algae ID and a way to stop it

[docjones]

I have this algae in my tank and it is become a problem. I have tried to pick it clean but it keeps coming back. I am looking to find out what it is and a way to stop it. My tank is a 125g that has been up for over a year. It hitch hiked from some live rock I got. My phosphate is low just barely detectable by my test kit, but I am assuming that is because this algae is eating it up. I have a phosophate reactor running and recently changed out to new phosbane. I do have a refuge, but currently have no Chateo. I use RO/DI water that has a TDS reading of 0. Currently there is no fish in the tank, they are all in QT. The only source of nutrient I can think of is my 3 times a week dosing of DT's. I don't have any other algae at all really just this type. I do plan to get a Blenny once this batch of fish come out of QT. Thanks for the help.

 

[Logzor]

You have Dictyota. Picking it out only makes it grow faster. Period.

Lowering phosphates, nitrates, and darkening your tank will have little effect on it. I have been battling it for months. Searching for inverts to eat it is a waste of time and money (unless you get lucky with a long spine urchin or sea hare).

So you have several options.

1. Buy a Virgate Rabbitfish or the Maze/Spotted Rabbitfish
2. Stick a ton of chaeto in your tank and spread it over all of the spots with Dictyota.
3. Let it grow out and just trim around your corals, then, do a massive removal with water changes and raise your ALK to around 10 DKH

I am starting to win the battle. I let it grow out until the tips started to turn white. I did massive removals of it every 3 days doing a 10% water change (using a siphon tube to suck it off the rocks). During this time I raised my ALK to 10 DKH. I also started to stuff chaeto into my main display in problem areas.

Good luck. Search Dictyota and you will probably find some of my posts about it.

 

[docjones]

My alk is already at or above 10 since I dose with Kalk. It has been low lately since I have been out of town (and it did get worse during this low period). So I guess my option is a rabbit fish. Does any type of blennies eat it? I know my tang never touched it.

 

[Saldarya]

I too have been battling some of it. As well I think I am starting to win the battle, although I will admit it never got as bad as the pic you show. In general, i removed rock regularly and scrubbed it off, you have have probably noticed it come off pretty easy. I did raaise the Alk up to 10+ and raised Mag just in case it would help. I added to tuxedo urchins. I cant honestly admit to whether they eat it, but they do spend a ton of time around it, so I am hoping.

Again, the prescence of this Algae does not represent a nutrient issue.

For your severe case, I would suggest removing the rock and scrubbing it, and stay after it. I do believe in time, if you battle it, you can win.

G'Luck, this is worse than any hair algae i ever saw.

 

[Logzor]

Do not scrub it, it will only make it worse. At one point I scrubbed the origin rock, put it back in. A few months later my entire tank was covered in an inch thick of this algae.

So dont even do removal with your hands. The only proper way is to remove via siphon (plastic tubing from home depot). This keeps it from being spread. Keep powerheads off during this operation.

Research rabbitfish and get the Virgate (two barred) or the Maze one. Foxface will not work.

 

[docjones]

Yea I saw that with the rabbitfish. I also heard a Naso will eat it, which I planned to buy anyways, so maybe both together can knock it out. I did try to remove by hand before, and yea, it only spreads the issue. I hate this stuff.

 

[Saldarya]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11929487#post11929487 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Logzor
Do not scrub it, it will only make it worse. At one point I scrubbed the origin rock, put it back in. A few months later my entire tank was covered in an inch thick of this algae.

So dont even do removal with your hands. The only proper way is to remove via siphon (plastic tubing from home depot). This keeps it from being spread. Keep powerheads off during this operation.

Research rabbitfish and get the Virgate (two barred) or the Maze one. Foxface will not work.

Just mentioned what has worked for me. I am sure there are many pieces at work here.

Again, it is almost entirely gone (and not coming back)

Different strokes, ya know what I mean.....

 

[LeslieH]

It probably makes a big difference if the algae is reproductive when it's handled. If it is then the spores will be spread throughout your tank.