Algae ID and what eats it

DWill · May 18, 2020

I‘be had this algae growing in Nuvo 10 gallon for a few weeks.
I can keep it under control by scraping and brushing it off. But it’s not East to get off even by scraping. It‘s pretty well stuck to the rocks, very difficult to scrape off. It also just grows right back.

So, does anyone here with far more experience than me know what it is, and, just as important what will eat it ? I’d like tangs out of my tank and I would like to avoid going the chemical route to get rid of it.

My nitrate is .5 and phosphate is .04. Both are stable around those numbers within 2-3 points.
live include a screenshot of my light schedule as well.
I don’t have a lot of CUC in the tank, I only have two clown fish in the tank and I’m over feeding them just slightly to keep nitrate above zero. Until just a 3-4 weeks ago I didn’t have much in the way of algae.

The CUC, such that it is, are 1 Trochus, 1 Conch and 1 Nassarius.

any help is greatly appreciated.

jessezm · May 18, 2020

It looks like Ulva, or sea lettuce, to me. There are more than one type of this algae I believe. I have it in my system as well and it has proven difficult to eradicate. Surprisingly my tangs don't touch it. I'm tagging along for other ideas.

vetteguy53081 · May 18, 2020

Type of macroalgae and most nothing other than a tang will eat it. decrease white light intensity and verify you don't have high phos or nitrate levels. Liquid vibrant should rid of it. Its not harmful but can be evasive

DWill · May 19, 2020

vetteguy53081 said:
Type of macroalgae and most nothing other than a tang will eat it. decrease white light intensity and verify you don't have high phos or nitrate levels. Liquid vibrant should rid of it. Its not harmful but can be evasive

I turned the white light down a little yesterday. Would a few days with no light help to get rid of it. I’d really like to not put a tang in my system. I don’t have a way to QT a tang and even with proper QT those are like ick magnets.

vetteguy53081 · May 19, 2020

DWill said:
I turned the white light down a little yesterday. Would a few days with no light help to get rid of it. I’d really like to not put a tang in my system. I don’t have a way to QT a tang and even with proper QT those are like ick magnets.

Blackout may or may not help. Try pulling as much as you can by hand, Small tweezers will also prove useful

TriggerFinger · May 19, 2020

My snails mowed mine down and I was actually trying to get it to grow in my DT. The cerith snails were like vultures on the clump i rubber banded to a rock.

jessezm · May 19, 2020

I don't have Ceriths, I will try those!

DWill · May 19, 2020

vetteguy53081 said:
Blackout may or may not help. Try pulling as much as you can by hand, Small tweezers will also prove useful

I scrape and pull as much as I can off every Thursday whe I do a water change.

DWill · May 19, 2020

TriggerFinger said:
My snails mowed mine down and I was actually trying to get it to grow in my DT. The cerith snails were like vultures on the clump i rubber banded to a rock.

Do ceriths crawl out?