sick of turf algae...

[LilBugger225]

I'm so sick of my turf algae problem. You can't pull out the stuff without spreading it, the stuff you can pull up anyways. I've tried everything, emerald crabs, lettuce nudibrachs, getting a yellow tang, checking phosphates regularly etc. Now the stuff is growing on the base of my sps and I know its just a matter of time before it kills them. So my new approach is going to be drastic. I have decided to pull out all the rocks that have the turf algae and chisel away the rock where the algae is attached. This is for the rocks that just have patches of the stuff. For the rocks that have alot (more than 75% covered) I'm just going to pull them out and buy new rocks. Has anyone tried chiseling away this stuff? Did it work? Any other thoughts? Any advice is much appreciated.

Erica

 

[SteveP]

Some options:

1. The tang may start eating algae if you reduce the amount of food you put in the tank. This will also reduce the amount nutrients in the water - a good thing.

2. Try setting up a refugium with some caulerpa in it. They suck up nutrients pretty quickly, depriving the turf algae.

3. Turbo snails got rid of my turf algae in a matter of days. Try them if you don't already have them.

What have you done to reduce the nutrient load so far? What type of filtration do you use?

Steve
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[ May 02, 2002: Message edited by: SteveP ]</p>

 

[XXX]

Mexican turbos will get it done.

 

[Anonymous]

i love my turbos.

they do a great job of cleaning house.

 

[LilBugger225]

My turbos don't touch the stuff. This algae is like a lawn and is rooted in the rock. The tang picks at it a little bit but not enough to stop it from spreading. To reduce the nutrient load I have reduced feeding and have performed more frequent water changes. It just keeps spreading, it's not spreading really fast, but to the point now that the places it selects to grow are just way too close to my stony corals.

 

[Anonymous]

Try reducing your photoperiod. I turned my lights off for a couple of days awhile back, to help with a green hair algea problem. After 2 days in the dark, I reduced the photoperiod to 3 hours per day (MH and VHO). I increased the photperiod by 1/2 hour per week. I'm up to about 5 hours a day now. This, combined with reduced feeding, bi-weekly 25% WC's, scrubbing the algea off the rock with a toothbrush, and taking a couple of fish back to LFS

, has greatly reduced the algea problem I was having. Soon I expect it to be 100% eradicated!

My 2 cents.

Louey

[ May 04, 2002: Message edited by: Louey ]</p>

 

[sparks]

I have read that turkey blasting or power heading all that debris, dust etc of your LR will go a long way to reducing the "fertilizers" that hair algea feeds on, I hope that's what you have.
Then use a cannister or similar to filter it out.
-Certainly keep a very low (fish) bio load.
-Always use RO or DI water.
-Dose Kalk, replace your evaporation with kalk.
-Regular water changes, use IO etc if you don't
trust your local real stuff.
-Get more snails all sorts and heaps,
acclimatize them slowly too.
-Get an Urchin or two, i found THEY helped mine.
-Set up an algea scrubber, lights on 24/7.
-Get a BIGGER skimmer or make certain yours is working to max, a good skimmer is a huge help in keeping proteins, nutrients etc reduced.
-Tangs, Foxfaces, etc all help a bit.
-Stop adding too much stuff to your tank, all i had is Kalk, Food, SeaChem builder.
-Don't ever use any form of filter pad, wool etc long term, as these create areas for debris to harbour, and cause more nutrient problems.
-Reducing lighting is only a band aid fix, it will slow algea but not stop it, find the cause.
-Replace any tubes, Mh's that are old or even getting old, colour shift can cause outbreaks.
Hope some of these will help you, i know algea is such a curse, and its just a matter of getting all things running just right, remember most changes in a reef take forever to show any result, good or bad.
I'm also sure hair can appear quick and sometimes go just as quick. GOOD LUCK.

 

[cerreta]

Sparks, that's it dude... thanks!!! I'm having a similar problem and your comments sparked a memory. I used to use several urchins in a 55 gal trash barrell when curing live rock. The Mine urchins would literally suck an entire rock face clean in about 24 hours. I have also used them before in the main tank to target specific rocks (although the buggers wouldn't always stay where you put em).
Trip to the LFS tomorrow. Thanks man!!

 

[LilBugger225]

Well, I decided to order some more turbos and see how that helps. These ones are the mexican turbos that were talked about earlier in this thread. They should be arriving tommarow. Maybe the turbos I have are just lazy or because they are astreas they aren't doing as good of a job on this stuff. I get nervous about urchins knocking over stuff in my tank. If the snails don't help I will think about that though. I am just taking out a couple of the really affected rocks and I will just leave the others alone that don't have as much turf on them. Scrubbing with a toothbrush does nothing with this type of algae. Like I said its like a lawn rooted in the rock. You can't even pull the stuff out and have much of an effect on it. I will do more regular water changes. I do not use any kind of filter pads. My skimmer is pretty efficient. I have never had any problems with any other algaes really. Thanks for all the advice

Erica

 

[phislet]

What kind of urchins do you recommend? The black long spines? I heard they can do a number on softies.

 

[sparks]

The Urchins I have and seem to be one of the best on most types of algea is Tripneustes Gratilla www.massonline.org/frames/livestock/inverts/urchins.html
I know they come from our local waters the Barrier Reef but else where i don't know.
I have little problems with my urchins moving the LR, just be sure to get smaller ones, about golf ball size.

 

[sparks]

Sorry try this http://www.mass-online.org/frames/livestock/inverts/inverts.html

 

[rgardiner]

Consider a refugium to grow macroalgae for regular thinning and removal - nutrient export would probably be key.