Nightmare Red Cotton Algae: Took over my tank

[mmgm]

I picked them up from my LFS.... Eagle Reefs located in Hillsborough Mew Jersey...... Paid about $2.50 each for them....

arconom's earlier post on this thread provides an on-line place (e Tropicals) you can order these guys.... I hesitate ordering livestock by mail order in the winter because of the risk of freezing before they arrive..... When you add up overnight shipping along with the risk of freezing I prefer going to my LFS....

Good Luck and let us know how you make out..... Hard to believe such an impossible problem algae can be controlled with snails....

Or is it too soon tyo make any conclusions.....

 

[waldomas]

Thank you for the great info. I hope you have continued success. I will reply in a week or two, after i get "the snails".

 

[loyalty]

i found this thread on a search to fight this stuff. welcome me to the "i found red hair algae and i'm freaked club" haha. i have just a few tufts here and there, but after seeing some horror stories here on RC, i'm glad i took a more proactive approach.

does this stuff feed on phosphates? my lfs guy said it does, and a phosphate remover would take care of it. any thoughts? glad i found this thread. TIA

 

[mmgm]

In my case a phosphate spunge did not help. I have a 250 gallon refugium with an 8 inch DSB that is fully packed with macro algae. My phosphates always check ZERO.

A lot of folks suggested to me that Phosphate had to be the problem since the Algae is growing. The rational is the Red Algae is keeping Phosphates at zero. However, I ran a Phosphate spunge in a Fluidized bed filter for several months with no results. Phosban and Rowaphos are very expensive and in my case did not do anything to help. As I mentioned I have a large refugium and my water parameters are perfect.

I think this stuff thrives on light and if you do not have anything to eat the algae it will take over your tank. I have to admit when I upgraded from my 90 gallon to the new 400 gallon display tank I did not add any additional "Cleaner Crew" other than what was originally in the old 90 gallon. Also, I am running 6 400W HQI lights. Before the problem I ran the lights about 12 hours per day. (36 inch tall tank). Thats too much light and this stuff just took off.

As I mentioned before I removed about 100 pounds of LR from my display that was over-run with this algae and placed in a holding tank that is totally dark. Within 2 months the Red Algae dissapeared. But the snails are really making a difference....

I don't know the situation with your tank. If you do not have a refugium and/or DSB you may have a phosphate issue that is contributing to your problem. If you do have a phosphate problem I would suggest adding a refugium instead of playing around with a Phosphate sponge. The reason is that the sponge needs to be cleaned weekly. If you don't clean the sponge you will still have excess nutrients to deal with....

Good Luck and keep us posted on this nightmare.....

Too much light and not enough critters to eat this stuff seemed to be my issue....

 

[waldomas]

I agree with mmgm. Mt water always tests great and the stuff still grows out of control. Must be the light. I cutting back my halides today from 10 hours to 7 hours. BTW, i have a refugium...55 on a 180 display.

 

[waldomas]

The LFS finally got the Mexican Tubos in!!! I put in 40 today and it looks as though they are already going to town! They seem more active at nite. Hopefully I'll be pleasantly suprized in the morning. I'm feeling optomistic again.

 

[loyalty]

good luck and keep us posted

 

[mmgm]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6598970#post6598970 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by waldomas
The LFS finally got the Mexican Tubos in!!! I put in 40 today and it looks as though they are already going to town! They seem more active at nite. Hopefully I'll be pleasantly suprized in the morning. I'm feeling optomistic again.

I know the feeling..... These snails really make a difference.... They literally wipe entire areas of rock clean to the bone..... Before trying these sails I thought at best they would be able to hit small areas of rock or possible leave trails through the algae as they eat through..... But not the case..... This stuff is going away......

Thanks to all you guys on RC that made this suggestion..... I am starting to think about stocking the tank again.......

 

[DensityMan]

For those still fighting it the "longspine urchin" in my tank finally got off the coralline encrusted side-glass and started eating this stuff, but he's not nearly fast enough.

The rock I could save easily was transferred into my new 29g tank and the rest was scrubbed with a toothbrush and is spending a couple months in solitary confinement (a tub with pump and heater, no lights). So I won by losing.

 

[mmgm]

Update: Unbeliveble Results 80% Gone

Update: Unbeliveble Results 80% Gone

Guys:

I had to post this update. To my amazement 80% of the Red Nightmare is gone. I never thought these snails would be so effective to get rid of this problem Algae. Amazing results.... see for yourself.....

Now my tank is really empty.... but I am motivated again to move on with the hobby and complete stocking my tank..... I really almost threw in the towel..... Hope this thread helps others with this problem..... It does not need to be a long term problem.....

Updates to follow.....


These are the same rocks pictured when I started the thread a few weeks ago....

and now my empty tank......

 

[waldomas]

Wow!!! Now that is truely amasing! Great news to hear! But I'm still having a bit of trouble. My snail seem a bit lethargic. Not really doing alot. I'm wondering if they're even alive. Did you have this problem initially? Maybe i screwed up the acclimation.

 

[asnatlas]

Re: Update: Unbeliveble Results 80% Gone

Re: Update: Unbeliveble Results 80% Gone

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6607916#post6607916 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mmgm
and now my empty tank......

LIES !!!! I see a Sailfin Tang, a few Anthias, a Leather, and a few other things LOL, j/k gratz man...

 

[mmgm]

Re: Re: Update: Unbeliveble Results 80% Gone

Re: Re: Update: Unbeliveble Results 80% Gone

LIES !!!! I see a Sailfin Tang, a few Anthias, a Leather, and a few other things LOL, j/k gratz man...

All this in a 400 gallon display tank.... Not much to go by.....

The great thing with the Red Nightmare gone I can resume stocking my 400 gallon.......

Waldomas, my snails went right to work as soon as putting them in the tank.... Are you sure you used "Mexican" Turbos? Can you post pictures? Hopefully yours will start eating soon..... I can attest that they do end up eating all of this Red stuff.....

arconom.... Thanks again for sharing your experiences and recomendations for the Turbos with us.....

 

[mmgm]

Had to celebrate

Had to celebrate

With this beauty..... Isn't she Nice?

Here's one with the Leather in the background.....

And my favorite Rose.....

Back in the hobby..... Feels great.....:rollface:

 

[waldomas]

I aspire to be equally enthusiastic in a week or two! Did you continue to syphon the algae after you added the turbos? Do you think youre snails will survive without the red algae? Sorry for so many questions, but you probably know how anxious I am. Congratulations and thank you again!!
Waldo

 

[Radicaljbr]

ok...what is that first one?

When my tank is looking better, can I get a frag of that?


Nice!!

 

[mmgm]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6619247#post6619247 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by waldomas
I aspire to be equally enthusiastic in a week or two! Did you continue to syphon the algae after you added the turbos? Do you think youre snails will survive without the red algae? Sorry for so many questions, but you probably know how anxious I am. Congratulations and thank you again!!
Waldo

Waldo

I did not siphon any Red Algae out after putting in the snails. The snails removed everything. I tried siphoning out some Algae today from my refugium. However, when you try to siphon this stuff it just blows everywhere and propogates through the entire system. I ended up purchasing another 30 snails and placing in my refugium.... Hopefully they will be able to get rid of what is growing in the fuge..... (a ton of this stuff)

When these snails fall off a rock they cannot recover by themselves. As a result about 8 have already died. These fell off where it is very difficult to get to them. (36 inch tall tank).... However, with 700 + gallons in my system I'm sure they will always find something to eat after the Red Nightmare is gone.....

Have you noticed any progress with your tank?

 

[waldomas]

[
Have you noticed any progress with your tank? [/B][/QUOTE]

Not yet. I have had to "pick up" a few that have fallen. I think I have already lost a few. Hopefully it wont foul the water in my 180gal. It has a 55gal sump and a 55 gal fuge. Unfortunately, I cant reach all of the deceased.

 

[sarahbab]

this stuff took over my tank. It is getting better now that I increased my water flow in the areas where it was the worst and also, I added a poly filter that absorbs organics. I feel like it really helped. I have noticed that my queen conch eats it also.

 

[mmgm]

Well.... My tank is 100% free of the nightmare... IN order to prevent the snails from starving I will be moving a good portion of them to my fuge.... The Red nightmare still covers about 70% of my refugium...... but not for long.....

Waldo.... any updates on your tank?