Bright Red algae in my BB reef

[ostrow]

didn't help me. they eat it and die, as have my fish...

 

[FishF00d]

I have the same stuff... My PB picks at it all the time. My Orange spot Rabbit fish picks every once in a while. I recently put two mexican turbos in and an urchin in to see what happens. I have noticed that the spots where the turbos have been have been cleaned up.

 

[Ball]

Its all over my tank. Never had any that I knew of until I switched over from PC lights to a 6 bulb T5 fixture. It will cover a fresh peice of rubble in a couple weeks. I hate the stuff. My 6" Blue Hippo tang will nip at it, but doesnt seem to get any to come off the rocks. He is probably helping it spread even more. I recently put in a Royal Urchin to see if he would eat it. I think he does, but he doesnt stay in one spot long enough to put a dent in it at all. I also have a huge mexican Turbo and plenty of Astrea snails that dont seem to eat the stuff at all. I have noticed that it grows thickest in the areas that have the most light.

 

[dvmsn]

I second mexican turbos.

 

[ostrow]

Most Mexica turbos and Astreas are not, IIR Dr. Ron's articles correctly, suited to the temperatures of our tanks. My experience and many others' with Mex in particular is that they last no more than a couple of months.

 

[jackson6745]

I had the same stuff, Mexican turbos took care of it.

 

[Bomber]

Most Mexica turbos and Astreas are not, IIR Dr. Ron's articles correctly, suited to the temperatures of our tanks. My experience and many others' with Mex in particular is that they last no more than a couple of months.

Then he would be 100% wrong. Course that's never happened before. :lol:

Astreas are tropical.

 

[JB NY]

I have mexican turbos. Didn't really go for the stuff. I've seen mexican turbos take care of the red cotton algae, not this stuff though.

 

[MSHUR]

joe,
what do u think this algea coming from?


mike

 

[Bomber]

You guys are probably getting it from the bases of your imported corals. It likes the same conditions.

 

[MSHUR]

i just noticed ,my sea hare wouldnt touch it((

mike

 

[ostrow]

any opinion on how to zap it or if it can kill fish???

 

[JB NY]

I've had it at least 1 1/2 years maybe 2. Not worried about it killing fish.

 

[mborn]

That's odd. I had this algae too and going BB solved the problem for me. I cooked most of the rock I added to my new system but a few large pieces I transferred from my old tank had acros encrusted on them and I didn't want to break up the colonies to remove them to cook the rock so I just put the uncooked rock (algae and all) in the new tank. I also have a large T. derasa that had it all over its shell.

Running a becket with an Iwaki 100 RLT, lots of flow (including a closed loop low in the tank to keep detritus off the bottom and in the water column) and a large UV sterilizer, the algae disappeared in about a month and hasn't been back. I also have a large clean up crew (consisting of astreas and ceriths) and a couple of tangs as well.

Since most people seem to have the skimming and flow down, perhaps the extra nutrient export enabled by the UV could be helping. How many of you are using UV sterilizers? I'm also not using my Ca reactor on my new system. I've switched to Ca chloride and baking soda. Perhaps the carbonic acid from your reactors is contributing to the problem. That would be the one piece of equipment (that could feed algae growth) most of you have in common regardless if you're BB or DSB.

 

[Bomber]

mborn, I think you just hit it.

The calcium carbonate in Ca reactors would supply phosphate along with CO2

 

[ostrow]

no reactor here. run a uv too. and phosban, carbon, and purigen since this algae started taking over. skim very liberally. not sure what more export i can do...i can practically drink my water...

that's why it is so frustrating.

i have some really good pics of it on the link i posted above... is this the same stuff you all had?

 

[Bomber]

ostrow, I can't tell from the picture is it red or brownish?

I "think" you have the same thing.

 

[Zoom]

i just find this picture is five months old you can see clearly it looks identical algae like the picture JBNY post.

 

[ostrow]

It's red or brownish. More brownish. Throws up hairs with a little bubble at the end. Impossible to pull/scrape off the rock. Only on rock and pump outlets.

The better pics are halfway down that thread. Since I'm taking us astray, maybe Bomber you can post over there? Or email me if you have ideas. I appreicate it. I'm pretty upset today. I've been making that Atlantic Blue the center of my tank, hoped dearly to be able to keep one.

 

[joefish]

Globe Urchins , they eat anything in there path . And what they miss the long spiked urchin gets .