Some help from over the pond please.

[jiffy176]

Hi all.

I am having a bit of a Red Algae nightmare,
My Tank is 55 UK Gallons total berlin system. I have recently upgraded from T5 to 150w Halide and added a ca reactor.

The effluent from the reactor drips into some media in a container before returining to sump to hopefully use up any excess co2.

po4 is nil as is SI
Circulation is good by way of a scwd giving me about 4800lph turnover.

The algea is not cyno or diatoms but it is like a red turf/ moss and very hard to get off of the rock. Can anyone suggest anything that will eat it pls.

Thanks all
Jiff

 

[Gillybaby]

Hi Jiff

The only critters that I know of that eat red turf algae are Turbo Fluctuosus snails. You can get them in the UK from Reef Critters. Hope mods don't mind me posting this, as its a uk site it shouldn't conflict with any RC sponsors

A half dozen of these snails should clear a 55g tank in a week or two. Make sure you are running a good quality phosphate remover and check your nitrates as well as this is what the algae feeds on IIRC. It looks like you are getting a false reading due to the algae using them all up.

I had an outbreak of this stuff in my 55g tank too so don't worry, the snails will deal with it

 

[steve newman]

Get back to Ultimate Reef you two!.

 

[Gillybaby]

LOL - I did think it was a bit ironic that the person who answered was from the UK too but didn't want to rub it in

Nice to know there are a few of us hanging around here

 

[ReeferAl]

I had a problem with tough red turf algae and none of my surgeonfish, hermits or snails made a dent in it. I can't say what species of turbo snail I have, but I do have about a dozen turbos. I added longspine (diadema) urchins and they got it under control. It has not disappeared but it now only covers a small portion of the rock and before it was everywhere.
Allen