Algae ID and treatment?

[Gungo]

My tank has been through every algae available but this one seems new for me. No changes in the tank recently. No problem with corals or fish!

Kh 7
Ca 420
Mg 1300
Po4 0.02
No3 5
Temp 80-81

 

[mta_morrow]

Do a search on turf algae. I had it before and that’s what it looks like to me.

Your nutrients appear to be in line.

After you look at some good pics and compare, let us know.

 

[Gungo]

Do a search on turf algae. I had it before and that’s what it looks like to me.

Your nutrients appear to be in line.

After you look at some good pics and compare, let us know.

Yep that is it! Looks the same

 

[mta_morrow]

Ok!

Turf algae is a tougher one to beat.

Are your nitrates and phosphates stable at your posted levels?

Are you dosing anything for nitrates or phosphates?

 

[Gungo]

Ok!

Turf algae is a tougher one to beat.

Are your nitrates and phosphates stable at your posted levels?

Are you dosing anything for nitrates or phosphates?

Yes they're stable. Im not dosing nothing to the tank but BRS sodium bicarbonate and BRS calcium chloride. I have probably few months with this algae, I just gived up battling them and chasing numbers.. I let them be.. they just dissapear with time but this one is kinda propagating

 

[Gungo]

Im also dosing prodibio bio activ "live bacteria" every 15 days.

 

[mta_morrow]

Ok. You gotta get this one before it really gets established.

Fluconazole worked for me and many others who battled this. It’s primarily used for bryopsis which a lot of people get. But it works very well for turf algae also.

Do a search here for it. There is a HUGE thread. Instructions for use are on page 1 i believe.

Check it out.

Im also dosing prodibio bio activ "live bacteria" every 15 days.

thats good stuff! It will be ok if you choose to use fluconazole.

 

[mcarroll]

Can you pull it out by hand if you try?

("Pinch-and-remove" from the base.)

BTW, that's one of the coolest growths of algae I've seen.

 

[Gungo]

Ok. You gotta get this one before it really gets established.

Fluconazole worked for me and many others who battled this. It’s primarily used for bryopsis which a lot of people get. But it works very well for turf algae also.

Do a search here for it. There is a HUGE thread. Instructions for use are on page 1 i believe.

Check it out.

thats good stuff! It will be ok if you choose to use fluconazole.

Is this safe to use with corals, like sps and lps? or even fish? I tried to look for the topic but seems like a lot of people is using this more for bryopsis. I will continue looking to address this issue with that. Thank you for the information! Much appreciated!

Can you pull it out by hand if you try?

("Pinch-and-remove" from the base.)

BTW, that's one of the coolest growths of algae I've seen.

Yes I can. the easiest ones are the one in the sand. But in the rocks its kind of attached. To be honest my family believes its another type of coral like green star polips haha it gives a really natural look. But anyway I want out of my tank

 

[mcarroll]

Good. Just concentrate on manually removing it then.

Don't be afraid to use tweezers or anything else that would help grab the bases of the colones on the rocks!

Some folks even go so far as to dig or chip some of the algae off by removing a little rock.

 

[mta_morrow]

When I had turf algae, I did exactly what @mccarrol is recommending.

Manual removal and chiseled away some pieces of rock.

However there were some spots that I could not remove it all or it regrew.

This was during the early introduction of fluconazole.

I was one of the first to try it on turf algae.

It took 2 rounds if recommended strength to beat it.

I was still a noob at that time and did a poor job documenting it.

No harm to corals, inverts, or fish.

I ran my skimmer wide open, cut back on feeding, and ran carbon after each treatment.

 

[Gungo]

Thanks @mcarroll and @mta_morrow !!! So that's what I will do. I will try to manually remove it and if it grows back Ill do fluconazole. What is the recommended strength to beat it? I will have to buy a reactor and run carbon then because I don't have one.

 

[mta_morrow]

Thanks @mcarroll and @mta_morrow !!! So that's what I will do. I will try to manually remove it and if it grows back Ill do fluconazole. What is the recommended strength to beat it? I will have to buy a reactor and run carbon then because I don't have one.

Do you have a high flow place where you could put a bag of carbon, like in a filter sock? Saves buying a reactor!

 

[mcarroll]

Thanks @mcarroll and @mta_morrow !!! So that's what I will do. I will try to manually remove it and if it grows back

Hitting the medication button is always an option, more or less, but if going in by hand works, that's much better all the way around.

IMO, be patient with the natural method and use a med only as a last resort like when you can save a life or something.

In the long term, by pulling manually, you'll do less and less work because you'll be improving your CUC more and more, coraline will be growing more and more, and your corals will be growing more and more.

Sooner or later your role becomes more of a Supervisor...and the only medications needed are in a beer mug/wine glass.

 

[Gungo]

Do you have a high flow place where you could put a bag of carbon, like in a filter sock? Saves buying a reactor!

Yes that will work also. Thanks for the Idea!

Hitting the medication button is always an option, more or less, but if going in by hand works, that's much better all the way around.

IMO, be patient with the natural method and use a med only as a last resort like when you can save a life or something.

In the long term, by pulling manually, you'll do less and less work because you'll be improving your CUC more and more, coraline will be growing more and more, and your corals will be growing more and more.

Sooner or later your role becomes more of a Supervisor...and the only medications needed are in a beer mug/wine glass.

I will! I will keep this post updated in a few days/weeks to see how this goes! Thank you !!

 

[Gungo]

Ok guys I need options.. The algae still growing fast, parameters still the same but just the KH went up to 8 because took out some corals I didn't want. I just took out a full small bucket of algae and theres still alot in my rocks.. I can't remove them manually beacause they are like attached! someone please give me solutions im bored of algae!!!!!!!

 

[Gungo]

I need help finding the fluconzole guide. Did search on forum but didn't find. Any link?

 

[Gungo]

Anyone?