best approach for caulerpa overrun

[turbo2oh]

So, like many others, I didn't immediately act when I spotted some algae in my 60g cube and now it has overrun my tank. My excuses are pretty typical, new baby, busy at work etc. Despite the fact visitors seem to think it looks fine, I hate the stuff.

As it stands now its pretty much everywhere, its a mix of grape caulerpa and bubble algae. I think the caulerpa is actually winning the fight for real estate.

I do rip out of a bunch of it manually when it gets long but its always there, just a little more under control. Right now my cleanup crew is pretty bare bones, maybe a few small ceriths and 1 hermit crab.

My tank:
60g cube
aquamaxx ConeS CO 1 skimmer
BRS GFO reactor
fuge in sump with mix of chaeto/caulerpa

Things I've considered:

1) aggressive manual removal out of the tank
PROS:
- no new livestock to purchase
- seems to be a common solution
CONS:
- rockwork is glue together so this would be pretty difficult
- several soft corals are attached to multiple rocks not sure how I could do this without injuring them
- sounds like a giant PITA

2) aggressive manual remove in tank
PROS:
- a lot easier than trying to remove rockwork
CONS:
- hard to do
- might not be able to ever get it all

3) adding something that may eat it : sea hare | sea urchin | emerald crab | lettuce sea slug
PROS:
- new livestock to enjoy watching
CONS:
- might not eat the specific algae I'm dealing with

4) one-spot rabbitfish
PROS:
- read they eat caulerpa aggressively
CONS:
- tank is too small, probably would have to get a juvenile and trade away

5) vodka dosing
- would have to read a lot more first

6) removing rock completely, buying new rock
PROS:
- should get rid of algae completely
CONS:
- expensive
- logistics would be hard

Any other suggestions or additional feedback on the ones I've listed? Right now I'm leaning towards aggressive in tank removal and adding a sea hare.

Thanks!

 

[75mixedreef]

Manual removal and starving the algae work together. You can't do one without the other. This is the least invasive long term solution. It works and is good practice long term so you never have algae issues.

Dark out periods work great too. You have to follow with manual removal and large water changes to get the nutrients out followed by starving the tank. If you don't then it will come back. Get rid of the caulerpa in the sump, you will never be rid of it in your tank if it is in your sump.

I definitely agree with the aggressive manual removal but do not add anything that isn't viable long term, you are too likely to kill the fish even if you don't see it die. Get a good light on the chaeto in the sump, add a filter sock to catch any caulerpa that makes its way into your overflow and go to work. Water changes are also your friend. You just need to be persistent about making your tank a place where caulerpa can not survive. Eventually it will stop coming back. Just do not leave trace amounts of it, they will multiply and over run your tank again.

A good clean up crew is important but it is unlikely to help with this macro. They might help keep little stuff from coming back but they are unlikely to eat caulerpa as it is. That would just be one small part of a large effort to eradicate the caulerpa from your system.

 

[ThRoewer]

If you have nutrient issues (= high NO3) then I would definitely recommend vodka dosing. If phosphates are also high you may also need to use GFO.

The juvenile rabbitfish would be a reasonable short term control solution, but not necessarily eradicate the Caulerpa from the system.

I also found that emerald crabs like that stuff very much (and supposedly bubble algae as well) - at least when there is nothing else to feed on. So they would be the best option to consider (in combination with nutrient control).

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[Sk8r]

I had the same problem in a tank about that size. Emerald crabs were useless, and nothing worked but a foxface, which turned rogue in the too-small tank and ended up killing several fish I valued far more. I ended up breaking down the tank and putting the 'bad' rock in the sump, which had pretty much the effect of 'tubbing' it, ie, light deprivation and low nutrient for months, while I put new rock in the tank.

It is over all cheaper and easier to break down the tank, toss the sand, tub the rock or use it in the garden and get new rock.

 

[ThRoewer]

Honestly, with Caulerpa it may just be a waiting game until it goes sexual.

As for fish that kill it off - regal angels worked for me.

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[CrayolaViolence]

A sea hair will eat anything algae. I have one who routinely eats cyno. Purple, black, brown, green, she doesn't care she's a lawn mower. Plus she doesn't bother anyone and no one bothers her.

 

[joshbrookkate]

More than a year ago, I had a tank that was infested with it. And then it went sexual. So I knew I had to get serious about getting rid of it.
I did the 2 pronged approach - diligent manual removal and nutrient reduction (GFO, more frequent blowing of the rock with a turkey baster, less feeding) It took a while but I was able to get it under control. Then I got impatient and removed the last rock and dried it for use later.
It has not come back.
Good luck....

 

[snorvich]

It is over all cheaper and easier to break down the tank, toss the sand, tub the rock or use it in the garden and get new rock.

What she said.

 

[Sk8r]

If you have just ONE infested rock, or a few, you can put the affected areas into a straight drugstore hydrogen peroxide dip for 20 seconds. That treatment will kill xenia, caulerpa, and halimeda. Rinse before returning it to your tank. OTOH, if its a general problem and rooted in every rock, the extreme of a rock change may be in order. I fought the stuff for 5 years, in various outbreaks.

 

[turbo2oh]

Thanks for all the feedback! It is not just one rock, its everywhere. My plan is to give an honest shot at trying to get rid of it before I just say forget it and start over with new rock. The number of you suggesting just cooking the rock is a little concerning though.

My current plan:

Step 1 (for a month)
- verify RO/DI output still at 0
- test for phosphate & NO3
- change to better brand of mysis like PE (current using SF Bay)
- reduce feeding slightly
- change spectrum of light slightly to be more blue (Kessil A360WE)
- reduce photoperiod to 8hrs
- clean all equipment weekly to be sure its running at peak efficiency
- lots of manual removal and 1xweek ~30% water change
- replace GFO
- add a few trochus and nassarius snails
- remove caulerpa from fuge, trying to leave only chaeto (currently a mix of the two)

Step 2
- investigate algae scrubber
- investigate vodka dosing or similar retail product
- add a algae predator: sea hare | yellow tang | juvenile rabbitfish

Step 3 (dun dun dun! nuclear option!)
- hydrogen peroxide or rock teardown

 

[Devaji108]

this would be my approach:
do #1 above +

remove it from sump.
build a DIY ATS up flow works well cheap to build and do the job great for for tight spaces but waterfall I think are a bit better ( this is debatable) I have a DIY upflow and happy with it so far.
GHA will out compete but it will take a few week to a month to get your ATS up to full speed. but I do think you can win! might take a few months tho...

I would do that before the start over IMHO
good luck!

 

[kevin21]

I lost my battle against it. Ended up breaking down the tank, getting all new rock and basically started over completely. The problem is, even when pulling it out you will not get it all. It has roots that reach into the rocks and will continue to grow.

 

[Zalick]

Looks like you have a good plan. The bottom line is you need to out-compete the algae in its quest for phosphates. Obviously removing the rocks is the guaranteed way to do this. I think agressive manual removal with GFO is a great approach, rewarding when you win, and gives a great sense of how the cycle works.

With diligent manual removal and changing GFO, you should be able to get good control in a few months and win the battle within the year.