dispite how tough it is, it seems to spread at a slow pace. For smaller rocks, I have done as noodleman suggested and flipped the rock over, or threw it in a dark spot n the sump.

 

[Tonyscoots84]

reefman have u checked all ur levels with proper test kits.... phosphates, nitrates.... just a few... and what are your levels...

 

[SuRFeR BoY]

my yellow tang loves the stufff. i bought a frag from a reefer on mr that had it all over his tank. needless to say it never grewback after the tang got to it.( or stays super trimmed so that you cant see it) .... buy a tang

 

[Tonyscoots84]

my yellow tang loves the stufff. i bought a frag from a reefer on mr that had it all over his tank. needless to say it never grewback after the tang got to it.( or stays super trimmed so that you cant see it) .... buy a tang

This advice needs to stop.... we dont tell people to buy a tang not knowing what is wrong with the tank.... if someone has a 25 gallon tank and has a hair algae problem, should i tell him to go buy a blue hippo tang cause it eats the red algae in my tank NO.....
reefman needs to find out why the red hair algae is thriving in his tank rather then finding a quick cure for it... and not all yellow tangs will eat the red algae... when i had mine it didnt eat any algae but the nori i put in the tank ... lets think a little before posting advice...

 

[reefman]

my po4 is .05 but not sure how accurate it is, nitrate not detectable with seachem. ca 475..etc..my par probably isnt that good n needs a big skimmer. i appreciate your concern (thank you) but my thread is just to get some feedback on what others have use that will consume this stuff. i appoligze for the confusion. i was also wondering y it seem to like to grow on plugs. i noticed it started with growing all over plugs n that clay like stuff that frags r mounted on.

btw: that pic of the rock isnt mine, its just to show what algea i was talking about. mines isnt that bad yet :biggrin:

my yellow tang loves the stufff. i bought a frag from a reefer on mr that had it all over his tank. needless to say it never grewback after the tang got to it.( or stays super trimmed so that you cant see it) .... buy a tang

i appreciate your feedback. i do have a tommi tang. but it doesnt seem to eat it much. my tanks not big enough for another.

 

[cali_reef]

What brand of salt are you using?

 

[reefman]

seachem reef, i got 3 pails from warren awhile back.
i notice my astreas does trim it down quite a bit. my algeas r mostly looking like that cleaning sponge thing(the rough side) it seem to grow only on some areas (good lighting n good water flow)
it spreads like grape vine. luckily it doesnt spread that fast. i have read somewhere on rc that it thrives in clean water. 1 guy says he cook a rock for over 9 months n that still survived.

 

[e.muehlbauer]

I have found red hair algae to be totally different from green hair algae. It doesn't spread aggressively, and prefers high water flow. It can't survive in my tank, because unlike green hair algae, everything eats it...my yellow tang, snails....so I only have it on the out flow of my skimmer, above the tank water surface, and on the inside of the powerhead outflow. Take care, Eric

 

[mmike1992]

i had that algea in my tank for quite sometime the only thing that took care of it was x-large mexican turbo snails

 

[inline6]

Yes, those XLG Mexican turbos can take care of this type of algae, but slowly starves to death afterwards.

Cycle these snails with other reefer friends with similiar algae. These snails are quite varacious in how much algae they can consume.

JMO

 

[scumonkey]

Rethinking Algae:
http://www.hawaiianatolls.org/research/NWHIRAMP2004/features/algae-reefs.php

"...
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]At French Frigate Shoals (FFS), 57.8% of the reef sites are covered with turf algae, 12.7% with coralline algae, and 9.5% with macroalgae. Only 12.4% is actually coral. The figures are similar for Pearl and Hermes Atoll (PHA): 56.3% turf algae, 16.6% macroalgae, 12.0% coralline algae, and 7.1% coral. [/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Thus, algae is the dominant benthic life form at these two major NWHI reef sites, covering at least 80% of the substrate surfaces.[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Algae Contributes Significantly to Reef Habitat..." [/SIZE][/FONT]

 

[Vic8361]

My tangs keep it in check in my tank but it's funny because I actually like having it.
Another note having the red algea grow in your tank does not mean you have a problem with your tank.
Vic

 

[cali_reef]

I had this type of algae when I was using Oceanic salt. Mexican Turbos and bristle toothed tangs are only animals I seen eating the stuff.

 

[Vic8361]

Hey Cali this isn't the same type of algea as the one that is like cotton right. Because i have a simlar one thats hairy like the one in the pic and my yellow and purple tang always hit on it.

Vic

 

[cali_reef]

Hi Vic, most tangs may pick at it, some of my large angles did too.

I mentioned bristle tooth tangs because they were the most consistent short hair turf algae grazer in my tanks. Their lips and teeth are designed to pull algae out with the roots and thats what they eat on the reef.

 

[Vic8361]

Oh, so a chevron or a kole tang will go to town on it.
Hey I still have your piece it's getting big now LOL
I have to get up by you soon hopfuly before the swap.
Vic

 

[reefman]

thanks for all the input guys. i think i have gain a more perspective view on this issue.
btw: is the tommi tang a bristle tooth?
also i have notice my algea blenny i had for about 3 months now seem to be very very skinny. i have plenty of diff kinds of algea for him to eat n did see him mowning on it often. y is he so skinny?