Annoying Algae (? & Pics)

SurfsUP · 08-05-2001, 02:06 PM

I have this algae for the last few months and I just can't get rid of it. I pull it out every week but it comes right back again. My small purple tang won't touch it. Can someone ID it and provide any suggestions on how I could rid it for good? Thanks.

mastaJ · 08-05-2001, 08:28 PM

Some type of calurpa??? To get rid of it, I've heard that if you put a acid on it, the acid will react with something in the life form to terminate it (ie. destroy, lol) For the acid, I'd try vinegar. Then rinse it off with tank water and put it back into the tank (don't do it IN the tank) HTH, just a couple of suggestions you might want to try...

Callie · 08-05-2001, 10:09 PM

Looks like Bryopsis to me. I've had it and it's a major pain to get rid of.
There is a nudibranch that eats it, don't reember the name though.

The best you can do is just pull it out as often as you can. It comes out easiest when it's in a decent sized clump, small clumps and single strands are harder to get hold of. Add some fast growing macro algae to help use up nutrients. C Racemosa or C serrulata or C prolifera, best to put them in your sump or refugium if you have one, they will take over your tank if given the chance.

Took a couple months for mine to clear up. I still get a little patch here and there but it's easy enough to keep under control. Sally lightfoot and emerald crabs will sometimes eat the stubble, but they may decide to eat your corals too. Fish won't touch it.

Good luck!
Kathy

PerryinCA · 08-05-2001, 10:41 PM

That is bryopsis, and is truly a plague. I have been fighting it constantly for months. It will come, and then start to recede, and then grow back in full force. Lettuce "nudibranches" (actually sea slugs) T. crispatawill eat it, but really aren't that great of a help. Best thing you can do it take it out by hand, cut back on feeding, skim, introduce macro algaes that will overcompete.

If it is limited to a few rocks, or small area, take the rock out, throw it away and call it a loss and don't rip it off the rock. The individual peices will float around the tank and cause it to spread. You DON'T want this to spread as it can be all but impossible ot get rid of. Some people have success by adding tons of snails (of all types) and blue leg hermits which will snack on it.

Also, but keeping Ca and buffer levels up, you'll promote coraline growth which can inhibit the spread.

Good Luck, and let us know how it goes.

-Perry

organicreefer · 08-06-2001, 10:23 PM

ive been battling this stuff for a while now

.tried the slugs ,they dont make much of an impact,and if you pull out clumps it just seems to come back stronger.what i have found is there is a green "sheet"that is on the rock after you pull off the clump...if you scratch or brush this "sheet" off the bryopsis is much less likely to come back.if you do clean this stuff ,pull the rock out beforehand and clean it in some tank water, so nothing gets left in the tank
also i agree with perry ..if possible just get rid of the rock that it is on.

FishKid · 08-06-2001, 11:19 PM

My queen conches make very short work of it! but, It still grows back, but they help out big time! one of my conches cleaned off the entire side (which was encrusted!) and grew about 3" in little over a week! A hitch hiker caulerpa species is helping me out, but I see another problem on the rise... HTH

mark

Bubafat · 08-07-2001, 02:51 AM

I concur with everyone else.

One question, what kind of camera are you using, very nice macro's.

Buba

Mikeman · 08-07-2001, 04:17 AM

actually to me it looks pretty, but then again I don't have to take it out of my tank every week

organicreefer · 08-07-2001, 08:34 PM

mikeman ,in my tank it has a nice irredescent blue sheen
....i hate this stuff.also i forgot to add i have been pulling/scraping it off,and then puttin a rock or what ever on top of where it was growing ...im finally getting ahead,and i think i may eventually win.

Firefish · 08-08-2001, 09:49 AM

Ya, I want to know what kind of camera you're using too. Nice shots.

chromis · 08-08-2001, 11:05 AM

I have noticed one good aspect of it in my tank, the pods love it! I counted up to 50 pods on a 2 inch piece the other day. When I was cleaning the glass with the mag float I went around it, so now I have a sort of pod haven. It seems to be dying, turning brown. Probably cant compete with a refugium w/7 types of macros

organicreefer · 08-08-2001, 09:06 PM

chromis,ive experienced the same thing too ,amphipods are the ONLY thing ive seen eat it.removeing the rock to a seperate tank and letting the amphipods eliminate it has also been a stadegy that worked for me

SurfsUP · 08-08-2001, 09:47 PM

Thanks guys for all your help. This Bryopsis algae is a pain the a$$. I've had bryopsis in my tank in the beginning but it was in small quantities and they disappeared after I pulled them out, but the area in the picture is the worst case. And it seems to be getting worst, spreading to the rocks on the side. I got rid of the small 6" rock in the picture but the larger 2' rock has lots of button polyps and soft corals. The small 6" rock was completely covered with orange/green button polyps before the attack. Here is a pic of the polyp rock before it's death:

I took all the pic's with my Nikon 990. Great camera but a little hard to use.

08-05-2001, 02:06 PM	#1
SurfsUP Tenant Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 56	Annoying Algae (? & Pics) I have this algae for the last few months and I just can't get rid of it. I pull it out every week but it comes right back again. My small purple tang won't touch it. Can someone ID it and provide any suggestions on how I could rid it for good? Thanks.

08-05-2001, 08:28 PM	#2
mastaJ Council Join Date: May 2001 Location: Lakeville, MN Posts: 294	Some type of calurpa??? To get rid of it, I've heard that if you put a acid on it, the acid will react with something in the life form to terminate it (ie. destroy, lol) For the acid, I'd try vinegar. Then rinse it off with tank water and put it back into the tank (don't do it IN the tank) HTH, just a couple of suggestions you might want to try... __________________ -mastaJ

08-08-2001, 09:49 AM	#10
Firefish Mayor Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Douglas, Ma Posts: 775	Ya, I want to know what kind of camera you're using too. Nice shots. __________________ In matters of principle, stand like a rock; in matters of taste, swim with the current. -- Thomas Jefferson

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08-05-2001, 10:09 PM	#3
Callie Just Moved In Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Phoenix, AZ USA Posts: 26	Looks like Bryopsis to me. I've had it and it's a major pain to get rid of. There is a nudibranch that eats it, don't reember the name though. The best you can do is just pull it out as often as you can. It comes out easiest when it's in a decent sized clump, small clumps and single strands are harder to get hold of. Add some fast growing macro algae to help use up nutrients. C Racemosa or C serrulata or C prolifera, best to put them in your sump or refugium if you have one, they will take over your tank if given the chance. Took a couple months for mine to clear up. I still get a little patch here and there but it's easy enough to keep under control. Sally lightfoot and emerald crabs will sometimes eat the stubble, but they may decide to eat your corals too. Fish won't touch it. Good luck! Kathy

08-05-2001, 10:41 PM	#4
PerryinCA Governor Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Folsom, CA Posts: 2,103	That is bryopsis, and is truly a plague. I have been fighting it constantly for months. It will come, and then start to recede, and then grow back in full force. Lettuce "nudibranches" (actually sea slugs) T. crispatawill eat it, but really aren't that great of a help. Best thing you can do it take it out by hand, cut back on feeding, skim, introduce macro algaes that will overcompete. If it is limited to a few rocks, or small area, take the rock out, throw it away and call it a loss and don't rip it off the rock. The individual peices will float around the tank and cause it to spread. You DON'T want this to spread as it can be all but impossible ot get rid of. Some people have success by adding tons of snails (of all types) and blue leg hermits which will snack on it. Also, but keeping Ca and buffer levels up, you'll promote coraline growth which can inhibit the spread. Good Luck, and let us know how it goes. -Perry

08-06-2001, 10:23 PM	#5
organicreefer Governor Join Date: May 2001 Location: Northern CA Posts: 2,171	ive been battling this stuff for a while now .tried the slugs ,they dont make much of an impact,and if you pull out clumps it just seems to come back stronger.what i have found is there is a green "sheet"that is on the rock after you pull off the clump...if you scratch or brush this "sheet" off the bryopsis is much less likely to come back.if you do clean this stuff ,pull the rock out beforehand and clean it in some tank water, so nothing gets left in the tank also i agree with perry ..if possible just get rid of the rock that it is on.

08-06-2001, 11:19 PM	#6
FishKid Governor Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Holbrook, NewYork, USA Posts: 1,799	My queen conches make very short work of it! but, It still grows back, but they help out big time! one of my conches cleaned off the entire side (which was encrusted!) and grew about 3" in little over a week! A hitch hiker caulerpa species is helping me out, but I see another problem on the rise... HTH mark

08-07-2001, 02:51 AM	#7
Bubafat Tenant Join Date: May 2001 Location: MN: To damn cold to reef here Posts: 52	I concur with everyone else. One question, what kind of camera are you using, very nice macro's. Buba

08-07-2001, 04:17 AM	#8
Mikeman Governor Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Watertown,SD,USA Posts: 1,502	actually to me it looks pretty, but then again I don't have to take it out of my tank every week

08-07-2001, 08:34 PM	#9
organicreefer Governor Join Date: May 2001 Location: Northern CA Posts: 2,171	mikeman ,in my tank it has a nice irredescent blue sheen ....i hate this stuff.also i forgot to add i have been pulling/scraping it off,and then puttin a rock or what ever on top of where it was growing ...im finally getting ahead,and i think i may eventually win.

08-08-2001, 11:05 AM	#11
chromis Mayor Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Lynchburg, Virginia Posts: 518	I have noticed one good aspect of it in my tank, the pods love it! I counted up to 50 pods on a 2 inch piece the other day. When I was cleaning the glass with the mag float I went around it, so now I have a sort of pod haven. It seems to be dying, turning brown. Probably cant compete with a refugium w/7 types of macros

08-08-2001, 09:06 PM	#12
organicreefer Governor Join Date: May 2001 Location: Northern CA Posts: 2,171	chromis,ive experienced the same thing too ,amphipods are the ONLY thing ive seen eat it.removeing the rock to a seperate tank and letting the amphipods eliminate it has also been a stadegy that worked for me

08-08-2001, 09:47 PM	#13
SurfsUP Tenant Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 56	Thanks guys for all your help. This Bryopsis algae is a pain the a$$. I've had bryopsis in my tank in the beginning but it was in small quantities and they disappeared after I pulled them out, but the area in the picture is the worst case. And it seems to be getting worst, spreading to the rocks on the side. I got rid of the small 6" rock in the picture but the larger 2' rock has lots of button polyps and soft corals. The small 6" rock was completely covered with orange/green button polyps before the attack. Here is a pic of the polyp rock before it's death: I took all the pic's with my Nikon 990. Great camera but a little hard to use.

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