Help Me Out

[fsu1dolfan]

I have been dealing with a decent HA and Bryopsis outbreak. I have been working on the issue and dosing the tank Kent Tech M for the bryopsis. Plus i have been manually picking it all out. My light (MH) are only on for 5 hrs a day and i have cut back my feeding a lot since i no longer have my mandarin goby. I only feed once every other day and sometimes longer. I also run GFO in a media bag in one of my chambers.

I am thinking about picking up a Lettuce Slug and/or a Sea Hare. I have been reading about these guys and it seems like lots of conflicting information out there.

Are either of them worth it? What do you think or suggest. Thanks

 

[Electrobes]

I honestly don't think they are. I think, unfortunately, that the best way is just manual removal via tooth brushing it off. It sucks, but it pays off in the end. You current solutions will definitely help leech out the remaining problems to the surface, where you can then attack it until it's all gone.

 

[btkrausen]

What did you bring your Mag up to when dosing the Kent? One thing i've read about a slug or hare is you need to have your pumps and powerheads protected so they can't wonder into them. Might be something to consider

 

[fsu1dolfan]

What did you bring your Mag up to when dosing the Kent? One thing i've read about a slug or hare is you need to have your pumps and powerheads protected so they can't wonder into them. Might be something to consider

My Mag last i checked last week was 1350 and i am still slowly bringing it up. As for my pumps - MP10 - i have the cover on.

Maybe my bulb needs replacing??

 

[btkrausen]

How old are your bulbs? That could be the case, but I think you need to make sure that your stuff going in has fewer phosphates. Rinse out food, for example, is one way. Less feeding is another.

 

[fsu1dolfan]

How old are your bulbs? That could be the case, but I think you need to make sure that your stuff going in has fewer phosphates. Rinse out food, for example, is one way. Less feeding is another.

Yeah i thaw and rinse my food throughly before i put it in my tank. Honestly i dont remember how old my bulb is but i would be guessing 10 months or so. It's a Radium 20K. Do they normally have a 12 month span. And can the light really create that dramatic of a change in algae?

 

[Tabasco1]

Seems like there was just another thread about HA recently with a pretty good link to how to deal with it. I will try to find it. I think the main points were bringing your tanks parameters back into ideal and then alot of manual removal. One key thing I rememebered about the process they talked about having a bowl or container nearby with just regular tap water. They said to grabe as close the the base as possible firmly and remove without letting any filament loose or floating around. Place the stuff you remove in a container to disgard and then rinse your fingers off in the tap before going back for another bunch so that you don't release any filaments back into the tank to establish in another location.

 

[btkrausen]

I've heard the older bulbs can cause trouble with algae, but I would doubt a 10 month old bulb would do it. Keep trying on the Kent on bringing up your Mag. Algae is a hard topic sometimes, since there are so many factors. For instance, one reason I'm completely starting over on my new build is to prevent any of the bubble algae from getting into the new tank. Drastic, I know, but it'll be worth having a tank without that crap again.

 

[fsu1dolfan]

Seems like there was just another thread about HA recently with a pretty good link to how to deal with it. I will try to find it. I think the main points were bringing your tanks parameters back into ideal and then alot of manual removal. One key thing I rememebered about the process they talked about having a bowl or container nearby with just regular tap water. They said to grabe as close the the base as possible firmly and remove without letting any filament loose or floating around. Place the stuff you remove in a container to disgard and then rinse your fingers off in the tap before going back for another bunch so that you don't release any filaments back into the tank to establish in another location.

Yeah i saw that too...and i actually do this on a decent basis. I has just hoping for a new janitor so to speak...i was looking to retire for a little bit LOL.

 

[Tabasco1]

hahaha, was it your thread? That would be hilarious if it was! Maybe beef up your CUC as well after or while you are getting it under control... FOR THE LAST TIME!

 

[jiffy]

ive had the bryopsis problem since i posted my thread about it.. its still not out of my tank and ive been slowly dosing since 3/14 its right up around 1650-1700 now and beginning to start going away "i think" but ive also been plucking at it when ever i see it.. but i think im getting a little hair algae problem again from my R.O system because it is not an R.O.D.I system and is not completely pure it lets in small amounts of phosphates, a friend told me to run the R.O water for a minute before adding it to a bucket for top off or water changes. it lets the R.O system begin doing its job which reduces the phosphates a little.... if you want to look at my thread i also tried a sea hare.. hope this helps bro!

https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/general-reef-discussions/56990-algae-id.html

 

[-Logzor]

I'm also going with bulbs being the problem. Try and replace it asap to see if it helps. I bet that it will make a huge difference.

 

[CJO]

The Tech M will take care of your bryopsis. Hair algae is another story. Old bulbs do not cause an outbreak in hair algae, high nutrients do. Older bulbs may exacerbate the problem, but they are not the cause. If you change the bulbs and get rid of the algae, you will still have a high nutrient problem but will no longer have a way of exporting it.

What do your tests for nitrates and phosphates say? They probably say 0 because the hair algae is using them all up, but if not, it will give you an indication of what is causing it.

How bad is the issue? Do you have any pics? Do you grow any macroalgae?

CJ

 

[fsu1dolfan]

ive had the bryopsis problem since i posted my thread about it.. its still not out of my tank and ive been slowly dosing since 3/14 its right up around 1650-1700 now and beginning to start going away "i think" but ive also been plucking at it when ever i see it.. but i think im getting a little hair algae problem again from my R.O system because it is not an R.O.D.I system and is not completely pure it lets in small amounts of phosphates, a friend told me to run the R.O water for a minute before adding it to a bucket for top off or water changes. it lets the R.O system begin doing its job which reduces the phosphates a little.... if you want to look at my thread i also tried a sea hare.. hope this helps bro!

https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/general-reef-discussions/56990-algae-id.html

Thanks man - I will take a look at your thread.

The Tech M will take care of your bryopsis. Hair algae is another story. Old bulbs do not cause an outbreak in hair algae, high nutrients do. Older bulbs may exacerbate the problem, but they are not the cause. If you change the bulbs and get rid of the algae, you will still have a high nutrient problem but will no longer have a way of exporting it.

What do your tests for nitrates and phosphates say? They probably say 0 because the hair algae is using them all up, but if not, it will give you an indication of what is causing it.

How bad is the issue? Do you have any pics? Do you grow any macroalgae?

CJ

Yeah my nitrates and phos both read zero. Of course i only have an API for Phos so i am sure it isn't accurate. It isn't a bad algae issue but i have noticed more growth than normal...i'm a perfectionist and this hobby is tough to be one!! Only one rock has the bryopsis and i have been controlling it manually. The HA is on different rocks. And its weird because it could be on this rock but not on the one next to it...no rhyme or reason. I did pull a rock out yesterday and dipped in H2O2 and it cleaned it up nicely...very cool dip. There wasn't any corals on the rock so i wasn't cautious. I'm gonna change my bulb soon, change my GFO and Carbon, and just try to slow down my feeding. I was even thinking about going completely dry food from now on.
BTW i do have some Chaeto in the back chamber growing very nicely on a reverse lighting cycle. Maybe ill take some pics today...albeit kind of embrassing to take pics of algae

 

[CJO]

If you only have one rock with bryopsis, you could take it out and treat it separately.

Where did you get that rock from that is growing the GHA? Is there a chance it was in a fish-only system? There could be a chance that it had adsorbed phosphates wherever it used to be and is slowly leaching them back out in your tank. Also, it may or may not be your feeding. I feed half pellets and half frozen and have no issues with algae. I don't even rinse my frozen.. how's that for living on the edge?

CJ

 

[fsu1dolfan]

If you only have one rock with bryopsis, you could take it out and treat it separately.

Where did you get that rock from that is growing the GHA? Is there a chance it was in a fish-only system? There could be a chance that it had adsorbed phosphates wherever it used to be and is slowly leaching them back out in your tank. Also, it may or may not be your feeding. I feed half pellets and half frozen and have no issues with algae. I don't even rinse my frozen.. how's that for living on the edge?

CJ

You sir are crazy no rinsing (sarcasm LOL)...The rock with bryopsis is to massive to pull out of the tank...plus i have a cap and other corals growing on it. :squigglemouth:
Most of my rock i have had for 3 plus years from a local reef store that has some amazing rock - unfortunately i didn't know any better back then and now i would go with cured rock or fish heads real reef rock Walt Smith’s Fiji Cultured Live Rock and Fish Heads’ Real Reef Live Rock Go Head-To-Head#

Over the years my rock has had some algae here an there...sometimes completely gone and slowly pop up. I just would like to get it down to none already!