Brown Wafer Algae

[Rowdy]

Well, so much for patience, I went to Lowe's, got a Stainless Steel wire brush (for welds) a little bigger than a toothbrush with a wooden handle. Then I went to LFS and got a new micron filter cartridge for one of my Magnum 350's. I hooked a longer piece of tubing to the intake of the magnum and attached a rigid piece for control to the end. I scraped ever so lightly a very small spot of the algae and vacuumed the area as I went with the magnum. The small part I did still had some nice purple coraline under that brown devil spawn. I will now restrain myself and observe any changes to the quarter sized patch I cleared of the wafer algae. I did notice that it was a bit harder to remove from spot where there was no coraline algae underneath, or at least there isn't any left.
I apologize to everyone for taking so long to reply to this post, I lost a power supply on my comp and had to mess around with it between 13hr 7 day work weeks.
The only clue I have is the Phosphate levels, although I doubt I have accurate readings, mine are supposedly an increment above zero at worst. I might have some tested from an outside source, I hear a local lab can nail Phosphates pretty good for a (hmmgghmm) fair price.
Hey, let's keep this post alive, we could all use a timely demise to this obnoxious algae.

 

[Snailman]

If your phosphates are high you need to get them down before you are going to get control of any type of algae. I have used a chemical reactor from http://www.thatpetplace.com ES0271 $44.99 . I put a Polyfilter disk with a hole in the center in the top and the bottom of the chamber. I fill the chamber with Seachem Phosguard. I have had better luck with it than any other brand. I put a pump in the sump and pump water through the reactor. Change it every four to five days and the phosphates will come down. I have never had any luck just putting the media in a filter bag and putting it in a water flow area of the sump. After your phosphates are down to a reasonable level put some Caulerpa in your sump if you can to eat the nutrients as thet become available.

 

[tmanning]

JBs thread stating that "if left alone the rock will eventually turn bare again" seems to be about the only positive thing in this post. I too am a sufferer of the scourge, and unfortunately I think the algae is resistant to extremely low nutrient levels. Other than macro algae and some microalge that I clean of the glass about every 5 days, the only thriving algae in my reef is this ugly brown stuff. I say I think it's resistant to low nutrient levels because because I've been using RO/DI water from the start (about a year ago}, I feed very lightly, and do bi-weekly water changes. I have only one fish in my tank and my feeding amounts to about 1/2 a cube of formula 1 per day. I can't believe there's no solution...it must not be a common problem. This thread is amazingly long as I've posted on other BBs about this problem and received no reply.

 

[Yam]

Don't feel alone guys. I have this devil stuff too. I have to pick at it with tweezers everyweek or so. I let it grow completely around my xenia though. So at least that's one good thing. I've been using TWP, and am adding an RO next week. Good luck battling it.

 

[6-line]

Another member to the club, sorry.. . .

Another member to the club, sorry.. . .

Hey,
So, we're covered most of bases concerning the growth and what feeds it--from phosphates to nutrient levels--different individuals have tried different methods and it runs from someone who uses tap water to R)/DI; from someone with one fish who feeds every other day to someone who feeds instant algae, fish twice a day and whatever else to create a heavy nutrient load, but the evil is still present.
I think we all just might have to wait until this scrouge just decides to up and disappear, whenever that'll be. Rare, resillient and relentless. What more can I say?

 

[Rowdy]

I might give Ron a call over at saltwater heaven, I'm sure he has some sort of experience dealing with this scourge. (God I hope so) The patch I scraped off of the coraline isn't making a comeback yet....yet being the key operative here. I swear, I might ditch all of LR if this stuff spreads like I think it's going to. As far as non mechanical controls go, I don't think nutrient starvation is the answer here, for lack of other nusiance algae in my tank, and same goes for phosphates. From what I gather this stuff is bulletproof by those constraints. I was wondering if maybe I could grow some on a small piece of LR and do some mad experimentation in another enviroment so as to be able to subject that devilspawn algae to some wicked measures without poisoning my reef. Maybe I'll pull a piece of rock out, take a propane torch and scald the brown stuff off, then scrub, then scald, then re-cure....or beat the crap with a hammer... hey a stun gun.....ah, I dunno.
Later

 

[6-line]

Rowdy,
Okay now, get ahold of yourself, it's never that bad--don't jump, ohhh. . . splat! Too late
On a more serious note, the experimentation you are talking about sounds good, perhaps you can publish a paper on it? Okay, maybe not that good, maybe it's worthy of a FAMA article? Okay, maybe just another post on this thread.
Anyhow, when I scrap mine off a rock, it does eventually tend to grow back. I just scrapped a patch away from the center of my Green Star Polyps (don't ask me how it started there) and now there a purple bald spot in the center of the polyps mat (purple, of course, being the mat)I hate the stuff on my rocks, but I despise it on my glass. It adheres to the coralline algae, and you know how hard that is to remove (so I don't remove it, I don't mind it--the coralline), but when you have to see the Lobophora growing vertically on the wall on top of the coralline, that's different.
Still have the Caulerpa in the sump trying to export nutrients, though from previous posts I don't know if it'll work.
Fingers are crossed

 

[RFK]

I, too, have been blessed with this lovely brown algae. I especially love the way it grows over everything in its path.


I may have the answer with regard to critters that control this algae. Mithrax sculptus... Emerald Crabs. Mine *rock* the stuff. I have watched both of my Emeralds go to town on it. They eat it constantly and seem to be keeping it under control.

Does anyone with this algae have Emerald Crabs in the tank?

Bob

 

[h2oBoy]

Bob,

I also have a single Emerald Crab in my 75 gal reef, and from time to time notice him/her sampling the brown wafer algae in my tank. Unfortunately my crab doesn't make a dent in the stuff. Maybe I keep it fed to well, I don't know.

Mike

 

[6-line]

Mithrax here I come!

Mithrax here I come!

Okay,
It didn't take much, but I'm getting one! Hope there's enough food for it that it will leave my corals alone!

 

[RFK]

6-line,
Please let us know if you get positive results with the Emerald Crab.

I have 2 in my 120 and although they seem to curb the growth of the algae, I doubt that they will be able to completely annihilate it. Perhaps, if I had a small army of Mithrax sculptus, they would be able to wipe it out. Whatever the case, Emeralds have other merits that make them a valuable addition to a reef tank. Most notably, their appetite for Valonia algae(Bubble Algae) which can also be quite a nuisance if not kept in check. Plus, they are pretty cool to watch!
I have observed some questionable behavior displayed by the crabs, as well. They seem to be drawn to my SPS and my Gorgonians. I believe that they feed on the film of algae that, at times, develops on the Gorgonians. Their attraction to my SPS has me a bit stumped. They don't seem to feed on the polyps of either animal but they do occasionally hang among the branches of both. Just to be absolutely clear, and fair to the Emeralds, I have not noticed any destruction of any corals in the tank due to the crabs' behavior.
Good luck!

Bob

 

[Rowdy]

Well, I just don't know what else to do but take that wire brush to the stuff and try to suck it out with the Mag and micron filter. All I'll probably do is spread it even worse, but it looks like it's doing that on it's own so... damnit! Is there one success story out there to give us hope? This crap is turning my purple reef into brown crap.... I'm going nuts looking at it. Son of a.....

 

[6-line]

Rowdy,
I feel for ya. . . .
But I don't know what to do.. I'm waiting on an ordering pool to get some Emerald crabs. In the meantime, I have witnessed some of the Lobo breaking apart in the center and some strongwilled polyps bursting through, as if they were tired of being covered and finally found a weak link in the layer of ice above. The algae then proceed to flake at the center and the other polyps emerged. If I was to chance a fraction of hope, I think the caulerpa in the sump might be working as the algae doesn't seem to be progressing as much. I know the nutrient exportation is working because I had this stalk of sargassm that always sprouted and snaked its way up the water column until i trimmed it back, now it hasn't regrown since i last trimmed it, so there is less nutrients available--whether that affects the Lobo, well, the jury is still out. . .

 

[therman]

IM BUYING SOME MITHRAX!!!!!!!

i was also wondering about those red eyed LR crabs i'd banished...ive never seen them eat a coral but i did see them eat macros....they may be resurrected from their mantis -run prison

 

[h2oBoy]

I couldn't believe my eyes, but tonight I sat and watched my Sally Lightfoot crab peel off and eat pieces of brown wafer algae. Some of my scarlet legged hermits also seemed to be munching on it a little. This truly was suprising, because I'd never observed either species touching the stuff in my tank before. I'm not sure why the change in their diet, although it may be that I just wasn't observant enough prior to tonight. I haven't changed or reduced my feeding routine to the tank either.

If they have been feeding on it previously, they certainly haven't made much of a dent in the algae population. Granted I only have one Sally and four or five scarlet legs in my 75 gal tank, but I'm cautious about adding things that I may regret later. At this point, though, based on my past experience with the scarlet legs, I'm going to add several more and see what happens. They aren't nearly as aggressive as the blue legged hermits.

I'll hold off on adding another Sally Lightfoot. I've read that they should only really be used in a 100 gal or larger tank. Evidently, they can get large enough to prey on smaller fish in the tank should they get too hungry.

Ideally, the solution to the brown wafer algae problem is to reduce the nutrient load, but in the meantime I'm going to start watching the Sally and the hermits more closely to see if they continue this grazing behavior. If so, I'll update everyone.

HTH

Mike

 

[Rowdy]

I did it!! I pulled out the rock and wire brushed the hell out of it removing most of the brown stuff and actually saving some nice coralline underneath. There are big bare spots on my LR now, but I would rather that than get ticked off every time I look at my reef. Hey, 6-line, how's the crab/macro scrub working out? I think I might have to add a sump if it works, I've been avoiding that because I plan on going way bigger in the very near future and using this 55 as a sump. Plus, I'm prone to flood this room which also houses considerable computer equipment.
Anyway, I'm gonna have to do some water changes for a few weeks so as to circumvent any possible spikes from LR die off I may have caused. Hey, I was wondering, does anyone here use a good ro/di system for their water? I see alot about Tap Water Purifiers etc.
My tank params are still good, no nitrates, phosphates, calcium 450, ph 8.4-8.6, temp. 78-80 F, new 4' URI's on IC 660, thin LS, 100# or so LR (figi) in a 55 with a custom air skimmer holding a few gallons of water, 802, 2 zoomedic power sweeps, mag 350 w/ reefcarbon pushing skimmer, aquaclear 500 with a new sponge (cleaned daily) for surface agitation and particulate removal, kalkwasser drip 1 tsp. per 1 gallon of fresh daily. Kents calcium, strontium,iodine daily low doses to use it up, and a 12hr lighting cycle late aft - morn. and little sunlight in room daytime. uh, oh two tangs, 3 peppermint shrimp, gaggle of blue legs, gaggle of asst. snails, gazillion baby snails, assorted corals ( frrogspawn, hammer, xenia, nepthea, trumpet, etc.)
10% weekly changes also. Feed Seaweed selects daily,osi flake daily, brine weekly, corals weekly with home made steamed, frozed seafood and baster before weekly change.

Okay later

well, that's it, any advice out there folks?

 

[goby]

pardon me if its been said already but....


I have heard that naso tangs will eat some of the more revolting algae that we find to be a problem in the reef tank. I had a problem with dictyoda (sp?) a while back and it was suggested that I try a naso as the person suggesting it was a VERY competent reefer and had tried it several times with no problems. they seem to not have a problem with the harder brown algaes that are present in our systems. you may want to see if you can "rent" one from the LFS, I was at his house last the other night (the person that recomended it) and while we both had some of this brown algae, his is now gone (and he has a blond naso) and mine is still present ( surprise, i have no naso)

It just might be worth investigating...


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[signu459]

I have this crap also, as Therman can justify. Therman also said that Emerald crabs are the way to go. But here are a few other things I have noticed. It does not grow in darkness. I have a clam mounted on a round disk that sits on the rock with the brown wafer. The Brown wafer does not grow under the disk. Also I have some Green Star Polyps that are spearding on top of the brown wafer. Right now the Star Polyps are spearding much faster than the Wafer. So cultivating Star polyps over the Brown Wafer may be beneficial.

Off to buy Mithrax!

 

[therman]

hey....Signu may have an idea there....let the star polyps cover your algae, give it some time, then peel the polyps off and hopefully youve killed off the wafer underneath....PRESTO! clean rock!

thoughts? i may superglue some onto my wafer today

-Tim

 

[signu459]

Therman that is aexactly what I was thinking. I have already cut off the main rock that had the Star Polyps on it and moved it to another spot on the wafer rock.

GO Star Polyps GO!!!!!