Coral Wars: Turf algae versus Cyphastrea; turf algae versus Leptoseris.

[sixline]

I'm having a bit of a problem with turf algae in my tank. It's the variety that really roots itself into the rock and therefore is impossible to remove. Considering Vibrant, but not really in panic mode yet.

But I hav an interesting experiment playing out in the tank now. I've got a pretty good fast growing, healthy piece of Cyphastrea next to a patch of turf algae, and next to the turf algae is a pretty fast growing, healthy leptoseris. So, we've got two battle lines: Turf algae versus Cyphastrea, and turf algae versus Leptoseris.

Any wagers on who is going to win?

Turf algae versus Cyphastrea?
Turf algae versus Leptoseris?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Turf algae- pull what you can by hand- reduce white light intensity or turn off white lights for. Week. You can pull roots from base with a dental pick or small crochet needle and add chiton, emerald crab, ninja starfish and urchin which will munch on this algae. Raising the mag to 1400 may help also

 

[ReefMan692]

The algae will win

 

[Udest]

You can also try blue ridge .from what I noticed in my tank when I last had it the coral would eventually grow over algae.

 

[mdb_talon]

In my experience the coral will win but it slows the growth and ends up with thicker base.

In any case you cant reference coral wars without showing us some pictures!

 

[Hermie]

In a healthy tank cyphastrea can beat algae but it will probably be a stale mate for the most part. you need herbivores to intervene and then the coral will absolutely take over

 

[Garf]

I’m betting that with raised nutrients the algae will win, with lowered nutrients, few herbivores and lots of particulate matter the algae will win, with lowered nutrients and low particulate matter the coral will win. Algae has a nutrient advantage in that if not pruned back by manual intervention or herbivores it traps particulate matter and as it decays, uses the nutrients contained within.

 

[Udest]

That's the big kicker especially with turf is particulate matter since it catches it like Velcro.