Need some advice on getting from where I am to having good macro algae growth

[kdx7214]

Right now I have a 75g DT with a 40g sump (which averages about 20g full when pump is running). I'm also having a crazy outbreak of valonia and GHA. I have some beautiful red macro algae of unknown type (came in on a rock) that has grown well in the past but lately has been fading out and not looking as good. I'd take a picture but the lights are out right now, so I'll try to add some tomorrow.

I know that I need to add some fertilizer of some sort, but that will most likely grow the valonia and GHA more than the desired red macro algae. I do not currently have a refugium running or an algae scrubber. My sump was poorly designed, by myself, and so the area for the refugium has too much flow to keep chaeto together (it breaks apart and just leaves pieces everywhere) and is too shallow.

So, what can I do to rectify the GHA/valonia and get some good stuff growing? I love the look of the macro algaes and would like to add more as time progresses.

 

[VintageReefer]

The algaes you need to defeat are not going to be outcompeted by a small macro refugium unfortunately. It may help reduce some nitrates and phosphates and slow the growth but you have slow growing species vs fast growing species

If you want to go a natural route you would need a algae scrubber, they make floating ones and hang on ones thag both should work in tight spaces. Turf algae can outcompete the algaes you have but it will take a few months

It will not add the visual benefit of a macro fuge though

 

[Naekuh]

If your not located in a ban'd state, then Calerpa Taxi or Prolifera, is your best friend.

That grows just as if not better then Chaeto.
But be extra careful when trimming... make sure you dry it out and NEVER flush it.
Make it into mulch or compost, or something, but again make sure it NEVER see's the salt water again after your trimming it.

Its extremely invasive, and nearly destroyed the eco system that they even bleached the sea bed once to try to get rid of it.

 

[VintageReefer]

This is what grows inside my scrubber and is a typical harvest after 7 days

 

[kdx7214]

The algaes you need to defeat are not going to be outcompeted by a small macro refugium unfortunately. It may help reduce some nitrates and phosphates and slow the growth but you have slow growing species vs fast growing species

If you want to go a natural route you would need a algae scrubber, they make floating ones and hang on ones thag both should work in tight spaces. Turf algae can outcompete the algaes you have but it will take a few months

Ugh. I already have an unsightly growth of red turf algae that I can't get rid of. It also came in on some live rock and has spread. I've tried to remove it, but short of using some peroxide on it outside of the tank I don't know what I could do to kill the darn stuff. I've been investigating building an algae scrubber although I'm not convinced it will help to the extent so many people have said. I'll have to wait and see once I get one built I suppose.
Thanks!

 

[kdx7214]

If your not located in a ban'd state, then Calerpa Taxi or Prolifera, is your best friend.

That grows just as if not better then Chaeto.
But be extra careful when trimming... make sure you dry it out and NEVER flush it.
Make it into mulch or compost, or something, but again make sure it NEVER see's the salt water when your trimming it.

I'm in Missouri, so land locked by a long way. I've tried various species of Calerpa in the past and all of them have gone sexual and melted down into goo, causing a massive outbreak of nuisance algae in the tank. Do these have the same issue?

 

[kdx7214]

This is what grows inside my scrubber and is a typical harvest after 7 days

Wird

This is what grows inside my scrubber and is a typical harvest after 7 days

Weird. I was unable to see the pictures until I went to reply. What type of algae is that?

 

[Naekuh]

I'm in Missouri, so land locked by a long way. I've tried various species of Calerpa in the past and all of them have gone sexual and melted down into goo, causing a massive outbreak of nuisance algae in the tank. Do these have the same issue?

Yeah, they can go sexual, but that would probably be due to the light cycle...
I haven't touched c. taxi or prolifera since the ban in cali, but i kept growing chunks of it, and my LFS in college kept asking me for more when it grew and i did my trimming.

Oh you can also try out ATS - Algae Turf Scrubbers.
They do replace refugium. But they need constant water testing, because they can become too efficient and bottom out either NO3 or PO4.

 

[kdx7214]

Yeah, they can go sexual, but that would probably be due to the light cycle...
I haven't touched c. taxi or prolifera since the ban in cali, but i kept growing chunks of it, and my LFS in college kept asking me for more when it grew and i did my trimming.

I'll check into that. The last time I tried Calurpa was over 20 years ago and there wasn't a great deal of knowledge about it's life cycle. Actually, now that I think about it, it was further back than that. It was about the time "micracle mud" and refugiums started showing up on the market.

 

[VintageReefer]

It is a type of turf algae that grows inside the scrubber. You don’t seed the scrubber. The spores are already in your water they just don’t have the conditions to grow. A scrubber gives the correct environment and this will start to grow out of nowhere by itself.

A scrubber is the only form of filtration I have in my tank. No skimmer. No water changes. No socks or rollers. Just live rock and a scrubber. It can outcompete display tank algae in many situations provided you aren’t overstocked, overfeeding, etc. I have 7 fish in this tank and feed 2-3 cubes of food a day

 

[kdx7214]

It is a type of turf algae that grows inside the scrubber. You don’t seed the scrubber. The spores are already in your water they just don’t have the conditions to grow. A scrubber gives the correct environment and this will start to grow out of nowhere by itself.

A scrubber is the only form of filtration I have in my tank. No skimmer. No water changes. No socks or rollers. Just live rock and a scrubber. It can outcompete display tank algae in many situations provided you aren’t overstocked, overfeeding, etc. I have 7 fish in this tank and feed 2-3 cubes of food a day

That's one beautiful tank! I hope to get mine to that point some day. I've had tanks on and off for around 30 years now, but never managed to get a reef tank to take off well. My current tank has been running for 2 years now, with the associated ups and downs. I do finally have three SPS that haven't RTN'd or STN'd so at least that's something

I'll move the algae scrubber up on the priority list then. I was planning on getting some phyto cultures going again first, but may just swap the two around.

Thanks!

Edit: Any advice on flow rate for a algae scrubber?