Turf algae! Any suggestions?

[Zucker26]

I've been battling with my algae for about 6 months now. At first I was told it was hair algae, so I started running PhosBan and bought a bicolor blenny. Neither of these did anything to kill the algae; it was still growing and thriving.

Next I was told it was Maiden's Hair, so I kept running the PhosBan and added a tuxedo urchin. The urchin showed some promise, but now it ignores the algae and eats all my coraline.

Today, I took a sample into the LFS and one of the more knowledgable employees told me it's "turf algae." He said he ran into it a few years back and it's some nasty stuff. Eventually, the only way he got rid of it was with a tuxedo urchin.

Well, I already have the urchin and it's not quite producing the results I had hoped for. Has anyone else run into this so-called turf algae? It's short little tufts of green that feel just like a stiff toothbrush and are absolutely impossible to pull off. The picture below is of one the spots in my tank.

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[BigRedSpecial]

I have a few patches of what I believe to be the same; I can't help much but my emerald crab does occasionally pick at it. Hermits and snails won't look at it though.

 

[USC-fan]

How are you running the phosban?

 

[otiso777]

Pull off as much as you can by hand. Lower the nutrient levels in your tank.

 

[Salamander]

I dealt with that once. Ended up pulling out the rocks and chiseling off the algae. Chisel pretty deep as any little bit left will come back. It's tough stuff. But IME it didn't spread except for direct contact. I think in the end I just got rid of the rocks it was on and never saw it again.

 

[Zucker26]

USC-fan: I'm running PhosBan through a PhosBan Reactor from Two Little Fishies. I was changing it every 3 months, but now I'm gonna start changing it monthly. I find it hard to believe I'm using up the PhosBan that quickly in a 29gal setup.

Kirk: You can't begin to pull this stuff off by hand. Even when I grab a clump of it with pliers, you pull off more rock than algae. I'd dismantle my whole tank and throw out the rocks before I resorted to pulling this stuff off by hand.

As for the nutrients, I already only feed once every three days. I alternate cyclopees, phytoplex, and zooplex, and I already cut out the flakes and pellets. I don't think I can reduce nutrients any more than I already have without adverse effects to my fish and coral.

 

[USC-fan]

I would use less and change more often. 3 months is just too long.....

 

[Zucker26]

Ok. Thanks for the advice! I was just throwing the whole 150g of Phosban in and assuming that's how it's supposed to work. Next time I change it out I'll use ~75g, and just keep doing it more often. I'll keep you posted!

 

[Zucker26]

Salamander, thanks for painting such a rosey picture! :thumbdown

I'm actually in a very temporary situation, so the whole system has to come down in 6 months anyway. I tried to take some of the affected rocks out, but I couldn't take it all out. Hopefully in 6 months I'll be able to just throw what I have in a new fuge and start the display with all new rocks.