HELP! please - For removal of turf algae

[Deleted member 24321]

I have it on my back wall and on one or two rocks. My phosphates are 0. I had recently bought a hanna meter. I figured the Phos would have been 2 but not the case. I did buy a tuxedo urchin and he's going to town on it. I keep him on the back wall. I have a 180 so I'm going to get a few more to do the clean up. If he manages to get on the rocks I just move him back. Not sure if this will keep it from coming back but we'll see

 

[tokitay]

Here is a brief update on our battle with cladophora. Have been really conscious about keeping the alkalinity up (in reality, it is probably low alkalinity that caused this problem), and have raised the mg level in our tank to about 1600. Having the mg levels up does not seem to bother anything, including the calaphora.

We did introduce a few different urchins. Currently, a pencil urchin seems to be the one with a taste for the stuff, and he is munching away on it. Not sure if he will have a real impact though, it is a big tank with a fair amount of cladophora.

Have been steadily looking for other solutions (short of taking apart the whole tank and replacing all of the live rock). I have read about a product called AlgaeFix Marine. Seems to have a lot of positive feedback. I am usually very skeptical of adding any chemicals to our tank, but think I am going to give this a try.

Has anybody used this product?

 

[shutiny]

I had some that grew right next to acropora colonies, though corals were growing over the algae, but most rocks on high lighted area were covered in this tough, turf algae. Not thing I tried helped. So, I took the rocks out one at a time, and dip the rock in vinegar. If the rock has coral/anemone I took care to make sure corals are not in the lower end where the vinegar solution might come in contact, and I let the affected area set in vinegar for 15 minutes. Yes, 15 minutes in vinegar will killed the algae(and other life forms) on the rock. For those rocks with lots corals/ large anemones, I set the rock on a flat surface, cover the anemone with wet towels(make sure the anemone's tentacles/body is in the higher position than the area that will get vinegar bath), and pour vinegar over the algae affected area with a 10cc syringe. It was hard work, but my rocks are pretty cleaned now. HTH

 

[lamboraf]

Old thread, I researched and found out that only urchins, chitons, and emerald crabs would work on turf algae. I just wanted to mention that I had turf algae and tried emerald crabs and it is all gone. :spin1:

 

[Whiterabbitrage]

Has anyone tried chitons?

 

[Pigpen17]

Has anyone tried chitons?

I do not have turf algae, but I had a pair of Chitons for a while. At first I thought they were doing a very good job clearing up my rocks. They would clear a patch up in a night. But in the long run they did very little and died in a few months. I have thought about adding a few more. Maybe in greater numbers they would have been more successful, but I am actually trying to grow everything I can on my rocks now.

They were cool to have though. I loved them. I might give them another shot someday.

 

[Bdubz]

I know this is an old thread, but I thought I would share my experience with this ridiculous algae.

I tried most of the natural things that people have suggested in this thread without much luck. I did have one emerald crab that occasionally would pick a few strands of the algae, but not enough to make any impact at all really.

When I moved from my 46 gallon to my 125 gallon I took all my old rock out and threw it in a tub full of bleach. I let it sit in bleach with a powerhead in it for 3 weeks. I then took out the rock and the turf algae was all white (and I'm sure dead), but it still would not come off the rock. I tried scraping it with a brush, pulling it off with tweezers, to no avail. In the end I ended up just throwing those rocks away.

I apparently didn't get it off all my crabs, snails, or corals, because now it has shown up in my 125 gallon tank... It is small right now, but that's how it started in my 46 gallon. Not sure what I am going to do now.

 

[FinzAquatics]

Sucks you completely threw out your rock. In the future... If you reach that extreme, bleaching the rock will solve the problem. Not a difficult process and you can reuse the rock.

 

[Tainofish]

I believe Bdubz said he used bleach for 3 weeks to no avail I myself keep fighting this thing to the point of getting a 30gal tank cutting some pieces of my corals from the top were the algea is not present frag them and boil all the rocks and live them out for a month to dried and see im using that so call Algaefix I have done 15 treatment and i see no result i take out more with my hands than this stuff clame to do if any thing im getting red slime over the green algea and is worse now,now im battling 2 kinds of algea but the redslime i blasted with a turkey baster and pick it up with my brine shrimp net some people claim Algaefix start working after the 7treament but im up to 15 and i see no results just my 2cents :hammer:

 

[Tainofish]

:blown:Ow! Forgot to mention i have a 75gal reef with some soft and hard corals maybe the people that clame Algaefix have nano tanks because it's not doing anything on my 75gal well now im down to my penny though

 

[LJC6780]

I think I have this too. Also wanted to add, I've seen it mentioned to boil the rocks a few times in this thread.. DONT boil rocks with zoas or palys on them! The fumes will be toxic and the pan used could absorb the toxins.

Since mine is in a smaller tank that I've transferred corals and inhabitants from to a new, larger tank, I'll probably just take the rocks out and vinegar or bleach soak them and let them dry.

 

[xeanliao]

my powder brown tang eats the algae. Not able to completely remove them from my tank, but seems controlling the invasions.

 

[paal]

There is a long thread on the R-2-R-forum. Google "Bryopsis Cure: My Battle With Bryopsis Using Fluconazole".

This new miracle cure is said to work on both Bryopsis, Derbesia and all hair algae + "various turf algae".
I do not have a positive ID on my stuff, but I will try the Fluco treatment (just ordered enough for 2 full treatments)

If that does not work I am restarting the whole tank.