Algae id

Llorgon · May 29, 2023

Looking for a positive I'd on this algae I have been fighting for about a year now. Grows really quick, nothing seems to eat it, easy to pull off rocks and kind of blows lose in the water.

vetteguy53081 · May 29, 2023

Llorgon said:
Looking for a positive I'd on this algae I have been fighting for about a year now. Grows really quick, nothing seems to eat it, easy to pull off rocks and kind of blows lose in the water.

Looks like derbesia
Do you have a pic of the tank under white lighting?

Llorgon · May 30, 2023

vetteguy53081 said:
Looks like derbesia
Do you have a pic of the tank under white lighting?

These are the best I have at the moment. I'll try and take more today.

vetteguy53081 · May 30, 2023

Llorgon said:
These are the best I have at the moment. I'll try and take more today.

While the appearance looks like GHA, it looks like derbesia on the microscope image
Removal is best accomplished by taking the rock out of tank and placing in a container of tank water. Then you will want to pull as much as you can by hand and discard. With a dental pick or small crochet needle, pull the roots off the rock. YOU MUST GET EVERY ROOT OR IT WILL SIMPLY RETURN !!
After you are done return rock to tank and reduce white light intensity and even hours of white light and add the following cleaners which will help with control. These guys will consume bryopsis but not as fast as bryopsis can grow - They will never keep up.
Pin cushion urchin, Chiton snails, pitho crabs, and larger astrea snails

This procedure is not as bad or time consuming as it seems. Assure phosphate levels do not become elevated which helps feed this algae