Will a tiny bit of hair algae on a purchased LR go wild in my tank?

[splix]

Got some LR with coral from a friend, one of the pieces of LR has a little bit of hair algae on it. I'd just pull it but it's in a difficult spot to get, right under a montipora and it's completely jammed into my QT while I watch for any unwanted critters.

His tank looked good, no hair algae crazyness or anything. Should I definitely pull it or will it be ok in my DT and just let the CUC get it? I know about bubble algae and there is none of that. I just want to make sure it's not going to spread like wildfire if it's in my tank.

It's maybe a square inch total in size.

 

[mcginnisandrew]

It will likely spread if your tank has excess nutrients. If you have a strong skimmer, keep up with water changes, and practice other good husbandry techniques then I wouldn't worry about it much.

However if you are able to pull it out and scrub the algae off thoroughly, it might give you more peace of mind. It's up to you

 

[ThRoewer]

Get a few hermits and snails to keep the algae in check during the start-up phase.

While high nutrients are definitely support algae explosions, low nutrients don't prevent them.

The best long term control is to have all rocks covered in coralline algae and corals. Macroalgae will work too. Anything that creates plenty of competition for algae will do.

 

[Deftones2015]

As long as your nutrient levels are in check you should be fine. How long has your tank been running?

 

[splix]

Tank has been running for over a month, cycled fully for the past 2 weeks. PO4 is at 0-1. ammonia is 0, nitrite is minimal (I see a very slight shade of pink in my test but too slight to be on the dectection card), nitrates are 1.
I have a small CUC, planned on getting more today since I know hermit crab warfare is in full swing. I just found a dead one pulled from his shell this morning. Fed it to my Condy....

 

[KingTriton1]

Depends do you have any dry rock that excessively releases phosphate? Curing GHA without this is pretty easy in my experience. Its more difficult when you have a dry rock that hates you.

 

[Deftones2015]

Tank has been running for over a month, cycled fully for the past 2 weeks. PO4 is at 0-1. ammonia is 0, nitrite is minimal (I see a very slight shade of pink in my test but too slight to be on the dectection card), nitrates are 1.
I have a small CUC, planned on getting more today since I know hermit crab warfare is in full swing. I just found a dead one pulled from his shell this morning. Fed it to my Condy....

That's why I stick to snails. I had crabs in my first reef tank and they killed each other for their shells, killed snails for their shells, stole food from my corals etc.

 

[splix]

yeah you all warned me about an emerald crab. I literally watched him pick at a polyp on an acane right in front of me. He's now on my catch list.

 

[Sk8r]

Absolutely not if your tank does not have a lot of phosphate, which it shouldn't have anyway, because neither corals nor fish like it. Without phosphate it can't grow.