Please Help! Dictyota attacking my nano

[LaurentSeattle]

I am currently facing a quite massive attack of Dictyota in my Red Sea Max tank. The tank is lit with the stock lights, now 7 months old. No mods, except an extra Koralia #1 circulation pump.

The algae was introduced about 6 months on the tube of a feather duster where it grew extremely slowly. I did not remove the algae because I was not willing to bother the worm.

Suddenly, in just a few days, the algae moved away from the worm's tube and started to colonize neighbouring rocks. Of course, I immediately started hand removal.

Unfortunately, the problem is now getting somewhat out of hand. New stalks appear in "distant" spots almost everyday.

I have been doing the following for about two weeks:

- Hand removal almost everyday.
- Meticulous cleaning of mechanical filters - twice a day.
- 10% water change every two or three days.
- Adjunction of a PhosBan bag on top of ChemiPure Elite.
- Switch to SeaChem Reef salt mix for higher ALK, Ca and Mg. I was using Red Sea Coral Pro salt mix.

After all these efforts, just very little results: Growth has somewhat slowed but the pest algae is still thriving...

I know that some have had good results with Naso Tangs and Foxfaces but these species are too big for a nano tank.

I have also been recommended total light deprivation for three days along with two 40% water changes but I fear this might cause even more problems...

I am also considering replacing the lights. That worked well for me in freshwater long time ago.

All suggestions welcome.
Thank you in advance.
Laurent

 

[Myrddraal]

I had some of this come in on some LR, and thought it was neat looking at first so I left it. Now it's covered the top of that rock, and is starting to migrate to others. There are a lot of sponges that have lived for several months, so I don't want to pull the rock out of the water if I don't have to. I've been doing manual removal as well.

 

[Random Aquarist]

I'd suggest cutting off its food source i.e. lower your nitrates and phosphates.

 

[Logzor]

Start over with new rocks.

I was given this suggestion early on when I complained about Dictyota on my rock. It completely took over my tank and I have been battling it for months.

I laughed at the suggestion at the time but looking back I should have just tossed the rock. This stuff is not easy to get rid of.

Try covering chaeto over all of your rocks, that has worked the best for me.

You can probably find my threads around if you search for Dictyota.

 

[Logzor]

If you need more information about this. I have done a ton of research and attempted just about everything to get rid of it.

Send me a PM and I can give you my e-mail if you want more detail.

Here is my tank btw:

As you can see Dictyota covers my rocks. I let it grow out then did mass removal along with a few other approaches to shock/stomp it out.

So far it is working well.