Help Needed: Battling Derbesia Algae - Seeking Advice and Solutions

[Alex11204]

Hello, please excuse my English, it's not my native language.
I'm seeking your help to obtain advice on improving my fight against derbesia, also known as GHA (Green Hair Algae) in English.
Currently, my aquarium is equipped with a DSB (Deep Sand Bed) without a sump or skimmer, and I'm facing a severe invasion of this algae.
I recently tried the flux rx (partial regression) without success. I also used 3% hydrogen peroxide to clean each rock, except for one (the largest).
However, the algae persists and continues to grow primarily on the sand, as well as on the walls at the bottom of the aquarium and on the decorations. My aquarium is currently 6 months old since it was set up on January 17th.
Please find attached photos of my aquarium: one photo before cleaning the sand, one photo after cleaning, and finally one photo taken a week later (where we can indeed observe an increase in GHA).
Compared to the photo after cleaning, it is evident that the algae has grown. I am aware that this algae is challenging to combat, but if individuals who have successfully eliminated it could provide me with guidance on the steps they took, it would allow me to replicate the same actions on my end.

Thank you in advance for the interest you will bring to my request, and I look forward to your advice or any other questions. Best regards, Alex.

 

[Danireef13699]

Do you have any clean up crew currently? I would recommend adding some emerald crabs as they love to eat the green hair algae, money cowries are going to be the best option but they are not as common as the emerald crabs. You could also try a yellow, or purple tang.

 

[Alex11204]

Yes, I already have a Clean up Crew currently. I have around 5 to 6 Trochus histrio, as well as 7 to 8 Nassarius dorsatus/coronatus, 2 Astrea, 1 Mexican Turbo, and a Superba ophuire. Unfortunately, I lost all my Brown Turbos (around 5). However, none of the snails present eat the GHA.

I am currently in Europe, so it is difficult to obtain a Zebrasoma Flav, as well as the Xanthurum. Instead, I have a Zebrasoma Scopas, but it does not eat the GHA.
Additionally, I currently have an 80-gallon aquarium, which limits the number of surgeonfish I can have. Therefore, I am restricting myself to only one species to avoid conflicts.

I found a store that has Money Cowries. I will go and pick up a batch of 5 on Sunday morning, along with a Emerald crab. However, in Europe, they are known to be eaters of Valonia algae. I am not sure if they will be effective against GHA.

 

[Kmst80]

For me it was the magnificent foxface that turned the tide. He didn't touch the long stuff but when i ripped that out when doing waterchanges and sucked it out he took care of the leftovers. Eventually the coraline algae took over. Now i have not a bit of GHA left.

 

[Alex11204]

The issue with foxface fish is that, considering the size of my aquarium, I find them a bit large, and they may feel cramped once they reach adulthood, right?

 

[Dburr1014]

How long was the fluconazole in the system?

Do you know why (or how) GHA started to grow? This will need to be corrected. For instance, do you use rodi? You should.

Flux was my last resort to kill this stuff.
It takes minimum 4 weeks for Flux to work for GHA.

 

[Alex11204]

Yes, the flux remained active for 3 weeks. I had to stop the treatment when my water turned green due to the death of a portion of the derbesia that I couldn't remove (I don't have a skimmer due to the DSB). Afterwards, I reactivated my UV filter to clarify the water, but the flux-rx treatment was halted at that point. As for the derbesia, it started appearing after I resolved my chrysophyte problem caused by poor filtration of my osmosis water in my RO unit. Since then, I have fixed the issue, and the derbesia has taken over the chrysophytes. I also had around 0.5 PO4 in my aquarium, so I resolved the problem with an anti-phosphate resin. Currently, I maintain a ratio of No3: 5 / PO4: 0.1.


I agree that the flux treatment partially worked, but I did not notice a significant regression of the algae during the treatment. This makes me question the concentration to be used. I followed the instructions and even overdosed the treatment for a 100-gallon aquarium, but unfortunately, the algae is still present.

 

[Dburr1014]

Yes, the flux remained active for 3 weeks. I had to stop the treatment when my water turned green due to the death of a portion of the derbesia that I couldn't remove (I don't have a skimmer due to the DSB). Afterwards, I reactivated my UV filter to clarify the water, but the flux-rx treatment was halted at that point. As for the derbesia, it started appearing after I resolved my chrysophyte problem caused by poor filtration of my osmosis water in my RO unit. Since then, I have fixed the issue, and the derbesia has taken over the chrysophytes. I also had around 0.5 PO4 in my aquarium, so I resolved the problem with an anti-phosphate resin. Currently, I maintain a ratio of No3: 5 / PO4: 0.1.


I agree that the flux treatment partially worked, but I did not notice a significant regression of the algae during the treatment. This makes me question the concentration to be used. I followed the instructions and even overdosed the treatment for a 100-gallon aquarium, but unfortunately, the algae is still present.

I have been seeing reefers dosing Flux at lower concentrations and getting great results, but the time is the issue. You need more time.
Obviously, you saw the Flux working. The water turned green. At that point, imo, I would have done a water change and dosed it again to stay the coarse.
After treatment (or during treatment) dosing a bacteria is probably a good thing also. As the hair dies, you need to replace that new real estate with something new. Bacteria would be a great option.
I dosed 1/3 max dose, then a week later another 1/3 max dose. Wached the hair die. I restarted my skimmer and turned on my AWC after 4 weeks, then dosed the last 1/3 dose. It's been 5 weeks since 1st dose, nothing effected but the GHA. I am not going to do a big water change, I don't see the need for it in my system. I am dosing actif by Tropic Marin and a bacteria(forget the name).
Hair is gone and hoping it gets replaced by something more useful like coraline.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Flux may or may not work- its hit and miss and I personally while it works for many do not favor chemicals.
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

Dental picks at Harbor Freight:

 

[Alex11204]

What you suggest seems correct to me. My biggest mistake during my previous use of FluxRx was not using a mechanical means to remove the derbesia. I'm considering using a filter sock with a fluidized bed filter (which I currently use with an anti-phosphate resin). This way, I shouldn't have the risk of having green water, I believe. As for the bacteria, I already have some, but I'm not currently using them.

 

[((FORDTECH))]

What you suggest seems correct to me. My biggest mistake during my previous use of FluxRx was not using a mechanical means to remove the derbesia. I'm considering using a filter sock with a fluidized bed filter (which I currently use with an anti-phosphate resin). This way, I shouldn't have the risk of having green water, I believe. As for the bacteria, I already have some, but I'm not currently using them.

Manuel removal first then Mexican, turbo Snells or urchins, will clean up the rest. You may have to do manual removal a few times.

 

[Alex11204]

Flux may or may not work- its hit and miss and I personally while it works for many do not favor chemicals.
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

Dental picks at Harbor Freight:

I'm already reducing the algae by using a toothbrush and spraying 3% hydrogen peroxide on the areas of the rocks that I remove from the aquarium. However, the algae regrows gradually. So, I'm going to explore the option of using snails. Mexican Turbo snails are scarce in France (I haven't seen them in stores for several months), but alternatives like porcelain snails or Mithrax crabs are more common. I'm also planning to add Strombus snails to my sand bed to promote aeration and cleaning. I believe two snails should be enough for the surface area of my sand bed. By the way, do you have any opinions on Strombus snails for GHA?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I'm already reducing the algae by using a toothbrush and spraying 3% hydrogen peroxide on the areas of the rocks that I remove from the aquarium. However, the algae regrows gradually. So, I'm going to explore the option of using snails. Mexican Turbo snails are scarce in France (I haven't seen them in stores for several months), but alternatives like porcelain snails or Mithrax crabs are more common. I'm also planning to add Strombus snails to my sand bed to promote aeration and cleaning. I believe two snails should be enough for the surface area of my sand bed. By the way, do you have any opinions on Strombus snails for GHA?

Strombus are hit and miss with algae. The reason after cleaning that it comes back is again- The roots/root structure. You must get rid of roots to end their reproduction/growth

 

[Alex11204]

Strombus are hit and miss with algae. The reason after cleaning that it comes back is again- The roots/root structure. You must get rid of roots to end their reproduction/growth

Yes, I agree with you. However, I have a lot of roots in the sand and I don't see any other solutions than using Strombus snails to remove them. Honestly, as a last resort, I might consider another treatment with FluxRx, but I would prefer to explore natural solutions first.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Yes, I agree with you. However, I have a lot of roots in the sand and I don't see any other solutions than using Strombus snails to remove them. Honestly, as a last resort, I might consider another treatment with FluxRx, but I would prefer to explore natural solutions first.

You can try strombus. The issue is that they often cant keep up with growth, but often when in sandbed, roots will be attached to sand bottom. Often a plastic putty knife/scraper will lift them right up = just have a net or siphon ready so they dont get distributed amongst the tank.
Conchs can be aggressive with certain algae which is a good thing

 

[Alex11204]

I will first follow the given advice and then come back to update the post with news about the progress of my battle. Thank you to the people who took the time to respond.