Guess the algae

[Aquattro]

Anyone want to take a guess at what this is? Looks like bryopsis, but short and bushy. Best I could do for pics after water change

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd101/reef_raf/OI000051_zpsmxgk0bee.jpg

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd101/reef_raf/OI000052_zpswho3acvd.jpg

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd101/reef_raf/OI000053_zpswllvkxux.jpg[/QUOTE]

[Cbass]

Looks like green hair algae to me


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[Aquattro]

Denser, won't pull off, fern like leaves to it.

[Ryanerickson]

Ace pumping is a bryopsis expert he can tell between different strains I would talk to him

[Aquattro]

And, to add insult to injury, historically I have had a huge battle with NO3, some PO4. Haven't even bothered testing in forever, until right now. Both PO4 and NO3 at 0ppm. FML

Just did water change, going to hit it with the Kent Mg OD, see what that does. Some of the algae elsewhere is bryopsis for sure, and this stuff looks similar.

Recent sea hare addition didn't touch it, and has apparently died. Or is hiding REALLY well :)

[TimT]

I'd say bryopsis as well.

with high algae loads you will have 0 no3 and po4 due to uptake of algae.

1500+ mg was no help to me against bryopsis.

Seahares can bury themselves as well.

Might be time for a turf scrubber.

[Aquattro]

Might be time for a turf scrubber.

I think if the Mg doesn't do it, I'm packing it up. Out of ideas and not motivated to do more.

[TimT]

If your not into the turf scrubber then my suggestion would be adding vodka/vinegar and Foz Down directly into display tank(not sump or reactor) multiple times per day. The bacteria and Foz Down will out compete the algae for NO3 and PO4 and it will eventually die off.

[input80]

Diy nitrate reactor and/or algae turf scrubber (like Tim stated)

[Aquattro]

Running fozdown AND granules AND pellets now, and may look at replacing all the rock in a couple weeks. I can't really fit a scrubber into this, so not an option.
You think VSV/fozdown is a better option?

[Aquattro]

Diy nitrate reactor and/or algae turf scrubber (like Tim stated)

no room for scrubber in this setup

[TimT]

With stubborn algae the key is to starve it. Any nitrate and phosphate released in the DT needs to be immediately neutralized. Can't wait until it theoretically reaches the sump because the algae grabs it before it gets to the sump.

[input80]

ahhhh ok. I don't believe it has to be in the same sump, just connected on the side :biggrin:

[Aquattro]

With stubborn algae the key is to starve it. Any nitrate and phosphate released in the DT needs to be immediately neutralized. Can't wait until it theoretically reaches the sump because the algae grabs it before it gets to the sump.

Makes sense. i'll give that some thought.

[Aquattro]

ahhhh ok. I don't believe it has to be in the same sump, just connected on the side :biggrin:

Can't really, little kid loose in the room, wife wouldn't be happy. Anything I do has to be contained within the stand.

[GoFish]

What about Lettuce nudis? Tech M didn't work for me either. The nudi made it disappear, until one day there was no more bryopsis and it died :(. That could at least give you a second option of control while you try the Foz Down VV method

[Aquattro]

What about Lettuce nudis?

I have about 12k GPH of flow in a 100g cube, not sure they would last long without hitting a pump :)

[Aquattro]

Anyone got any good plans for a DIY NO3 reactor?

[AquaAddict]

I had an 80% breakout of red fuzzy algae in my 100 gal tank. I used Instant Ocean's Nitrate Reducer with pretty good success. I still have a little of it but I can't scrub it off the rocks. I have to let the IO NR do it's thing - at a double dose. It took a year. When it dies, it turns orange and then I can toothbrush it off.

At that point I had PO4 spike and used FozDown to reduce it. I think a combination of methods would be best.

Using IONR puts the micro beads into the rocks where nitrates like to hang out, raise big families and grow luxurious gardens.

AquaAddict

[input80]

Anyone got any good plans for a DIY NO3 reactor?

Have you contacted monocus about this yet? he has built 2 of them for me; I honestly believe they have helped a lot on both tanks.

[Aquattro]

Have you contacted monocus about this yet? he has built 2 of them for me; I honestly believe they have helped a lot on both tanks.

No, got distracted on other things, I will now :)

[acepumping]

Ace pumping is a bryopsis expert he can tell between different strains I would talk to him

haha had to learn when I was diagnosed with it from a breeder locally!! wink wink!

[Aquattro]

haha had to learn when I was diagnosed with it from a breeder locally!! wink wink!

tips, tricks, ID?? :)

[acepumping]

mag at 1700 Kent tech-m
lower nutrients.
cut light time down.. all the basics as you know already.
but yes! I did pull off as much as I could and starved it..
it did disappear..

here is one link:
helped me I'd
possibly bryopsis plumosa

http://www.algaebase.org/search/species/detail/?species_id=10

[Aquattro]

Googled that one, pics look very similar. Thanks

I've got nutrients to 0ppm, pulling what I can touch, Mg on it's way up now, but started at 1150. Probably 1350 tonight, will get it up to 1700 and try to keep it there, but only have 4L of Mg.
What did you do for lights? Shorter period, or days of darkness?

[acepumping]

Googled that one, pics look very similar. Thanks

I've got nutrients to 0ppm, pulling what I can touch, Mg on it's way up now, but started at 1150. Probably 1350 tonight, will get it up to 1700 and try to keep it there, but only have 4L of Mg.
What did you do for lights? Shorter period, or days of darkness?

cut my hours down by 2.5 and raised magnesium real fast.
corals took a small hit. but nothing Bad

[Aquattro]

raised magnesium real fast.


How fast is fast? I'm brave :)

[acepumping]

How fast is fast? I'm brave :)

let's put it this way!! I free poured haha.

I didn't have specific amount. tested next day and spiked it up 350 lol

[Aquattro]

lol.. Ok, that gives me enough to play with :)

[gregzz4]

Brad, I think all your problems are stemming from your purchase of 'dead' rock and too many critters too fast.
Didn't you start with dry rock, and then switch to Walt Smith stuff ? And all the while you were adding your livestock ?
And while you were trying to deal with your LR/whatever rock, you added a fairly large amount of fish with high feeding demands ... ??

Forgive me for bringing it all up, I have no idea what I'm talking about

[Aquattro]

Greg, I ran dead rock for a couple months maybe, then moved over to all Walt Smith rock.
Yes, I had a lot of die off that couldn't be removed, although pulling all the sand has apparently helped, nutrients are now at 0. I'm probably going in the rigth direction now, and Tim's advice is good, adding fozdown and carbon source directly to the tank.
Removing by hand is tough, as it's short little clusters that don't come off easily, although I got a bit out last night with tweezers.
I might look at cheato for sump if I can add some light and find some cheato :)

I still have some sand and crap behind the rock that I'm struggling to get at, I might have to stick a pump down in the back and blow it out

Topping up Mg on Dave's accelerated program now, hopefully I'm one of the lucky ones that gets some results from it.

[TimT]

I still have some sand and crap behind the rock that I'm struggling to get at, I might have to stick a pump down in the back and blow it out

Before you do that try a siphon hose inside some 1/2" pvc to get in behind the rocks. Another option is to zip strap siphon hose to an old wire coat hanger.

[Aquattro]

Before you do that try a siphon hose inside some 1/2" pvc to get in behind the rocks. Another option is to zip strap siphon hose to an old wire coat hanger.

Ya, thought of the pipe trick, I'll try to get it out without mixing it up if at all possible :)

[Myka]

Brad,this thing looks silly, and it's like $80 or some silly thing, but it actually works really well for filamentous algae removal.

https://goo.gl/images/QhQCTT

I saw it at MACNA 2012 and thought it was the stupidest thing ever but a client bought one and I tried it out, and I like it.

[WarDog]

Wonder if that would work on bubble algae?... nevermind, I want to start over anyways.

[Aquattro]

Brad,this thing looks silly, and it's like $80 or some silly thing, but it actually works really well for filamentous algae removal.

https://goo.gl/images/QhQCTT

I saw it at MACNA 2012 and thought it was the stupidest thing ever but a client bought one and I tried it out, and I like it.

Yup, it does look silly :)