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Red Hair algae

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Heyguy74

I have noticed I'm getting some red hair algae growing on some of my rocks.Its actaully feels and looks like astro turf. Its not cyanobacteria. I understand its probably a nutient problem. I have slowed down on my feedings of my sps corals b/c thats seems to be when I'm overfeeding. I use a turkey baster to feed them but it is messy. I only have three fish in A 37g tank. A clownfish,a royal gramma and a damsel plus a peppermint schrimp,hermit crabs and turbo snails. I added an emerald crab yesterday and he has started eating some of it. My question is what else will eat it. I have no nitates and I use RO/di water.Based on the size of my tank most fish are out of the question. Any help would be great.
 
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Jcurry@wesketch

You might try a lawnmower blenny (Salarias fasciatus) although your tank might be to small to sustain one without supplemental feeding. I would wait and see if the emerald crab can keep it in check along with with your reduced feeding. Maybe add a second emerald if the algae gets worse over the next month. A lttle algae isn't a bad thing as long as it's not overgrowing your other livestock.
 
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Wannareef

Blue leg hermits do a decent job of helping get rid of red hair algae, that and your reduced feedings. You might try cutting down your light time too for a little bit.
 
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Wannareef

Yes we have a Kole Tang, but he won't go anywhere near red hair algae. We just got done fighting a problem with this same algae. Cutting the light & feeding, a few big water changes and adding blue leg hermits seemed to work well. The algae is dying off now, you will know it will turn white, and we are now able to scrub it off the rocks that it is still hanging on to.
 
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Heyguy74

Thanks for the advice. I will try reducing the time the lights are on. My bulb is pushing 7 months so maybe thats helping teh algae grow. I have a new one ordered.
 
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Wannareef

Hey....I just thought of something! Are you measuring the TDS on your RO/DI? If so, what is it? If you aren't you need to get a meter, it should read 0 for the best, but no more than 10.
 
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Heyguy74

Wannareef said:
Hey....I just thought of something! Are you measuring the TDS on your RO/DI? If so, what is it? If you aren't you need to get a meter, it should read 0 for the best, but no more than 10.
Click to expand...

I do have a TDS meter attached to my RO/DI system. Its still at 0 coming out of the system.
 
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hayabusa2003

red turf algae is tough... Mexican Turbo snails are the only things I've seen mow it down. I bought a rock from another reefer that was covered with it, and when I put it in my tank nothing would come near it. I bought 6 mexican turbos 2 weeks ago and the rock is almost spotless (I have a 75 gal).
 
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Heyguy74

Thanks. I'll check out Trop this week. The emerald crab did a real great job on one of my rocks so far. I'm going to give him a few more days to see how he does.
 
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