Green Hair Algae and Long Term Control

[AC_Rhino]

So I have finally have my tank where everything is stable and new corals are in place (started in August). The problem is I have a few patches of long hair green algae kicking around as my tank cycled and everything fell into place chemistry wise. Unfortunately I can't just pull out the rocks it is on and scrub it off. Now I know I will manage a lot of this going forward with reduced feedings, carbon, water changes, and lighting management going forward ... but I know I still need a few critters in the tank to eat on some of the algae growth (all types) as a clean up crew.

Given all that above ... I don't just want to dump a bunch of animals in the tank that are good at eating algae ... because at some point they will clean the tank ... and at some point they will start to starve. I have a few questions I will ask below ... but before I ask them I suspect you have questions about the tanks.

Details on the tank:
Hardware:
40GB, local beach sand, AquaMaxx 1.5 HOB protein skimmer, CPR HOB Refugium, Aqua Clear 20, Fluval 205, FLuval 105, Fluval SEA Marine & Reef 2.0 LED X2 and control module, heater, and Coral Box Q9 Quiet Pump
Medium:
In the canisters (carbon, purigen, ceramic balls, no filter cloth or foam), in the Aqua Clear (just carbon).
Live Stock:
Local periwinkles (10), local ghost shrimp (6), 1 crazy local crab (I will return to the sea), local clam/oyster/muscle doing very well, (all the corals are small or frags) a few clumps of different pulsing xenia, kryptonite candy coral, venus fly trap, reverse superman, splash hammer, rainbow rose bubble tip anemone, and 4 Astrea snails..

My questions are as follows: I want to add one or more of following to my tank.
1. Sea Hare Slug (some type)
2. Sea Urchin (some type)
What is best to add and in what combo? I want to add just the right amount of herbivore all around algae eaters to work the issue long term and as to not put to much in to solve the short term issue of algae but cause a long term issue of animal starvation.

Do you guys get what I'm asking?

Thanks

 

[fijisrfr]

Flucanazole!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Crooked Reef]

pin Cussion urchin. Mine mowed through all the green hair algae in my 90 in under two weeks. As long as you have the water chemistry good it won’t come back. They will eat coralline algae though so if you want the purple rock you would be out of luck.

The amount of green on your glass though looks like you still have nurturing issues. They may register 0, but that’s because the algae is consuming it before it builds up.

 

[Crooked Reef]

Also, never return an animal to the sea. They could have picked up something in your tank the you would introduce to the local ecosystem.

 

[Anemone]

I wouldn't add both a sea hare and an urchin in a tank your size; IMO, they will eventually starve. I'd add one or the other (my personal preference is a blue tuxedo urchin).

Did you do anything to clean the "local beach sand" before adding it to your tank? If not, you may have a nutrient sink that will severely hamper your ability to clean up your tank long term with good husbandry.

FWIW,
Kevin

 

[crawlerman]

It's odd that is grows all over some rocks but not others. Would make me think it's bound up phosphates on those rocks. But I would think it would have leached out by now and balanced with everything else. Anyone know how long it would take for the phosphates to leach out of liverock in an aquarium vs curing in a tub doing water changes.

 

[zachogden]

It's odd that is grows all over some rocks but not others. Would make me think it's bound up phosphates on those rocks. But I would think it would have leached out by now and balanced with everything else. Anyone know how long it would take for the phosphates to leach out of liverock in an aquarium vs curing in a tub doing water changes.

could be a flow issue.

 

[Jaffster]

could be a flow issue.

How so? I've also had similar issues to the OP and I think the only other thing that still drives me insane is flow.

Too much? Too little? Not enough water movement?

 

[Dmorty217]

When I had green hair algae it seemed to grow only directly under the lights and in high flow areas. I agree that a sea hare won't work long term in your tank and will starve in short order after that little bit of GHA is gone.

 

[Mark9]

Get a couple turbo snails, done!

 

[Volcmreefer]

Following this! My pukani rock has been leaching phosphates for 1.5 years now. Showing sign of decline but man, I don't think I am ever using pukani again!

I did a muriatic acid bath for about 30 minutes when I got them, followed by a pressure wash bath and then lanthanum chloride treatment for 2 weeks in a brute container. Thought the phosphates were gone, as they measured 0.02 on my Hanna, but I guess it was temporary and the rocks were loaded!

It is not a flow issue, as I have 3 MP10wqds and a MP40wqd as well as a Vectra M1 running at 100% on my 80 rectangular reef. Running two XR30 G4 Pros at 48% max intensity; 8 hrs/day total lighting. Frustrating to say the least.

Sorry if I hijacked the thread, had to vent. LOL

 

[RonV]

I had GHA in my tank what seemed like forever. I started running bio pellets and in 6 months the GHA was gone.