Brown Hair Algae?

[bebegoat]

I have a fair amount of brown/brownish grey hair like algae growing. I don't have phosphate or alk test kits yet but my other levels (the ones that are included in the standard kit, ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, etc) are good. My ph when I tested last week, was at 8.

I just recently replaced my old bulbs (t5 ho x4) which was long overdue, pulled my power filter out, and upgraded my flow. I assume that all of these may have been factors in the growth.

I plan on doing some manual removal this weekend, and will check the lfs for the test kits and some snails (any types better than others for hair algae?) to add to my small CUC.

Is there anything else that I can do to help knock this out?

Thanks for any suggestions and thanks for providing an awesome source of information that has taught me more since joining than I have learned from the occasional items I have learned from my LFS.

 

[Waddi]

When I added some Grape Caulerpa to my tank, it just ate the phosphates, killing off all my GHA, I have noticed that it turns brown when its dead, with decent flow to that area or you plucking it, it will come off easily.

Many CUC wont touch it unless its very short, all I can suggest is good water changes, less feeding, and manual removal. Also you could add some kind of Macro algae if you wanted, but just be careful what you add, like Grape caulerpa, can go out of control and crash a tank if you dont keep on top of it.

 

[bebegoat]

Thanks Waddi.
I have a rock that has a bunch of halimeda growing on it. I just read that its sensitive to phosphates, which is curious considering. Do you think that old bulbs would be enough to cause the algae to grow?

As for feeding, my current livestock is two clowns and a yellow-eyed combtooth blenny. I have been feeding every other day a nickle sized (or slightly larger) piece of Rod's original. Is that too much?

Thanks for your advice.