I have a specific algae problem (1 Viewer)

[Skip]

I have a problem with one specific type of algae, and not sure what to do. It is pictured below. I had it take over all of my rock and overflows, so I took everything out and scrubbed it. two weeks later, it is coming back. I am running GFO, my tang never ate it, my lawnmower blenny seems to not be eaiting it, I bought a tank load of snails that ate other algaes but left this one. It gets thick like hair algae, but not shaped like it. It is like a short dark tight patterened palm leaf. I held off some time from water changes because the LFS thought I was doing them too often(10% 10-14 days) and was creating a long cycling process over the past 6 monnths. But I just started resuming my waterchange schedule.

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[SmnParish]

Looks like bryopsis, nothing will eat it. Only way I have heard will get rid of it is to (slowly) raise your mag levels to around 1500 using only the kent liquid magnesium supplement (has something special in it that others don't)

 

[reeflover]

Looks like bryopsis, nothing will eat it. Only way I have heard will get rid of it is to (slowly) raise your mag levels to around 1500 using only the kent liquid magnesium supplement (has something special in it that others don't)

Agreed! Be careful of your snails or move them to another tank. Snails don't do well with high Mg levels either.

 

[Nanofreak79]

I have what looks to be very similar algae that grows between some of my polyps of zoas and palys. I have never had it on my rocks though. I keep emerald crabs and they munch it all down whenever it pops up. Like all algae it needs nutriets and light to thrive, take that away and you should be able to tame it. As far as W/C's all your bacteria is in the rock and sand etc. doing those small changes is just fine, thats a good way to export some of those nutrients. I'm not sure how long you have been running GFO, but it can take awhile before it starts making a noticable difference.

 

[Alunai]

"Yay! I have briopsis!!" said no one, ever. I've got a bit of this in my 5.5 also. Tech M is supposed to take care of it. I haven't tried the stuff yet, but David Grigor suggested it to me before and he's usually got pretty solid advice.

I'm assuming that you're already aware of the cyano-bacteria that is also taking residence on your rocks.

Also, I didn't really think it was possible to do water changes too often...

And Simon, everything is eaten by something. It's just whether or not you have luck in finding it.

 

[SmnParish]

I have what looks to be very similar algae that grows between some of my polyps of zoas and palys. I have never had it on my rocks though. I keep emerald crabs and they munch it all down whenever it pops up. Like all algae it needs nutriets and light to thrive, take that away and you should be able to tame it. As far as W/C's all your bacteria is in the rock and sand etc. doing those small changes is just fine, thats a good way to export some of those nutrients. I'm not sure how long you have been running GFO, but it can take awhile before it starts making a noticable difference.

Are your zoas/palys on non-ceramic plugs?

 

[Nanofreak79]

Looks like bryopsis, nothing will eat it. Only way I have heard will get rid of it is to (slowly) raise your mag levels to around 1500 using only the kent liquid magnesium supplement (has something special in it that others don't)

This can work too, although you'll need levels around 1600-1800 for a steady couple weeks most likely. Make sure to do alot of pruning and gardening firstlol BTW if you need a bottle LMK I can bring it to the swap for ya. Oh.......don't raise more than 75-100ppm every day or two, until you hit your mark.

 

[Nanofreak79]

Are your zoas/palys on non-ceramic plugs?

No i got these from a member here and they were on small rubble rock. I have been able to keep it contained to just the two pieces I received. thank god for crabs. I'll notice a sp[rout and then next morning its gone. Why the plug question.

 

[Skip]

I'm assuming that you're already aware of the cyano-bacteria that is also taking residence on your rocks.

I don't have any cyano in my tank. Your probably looking at the rock that has a lot of definition and coraline with sand on it also.

I just read a 12 page thing on 3reef about this algae. Not excited. I know where I got it, and it was on a piece of frogspawn and on the pictured rock. I left it in there, and it took off over time. My mistake. Now I have a headache.

 

[deneed4spd]

Sometimes u luck out with a tang. My sailfin seems to eat it

 

[Skip]

Sometimes u luck out with a tang. My sailfin seems to eat it

I am afraid of adding a tang. I lost my LT tang last week and constantly faught ich with it. Years ago I had a Hippo that I never had to worry about. But my LT did nothing with it.

 

[Alunai]

Sure looks like Cyano to me, it looks soft and appears to have the bubbles and everything. Obviously it's not the focus of the photo and I could be wrong, but that's certainly what it looks like to me. Just thought I should point it out.

 

[Skip]

I know it looks like it but surely it is not. Thanks for pointing it out tho!

 

[SmnParish]

Loos like coralline covered rock with sand on it to me

 

[Jager]

thought rabbit fish ate bryopsis

and emerald crabs?

dunno

high magnesium eats it, i know that for sure, as well as Tech M

 

[David Grigor]

Like others have said looks like your classic case of byropsis. Kent Tech M will take care of it. Search for the exact ppm you should keep your Mg elevated too.

 

[ArstenA]

Tech m will help but it is hard to maintain the high levels if your doing regular water changes because it has to raise slowly.

Rabbit fish will not eat it.

Most Emerald crabs won't touch it either.

Peroxide works wonders if you can take the rock out. Just put a few drops on the effected area. Let sit for a couple minutes then rinse and put back in the tank.

 

[David Grigor]

Tech m will help but it is hard to maintain the high levels if your doing regular water changes because it has to raise slowly.

That's an easy fix. Just match your fresh saltwater mix to be the same as the show tank. The water change will be then have no effect.

 

[ArstenA]

That's an easy fix. Just match your fresh saltwater mix to be the same as the show tank. The water change will be then have no effect.

But it takes a ton of tech m.

 

[deneed4spd]

also heard there might be other versions of the stuff that sometimes doesnt get affected by tech m.