Happy with Hair Algae--FOR NOW

[maddhugan]

So I wetted my 250 gallon display/300 outdoor sump system a month ago and within days I saw hair algae growing everywhere. Initially I was kind of bummed out, but now I'm somewhat happy. All my tangs looked skinny after TTM but after getting into the algae filled display they became fat and vibrant. I can't even catch one anymore, they are so lively and fat. I never seen a yellow tang like 1.5 inches fat before. The hair algae I have seems very soft/long/very lush light green(not the hard/rigid dark green ones), and I see all of my tangs and genicanthus munching on the algae all day long, and by the evening all of their bellies are so full that it looks as if it is going to explode. Luckily I don't have any brown algae. slime algae or any other ugly looking ones. All I have is light green lush hair algae.

May be I will introduce this algae to my quarantine tank so that after TTM when my fish comes to quarantine for 6 weeks they will get fat and healthy before going into display.


well, I don't think any saltwater hobbyist would like hair algae in their display, and I won't like it long term either. But for now (short time period) I'm loving it. Because it had kept my fish very healthy and fatty.
well, putting a ATO this weekend and tuning my vertex skimmer to export the nutrition soon to get rid of the algae though. Not too eager to get rid of the algae but I have to though I guess.

Planning on getting rid of the algae so that my already quarantined corals could be introduced to the display tank.

Has any one fallen in love with hair algae like I did?

 

[sfsuphysics]

Lucky you, I have that soft wispy hair algae too, and my tangs don't seem to want to touch it, 2 bristletooth, 2 zebrasoma.

 

[maddhugan]

huh

huh

Lucky you, I have that soft wispy hair algae too, and my tangs don't seem to want to touch it, 2 bristletooth, 2 zebrasoma.

you must be having different species of hair algae then, let me know if you want a sampler pack from me.lol

 

[scuzy]

Could the algae boom be coming from your outdoor greenhouse sump? To much sun?

 

[maddhugan]

no my sump/sunlight falling inside is not the culprit

no my sump/sunlight falling inside is not the culprit

My sump top is still closed blocking the sunlight falling inside it, this will change eventually and it is closed for now as my sump construction is still ongoing. Sump looks clean and no problem there.
this HA might be due to my tank being new and the rocks might expel some nutrition or I'm overfeeding the fish.

If sump being outdoor was the problem then I will get green water first, and not the hair algae just inside the tank alone.

I do have a emperor aquatics HO 80 watts so I'm really not worried about green water if it ever happens