Algae ID, it's smothering everything

[0rangeFish]

I've had this nuisance algae for too long. It is smothering my corals. There seems to be two different, maybe three different kinds. The first algae is single fine strands that are soft, and grows in thick clumps. I thought green hair algae. It holds on to surfaces very well. It's the first photo with the toadstool in it. The second one is thick long strands that are spaced out. It is rough and doesn't like to break when pulled. When you break it, it feels like a pop. I have no clue what it is. This is all in-between my zoa in the second and third photos. And the third is course to touch and has fern-like fine strands. It's hard to pull off rocks. I thought it was bryopsis. This one is in the photo with the spongodes monti to the right and echinata acro above.

Nitrates are at 0. Phosphates are at 0 (but I doubt it). I raised my magnesium to 1800 for about two weeks now, but the supposed bryopsis hasn't loosened it's grip to rocks. I have a gfo and carbon reactor for the hair algae, along with a skimmer and water changes with ro/di water. I also have a very dully colored green bubble algae that has come up and is getting every were. I don't have emerald crabs or plant-eating fish. It's just wrath of the nuisance algae in my tank. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[jraker]

It does look like hair algae. Large turbos have worked for me in the past. How old is your tank? Mine took a while to get rid of it, even when I was running a skimmer, GFO, and doing water changes. It might be a deal of establishing your tank.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Manual removal and a good herbivore crew will get you through. Hang in there!

 

[rvlcf]

You could try using Vibrant. People seem to be having a lot of success with it.

 

[mzkrista]

Dr Tims refresh and waste away work well . It's a good bacteria that eats bad algaes such as hair algae and cyano. Go on his site and look for recipes and it will explain what to do. Too much to explain in a post here

 

[andy67]

Do you have any fish ? what else is in the tank ?

 

[0rangeFish]

Thank for all your responses! The tank has been set up where it is for two and a half years. I did try and raise the magnesium to get rid of possible byprosis, but there seems to be little effect on the algae, so I'm guessing it's all hair algae. None of the fish eat algae (clown, basslet, wrasse, goby) now that you mention it I only have one turbo snail left out of the five I got forever ago. They did the best with algae. I still have plenty of nerite and cerif snail and hermit crabs. Does anyone know of a place that sells astrea turbo snails? I have no idea where I got the first five from.

 

[0rangeFish]

I'll check out vibrant and dr tims refresh. I did do a peroxide dip on some corals because they were getting choked out. They are looking ok. I'll keep manually pull out the algae as well.