Hair Algae Bryopsis Problem

[burtpark]

Hey Guys,

I've been battling hair algae in my reef for the past year and it won't disappear. It's a 29g reef, all the parameters are perfect, 0 nitrate, 0 phosphate, good circulation, 10 hour photoperiod of new 65x2 power compacts (replaced yearly). Basically, I feel like I'm doing everything right, but I guess I'm not since the bryopsis keeps coming. I have PLENTY of hermit crabs and snails, crabs, etc.

I've followed EVERYTHING the books and the posts were saying but I just can't get rid of it. I use RO water, phosphate remover, etc. Do any of you guys have any miracle discoveries or methods of getting rid of it?

Thanks so much in advance.

 

[Mihai]

Skimmer? It seems that a good skimmer can make LOTS of difference with algae (see Reef Invertebraes by Fenner and Calfo). And of course natural predation would help (tank too small for a tang, but perhaps not too smal for an urchin).

M.

 

[Jolieve]

A good skimmer is absolutely the key to removing this crap and keeping it gone from your system.

For your size tank, I recommend the Aqua C Remora. The Remora will remove all of the die off as it leaves the system.

Tangs don't eat hair algae, urchins are hit or miss with eating it. Most things won't touch the stuff. Your best method for getting rid of this crap is going to be agressive skimming and manual removal via scrubbing rocks with a dedicated tank brush, or siphoning the material out during water changes (which does actually work from time to time).

Good luck. I spent a year battling this stuff too, and only when I spend 250$ on a good protien skimmer, did I defeat it. You will too.

J.

 

[elpescado]

Tangs don't eat hair algae

Actually some bristle toothed tangs are very efficient hair algae eaters (from the Genus Acanthurus), but every tang is an individual with their own likes and dislikes.

As for the algae, are you sure it is Bryopsis? Do the fillaments have a tight feathery appearance, occuringing in tufts, and being somewhat tough? Or soft elongated strands that are easy to tear out?
If it is a rather soft algae then it is most likely Derbesia sp..
Assuming it is Bryopsis sp. then it grows like members of the Genus Caulerpa. It can feed on, phosphates, any nitrogenous compounds, absorb organic nutrients, photosynthesize, iron, potassium, etc., etc..
If it is using predominantly organic nutrients then heavy protein skimming will get rid of it, but there may more factors involved. You just have to address each one by process of elimination to solve the problem. Sometimes just changing the light spectrum is enough to get rid of it.

If the algae is of the Genus Derbesia then some of the same things can be a factor, but some differnt things also can, and usually do, play a role. Beceause Derbesia is so soft and dense it traps detritis. In tanks with good trace element content and a stable nitrogen cycle Derbesia usually occurs in areas of low water flow. Localized pH drops can occur in these areas causing the precipitation organic phosphate (standard phosphate test kits do not test for this form of phosphate). The Derbesia fibers trap the organic phosphate precipitate and the algae feeds on it. The more the algae grows the more precipitate and detritis it traps and the more food it has to feed on (snowball effect). They are called "micro environments" that occur within the aquarium. Increase waterflow in the problem areas, manually remove the Derbesia (electric tooth brushes work great), and eventually the algae goes away.

The first step is to make a list of all possible reasons the algae is growing in the spot it is, and by process of elimination you will eventually get to the answer. (Not the answer most people want to hear, but more times than not there is no easy answer).
Good luck.