overrun with algae success stories?

[jmicky41]

Had a massive outbreak years ago in my FOWLR. I upgraded my skimmer, used lots of GFO and many water changes with good RODI water. Inbetween water changes I removed as much as I could manually. Eventually, the algae starved.

What didn't work: more flow, new lightbulbs, snails, crabs, tangs, foxface.

 

[turbo2oh]

I had derbesia covering basically all my rocks for about ~4 months. No amount of pruning ever worked, it would always grow back. It could outcompete anything in my fuge (though I was considering a ATS at that time). Then I decided to dose Fluconazole and all the derbesia died within 3 weeks and hasn't come back (this was ~7 months ago). Nothing else was harmed. Really the whole thing worked so amazingly it is hard to fathom.

Highly highly recommend Fluconazole if you are dealing with derbesia or bryopsis. (relevant thread)

Before:

After:

Wow nice turnaround!

 

[karimwassef]

I don't know how fluc would work other than the complex food webs in reef ecology could create some strange linkages between different organisms.

 

[kmbyrnes]

No pics as hated my tanks when going through it.
My 125 was totally infested with GHA.
It took about 3 months of weekly pulling, toothbrushing each rock, vacuuming and skimming, along with monthly 3 day lights out. But persistencee paid off and I now love my reef.
When my FOWLR was new, I let the GHA grow for the tangs and angels, who decided frozen was tastier. That tank just needed lights out. Since there was no coral, I left them off for a week, then did the toothbrush and vacuuming routine.
If you like your aquascape and setup, just be diligent. It can be done.
Good luck.

 

[BrandonFlorida]

Yep I had hair algae bad and used fluconaze and it worked amazing. not one trace of algae back since treatment.