Algae growing over digitata

[Brad Coughlan]

I want to remove the green/brownish algae on it which seems to be making this digitata strip away. The purple part used to be covered but I used a toothbrush to remove the algae, as it was already just dead skeleton, but the algae by the live polyps I am unsure if to do that, I don't want to damage or kill them with a toothbrush but want to remove the algae. What do I do?

 

[Seansea]

Did you try a turkey baster?

 

[Sdbuehler1]

With that much bare skeleton at the base I think you will continue to have algae growth problems. Why not just clip the two good tips and put them on a new frag plug?

 

[Brad Coughlan]

Did you try a turkey baster?

I might have, might not have, can't quite recall, I'll give it a go tomorrow - thanks

 

[Brad Coughlan]

With that much bare skeleton at the base I think you will continue to have algae growth problems. Why not just clip the two good tips and put them on a new frag plug?

Trouble is, the good tips are the ones that have algae on them, the dead bit I got the algae off because I wouldn't risk anything by scrubbing it as it was dead anyway

 

[Dan_P]

I want to remove the green/brownish algae on it which seems to be making this digitata strip away. The purple part used to be covered but I used a toothbrush to remove the algae, as it was already just dead skeleton, but the algae by the live polyps I am unsure if to do that, I don't want to damage or kill them with a toothbrush but want to remove the algae. What do I do?

Is this coral dying? Maybe algae growth is not the cause of the problem.

 

[Brad Coughlan]

Is this coral dying? Maybe algae growth is not the cause of the problem.

It definitely has reseeded, although the base part that is separated (that I accidentally fragged a while back) seems to be doing fine. And the stellata behind it is growing, same with the plating monti behind it. 2 weeks ago my nitrate was 16 and phosphate was 0.1, but I have since started dosing nopox and I think they are coming down

 

[Sdbuehler1]

I have lots of montipora digitata growing including forest fire which I think is what you have. Unless it’s a bad camera angle , I’m not seeing the white tips at the top that you typically see when it’s happy and growing well. This is a before and after of one my pieces. In the first pic lighting was insufficient and nitrates and phosphates were out of control. The middle branch got brittle and broke off. I put it on a new frag plug and since beefed up my lighting, flow, and got my parameters under better control. That thin branch is now fat and happy and all the white sections have recovered with new growth on every tip. I agree with Dan and think that the algae is not your biggest problem here.

 

[Seansea]

I'm jealous of your polyp extension. My bicolor angel makes sure they never come out.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

To me it looks like the coral is stn'ing or rtn'ing and algae is growing on the dead parts.

I would frag the healthy part of the coral. rtn or stn doesn't stop until the coral is dead

 

[Brad Coughlan]

I have lots of montipora digitata growing including forest fire which I think is what you have. Unless it’s a bad camera angle , I’m not seeing the white tips at the top that you typically see when it’s happy and growing well. This is a before and after of one my pieces. In the first pic lighting was insufficient and nitrates and phosphates were out of control. The middle branch got brittle and broke off. I put it on a new frag plug and since beefed up my lighting, flow, and got my parameters under better control. That thin branch is now fat and happy and all the white sections have recovered with new growth on every tip. I agree with Dan and think that the algae is not your biggest problem here.

That makes sense actually. I used to have growth on it, but since I increased feeding, my nutrients increased. Would you suggest I continue with the nopox dosing? I paused it as my GSP doesn't seem to appreciate it (or could from be a lighting change)

Should I cut the living part from the dead part?

 

[Sdbuehler1]

That makes sense actually. I used to have growth on it, but since I increased feeding, my nutrients increased. Would you suggest I continue with the nopox dosing? I paused it as my GSP doesn't seem to appreciate it (or could from be a lighting change)

Should I cut the living part from the dead part?

Yes, I think several of us concur, cut those good parts off and save them while you can. FWIW, I have GSP thriving in one of my tanks where Nitrates has never gone much higher than 3 ppm.

 

[Brad Coughlan]

Yes, I think several of us concur, cut those good parts off and save them while you can. FWIW, I have GSP thriving in one of my tanks where Nitrates has never gone much higher than 3 ppm.

Ok I'll do that. Should I still do this even though the algae is on the good part?

As for the GSP, I assume it'll adjust to the nutrients

 

[Sdbuehler1]

Ok I'll do that. Should I still do this even though the algae is on the good part?

As for the GSP, I assume it'll adjust to the nutrients

I have used a hydrogen peroxide dip to remove algae from montipora and it responded well. The ratio I used was 20 ml of 3% hydrogen peroxide to 1 liter of saltwater ( taken from your tank ) and I dipped for 5 minutes. Some commercially available reef dips also claim to kill algae if you’re not comfortable with using hydrogen peroxide.

 

[Brad Coughlan]

I have used a hydrogen peroxide dip to remove algae from montipora and it responded well. The ratio I used was 20 ml of 3% hydrogen peroxide to 1 liter of saltwater ( taken from your tank ) and I dipped for 5 minutes. Some commercially available reef dips also claim to kill algae if you’re not comfortable with using hydrogen peroxide.

Ok, I do have some 3% peroxide. So shall I do this? Since I'm cutting off 2 branches, should I dip 1 branch, and leave the other and if the dipped branch is okay, then repeat for the 2nd after a few days of seeing if the first is ok?

 

[Sdbuehler1]

Ok, I do have some 3% peroxide. So shall I do this? Since I'm cutting off 2 branches, should I dip 1 branch, and leave the other and if the dipped branch is okay, then repeat for the 2nd after a few days of seeing if the first is ok?

That sounds like a good plan to me.

 

[Brad Coughlan]

That sounds like a good plan to me.

Ok sounds good. Will do it now, thanks

 

[Brad Coughlan]

That sounds like a good plan to me.

I cut both branches off okay, and dipped one of them in peroxide. I only did it for 2 minutes and 30 seconds however. Not sure how much came off (if any) but looking at the coral with the polyps closed, there isn't as much algae as I thought anyway. Both of the new frags are glued down, and should hopefully begin growing and encrusting onto the rock and glue soon

 

[Brad Coughlan]

That sounds like a good plan to me.

On the non dipped branch, there is a bit of alage on the tip of it. How should I remove this? Could I place a hermit crab next to it and see if it pulls it off? I tried tweazers but the coral isn't glued very strongly and I don't want to knock it off

 

[Sdbuehler1]

If it’s the kind of algae that doesn’t pull off easy then dipping would probably be better. Maybe wait to see how the other branch that was dipped is responding in a couple days and then dip this branch too?