Thick, tough, dark green algae

[johnnyoc]

Hello all

I'm a relative newcomer having had my 125l for just over 6 months now.

I've had major cyano issues and nasty crabs. Now just a quick question - I have an algae that looks like macro algae growing on my rock. Its thick hairlike spines that are very strong. Any idea what it is or how I can limit its growth? It seems quite intrusive to other life in the tank.

Many thanks

 

[Brian5000]

I guess a picture would help. If it's a macroalgea (one big plant with stalks or leaves growing along the rockwork), then that's a good thing. It will feed on waste and keep other nusiance algeas at bay. Prune it as needed like any garden plant. If it's hair algea (little tuffs of green fuzz), then that is a nusiance algea and we should troubleshoot how to reduce the buildup of nutient waste in your tank and maybe find a critter that eats it.
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[cindre2000]

bryosis?

 

[Jeanne_057]

I have found the best "critter" to eat it, if it's green hair algae is a sea hare. Mine (Heada) while not too attractive, surely has a healthy appetite and will clean both my 40 gallon and the little 12 in record time. Good Luck

 

[johnnyoc]

Ive finally sucessfully id'd it as Chaetomorpha antennina.

I want to try to control it as its growing around a single button polyp and being a nuisance. My phosphates are virtually 0 (as had an issue before and tackled). Nitrates are low too, but think I need to find a herbivor for this type. Its very strong and I've read that it 'bleeds' quite bit if cut.
My only concern is that its so tough not a lot may be capable of eating it??

As for sea hares, I funnily enough saw one at the weekend and am ordering a dwarf. As think they are ace! Just need to do a little research on them I think.

 

[Jeanne_057]

I have had a dwarf, me too. But, my algae is often too much for anything less than a giant sea hare. I have had several. This last one was in my forty gallon at first and she quickly devoured it all. I was worried that she might die of starvation so I bought some sea veggies. My tanks seem to always have a lot of green hair; so she'll only get the veggies when all the algae in the two of my tanks (that always has it) is gone.
So, if you ever do get the green hair type of algae, a sea hair is the best "natural" cure that I have found.