Halimeda - Not really now...

[Gizmo]

I'm not sure where this came from, but I have this crap growing everywhere now, chewing up my calcium reserves to the point my CA reactor has a steady stream of CO2 just to keep up. Is there a tang or fish that eats this stuff? Or does anyone know a way of removing it (other than 1 piece at a time)

thx

[globaldesigns]

Just want to verify, you mean this stuff:

http://www.liveaquaria.com/images/categories/product/p-80740-halimeda.jpg

I had this also, had no big problem with it, but when I wanted to put some SPS where this stuff was, I just plucked it out. Can't you just grab it and remove it? Just wondering...

Researching things I found this: Similar to chaeto, few animals will eat Halimeda except for one echinoderm, an urchin called Clypeaster rosaceus

[Gizmo]

Yea thats the crap, Its growing from under zoo colonies and other such corals. Turning into quite the pest. Some of its turning black/brown w some white.

[BlueAbyss]

The black / brown stuff is dying, just pluck it off.

Actually, once a week pluck all that you can see... a couple major harvests will kill it. Halimeda doesn't tolerate heavy pruning.

[Gizmo]

So it turned out not to be Halimeda, here is a pic. Its just growing EVERYWHERE!

http://www.unitedconstruction.ca/gizmo/DSCN0705(Small).JPG
http://www.unitedconstruction.ca/gizmo/DSCN0708(Small).JPG

Any ideas?

thx

[marie]

Dictyota...horrible stuff, as far as I'm concerned the worst pest algae out there

[fkshiu]

Naso tangs will eat it and so might foxfaces.

[Jason McK]

I found that when I was running Zeovit I had a ton of it. Then after Zeo and resuming a higher level of ALK it's all gone. Almost over night

J

[Gizmo]

I did check the levels today and alk is up at 13.6. Probably the highest its been. Cal is at 380. I'm running a phosban reactor, and checking the water column, its zero. NO3 is about 5ppm. Magnesium is 1440 and iodine is .1+ mg/L Ph is 8.1 and salinity is 1.021 I guess i'll start pruning it tomorrow. Figures. :)

[BlueAbyss]

I have some Dichtyota, but it's not a strong grower for me. I leave it, mine is a pretty blue color. None of my herbivorous animals will touch it.