# Green grass lookin kinda stuff...



## herefishyfishy (Jan 24, 2011)

I have been cycling for about 3 weeks now and just last night noticed some stuff resembling fine blades of grass on one of my rocks. Just on the one so far. It is very sparse right now, and spread out on one side of the rock. 

Could this be dreaded green hair alge? I have already reduced my lights on time to about 2 hours a day now. Should I just take the rock out? I will have to try and post a pic tonight... Any suggestions would be appreciated.


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## caker_chris (Apr 22, 2010)

if you are still in a cycle or you are done the cycle but have no live stock then don't turn on the lights at all. If the cycle is done get your clean up crew and they will take care of the algea.


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## Cypher (Apr 15, 2006)

pichars! Show me da pichars - and I'll tell you if it's the dreaded GHA or some sort of sea grass. If it's sea grass, I call dibs.


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## herefishyfishy (Jan 24, 2011)

Pichars too come tonight.... Lol

As for the lights, thought u had to keep em on for the LR??


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## GT3 (Nov 24, 2010)

??

During cycling no light. 

After it is cycled you can put some light, the green stuff sounds like green hair algae, I am still battling with my tank so cant give u a solution yet.


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

Green hair algae is quite fine like cotton candy and pull off quite easily. Yeah...a pic will help in the ID 

Generally in new systems, different types of macro algae will sprout. More often than not, they fade away from being eaten by fish, snails and crabs or just outcompeted for light and "food" by "chosen and desired" corals that we put in.

Just part of the "evolution" of a reef system.


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## herefishyfishy (Jan 24, 2011)

Ok, finally got some pics goin. One is a full tank shot. all the activity is happening on the left side. the rest are zoomed in shots of the greenie stuff. kinda hard too see because it is so fine.

I have stopped the lights now (hopefully not too late). hope that helps...


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## Cypher (Apr 15, 2006)

Really fuzzy pictures, so cant see the problem too well. That being said, it's far to small to be any type of sea grass or display grade macro algae. 

I think it's hair algae. Incidentally I still have 1 hair algae eating mexican turbo snail up for sale (lol).


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## herefishyfishy (Jan 24, 2011)

The snail sounds tempting but I'm still cycling....

So what is the best way to tackle this problem???


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## Cypher (Apr 15, 2006)

Well, hair algae is all part of the process so take it in stride... once your tank cycles, stock it first with a cleanup crew. Snails and hermit crabs that eat hair algae. Not trying to push a sale - LOL. FYI: not all snails and hermit crabs eat hair algae. I've seen and used mine to wipe out an outbreak of hair algae in one of my tanks. Now there's nothing for it to eat.

FYI 2: Hermit crabs will sometimes hunt down and kill your snails for their meat and shells. So you can do an all snail CUC instead. Hermit crabs aren't a necessary part of a CUC, but some people like to have them around. Up to you.


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## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

I have a hermit that climbed onto a snails shell to eat teh hair algae and left the shell bare of it. the snail was not happy with the unwanted rider.


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