Bryopsis or hair algae?

muhli · 11/30/2015, 11:04 PM

I'm having trouble finding out what it is so I can treat it.

Nitrates and Phosphates are at 0 and undetectable. Dosing daily with NoPox.
Can be removed by hand, but breaks at the stem, unable to pull the roots.
Turbo snails are ignoring it. I tried placing them on top of it, but it wont eat it.
I've attached pics.. hopefully someone can chime in...

dendrite · 12/01/2015, 07:54 AM

I have the same thing. I have two tangs and a host of turbo snails and trochus snails, and red legged hermits who ignore it completely. I finally bought a one spot foxface a few says ago in desperation. We'll see. Interested to see what the opinions are.

skiwez · 12/01/2015, 07:55 AM

Can't tell for sure, but to me it looks like hair algae. Fought an outbreak of bryopsis 6 months ago, and it seemed more leafy if that makes sense. If soft and slimy hair algae, if firm bryopos

pinnatus · 12/01/2015, 07:58 AM

Hair, IMO

Four drachma · 12/02/2015, 05:15 PM

Definitely hair. I don't know what test kits you're using , but I'd lay money down that your phosphates and nitrates are higher than your test kit is showing. I used some less expensive kits and thought all was well, and then used a Red Sea Kit and my nitrates were in the 40's. I immediately upped my phosphate reactor media and bought a Kole tang who went to work on it. I've heard sail fin Tangs are also good for it.
You can also try the three days of darkness and the roots of the algae will weaken and you can pick mor off then.

Four drachma · 12/02/2015, 05:40 PM

If you're not using RO/DI water then that's a big part of the problem. You'll never get control over nuisance algae if you're not.

11/30/2015, 11:04 PM	#1
muhli Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: San Francisco Posts: 368	Bryopsis or hair algae? I'm having trouble finding out what it is so I can treat it. Nitrates and Phosphates are at 0 and undetectable. Dosing daily with NoPox. Can be removed by hand, but breaks at the stem, unable to pull the roots. Turbo snails are ignoring it. I tried placing them on top of it, but it wont eat it. I've attached pics.. hopefully someone can chime in...

12/01/2015, 07:58 AM	#4
pinnatus RIP Ludinano Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Baton Rouge, LA Posts: 1,572	Hair, IMO __________________ - Ken Current Tank Info: 240 gal Fish-Only, 13-gal w/ clowns

12/01/2015, 07:54 AM	#2
dendrite Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: denver Posts: 493	I have the same thing. I have two tangs and a host of turbo snails and trochus snails, and red legged hermits who ignore it completely. I finally bought a one spot foxface a few says ago in desperation. We'll see. Interested to see what the opinions are.

12/01/2015, 07:55 AM	#3
skiwez Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Queens, NYC Posts: 160	Can't tell for sure, but to me it looks like hair algae. Fought an outbreak of bryopsis 6 months ago, and it seemed more leafy if that makes sense. If soft and slimy hair algae, if firm bryopos

12/02/2015, 05:15 PM	#5
Four drachma Registered Member Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 134	Definitely hair. I don't know what test kits you're using , but I'd lay money down that your phosphates and nitrates are higher than your test kit is showing. I used some less expensive kits and thought all was well, and then used a Red Sea Kit and my nitrates were in the 40's. I immediately upped my phosphate reactor media and bought a Kole tang who went to work on it. I've heard sail fin Tangs are also good for it. You can also try the three days of darkness and the roots of the algae will weaken and you can pick mor off then.

12/02/2015, 05:40 PM	#6
Four drachma Registered Member Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 134	If you're not using RO/DI water then that's a big part of the problem. You'll never get control over nuisance algae if you're not.