Detritus on Macro Algae

[Bengals888]

Hi,

I get lot of detritus on sea lettuce and cheato. Should I leave as is or rinse it with clean salt water?

It is in a CPR HOB Fuge 2. I get lots of cyano build up and scrape away every few weeks.

Sea lettuce seems to do much better than cheato. I can have lights on for 12 hrs only.

Pic attached

 

[cristata.reef]

Increase flow, should help keep them clean

 

[cracker]

Agreed 1 My refugium on the 75 looks terrible with cyano & slime You name it. I want to increase the return pump significantly.

 

[Subsea]

Hi,

I get lot of detritus on sea lettuce and cheato. Should I leave as is or rinse it with clean salt water?

It is in a CPR HOB Fuge 2. I get lots of cyano build up and scrape away every few weeks.

Sea lettuce seems to do much better than cheato. I can have lights on for 12 hrs only.

Pic attached

Pods should feed on both detritus and algae. If you load your HOB refugium up with pods you could win the battle and provide a stream of live food for your display.

 

[Bengals888]

I was told not to increase flow since it defeats purpose of the fuge. I see the issue is the detritus settles at the bottom while the rest of
flow is pretty reasonable. It is a HOB fuge, not sump fuge.

I have tisbe pod population growing now.

I also see the detritus on some rocks on the main tank, they are hair like that flow back and forth. Is this hair algae?
Should I take the rocks out and clean with brush? I was able to remove it from the glass walls since it had built up.

Pics attach. I don’t what it is, detritus build up, hair algae or both?

 

[Subsea]

You have a serious algae problem. See if this helps you identify it.
https://www.reefcleaners.org/nuisance-algae-id-guide

Take out rocks and clean with scrub brush. Depending on how severe, you could soak rock in 10% solution of hydrogen peroxide and tank water for 10 minutes.

You should consider using activated carbon to remove dissolved organics from the water.

Check out this info from AlgaeBarn:
https://www.algaebarn.com/shop/live-foods/copepods/5280-pods/

TIGRIOPUS CALIFORNICUS
[Packed with omega-3 fatty and amino acids, Tigriopus copepods make a nutritious meal for even the pickiest of fish. These Pods inhabit the water column and jerk around when they move, making them an easy target for your critters. Females will lay hundreds of eggs during their life cycle. They add to your “Clean Up Crew” by consuming detritus, invasive algae, and phytoplankton in your aquarium.

TISBE BIMINIENSIS
These small and hardy tisbe copepods tend to inhabit the cracks and crevasses of live rock and macroalgae. Hiding helps them to maintain their population in marine aquaria. Their nocturnal nature makes them a sustainable food source in your tank and keeps your fish entertained and “on the hunt”. Tisbe copepods make for a highly nutritious treat for your fish, while adding to your “Clean Up Crew” by consuming detritus, phytoplankton and invasive algae in your aquarium. Think of these guys as the smallest mouths in your food chain.

APOCYCLOPS PANAMENSIS
These hardy copepods are slightly larger than Tisbe pods and slightly smaller than Tigriopus copepods. This intermediate size makes them a healthy live snack for your finicky fish and coral. Apocyclops copepods are extremely nutritious with a very high amino acid and protein content. Apocyclops copepods contain high amounts of Astaxanthin which can enhance and brighten the colors of your fish and coral. These warm water copepods reproduce extremely quickly by laying eggs every 4-6 days, about twice the rate of Tisbe and Tigriopus! Apocyclops copepods feed on phytoplankton, fish waste, and other detritus in your tank, making them a critical part of any clean-up crew.

As juveniles, Apocyclops copepods are benthic, staying hidden in the rockwork, macroalgae, and glass in your aquarium. As Apocyclops copepods mature into adults, they lay eggs before becoming pelagic and making their way into the water column. Once in the water column, they provide a sustainable and nutritious live food source for your fish and corals.]

 

[Esquire805]

Hi,

I get lot of detritus on sea lettuce and cheato. Should I leave as is or rinse it with clean salt water?

It is in a CPR HOB Fuge 2. I get lots of cyano build up and scrape away every few weeks.

Sea lettuce seems to do much better than cheato. I can have lights on for 12 hrs only.

Pic attached

Ughh get a bucket shake it off then put it back

 

[Subsea]

You have a serious algae problem. See if this helps you identify it.
https://www.reefcleaners.org/nuisance-algae-id-guide

Take out rocks and clean with scrub brush. Depending on how severe, you could soak rocks in peroxide bath.

 

[cracker]

@Bengals888 , I v'e heard the same about increased flow thru the sump defeats the purpose. I have a differing take on this. it's about dwell time ( the time water is exposed to the algae or whatever you have) . But remember it's a closed system. So at the end of the day ,it's all the same. A little water filtered a lot or a lot of water filtered a little. in a closed system it's the same as the same water passes thru again & again .

I'd like to ask for your Nitrate & phosphate levels are . Are they real low? The pics of the in tank rock the algae looks very pale. is it real slimy & breaks up in little bits?
Could be some type of bacteria .They love low nutrient conditions !
All the other advice is real good about scrubbing & swishing rinsing as much as Ya can. Lot's of work !

 

[Subsea]

@Bengals888 , I v'e heard the same about increased flow thru the sump defeats the purpose. I have a differing take on this. it's about dwell time ( the time water is exposed to the algae or whatever you have) . But remember it's a closed system. So at the end of the day ,it's all the same. A little water filtered a lot or a lot of water filtered a little. in a closed system it's the same as the same water passes thru again & again .

I'd like to ask for your Nitrate & phosphate levels are . Are they real low? The pics of the in tank rock the algae looks very pale. is it real slimy & breaks up in little bits?
Could be some type of bacteria .They love low nutrient conditions !
All the other advice is real good about scrubbing & swishing rinsing as much as Ya can. Lot's of work !

+10 to your comments.

@Bengals888
I should ask you, what is the purpose for your refugium.

Typically, refugiums are for nutrient recycling but macro can be grown for nutrient export. Since you have added pods, I assume you want to grow live food for filter feeders & fish. I don’t agree with the assumption that high flow will necessarily impede cultivation of pods. I have pods in plenty of high flow areas. Pods like rubble. I really don’t think you need macro algae in your pod culture.

Use activated carbon to remove dissolved organic carbon which is contributing to the mess. Are you carbon dosing? Organic carbon dosing (vinegar, sugar, vodka and the list goes on) grows bacteria which includes cynobacteria.

 

[Dan_P]

I would recommend adding a powerhead to increase the water flow. Increasing water movement around the alga will improve gas exchange and nutrient absorption, making it grow faster and not to mention minimizing the buildup of detritus and what looks like cyanobacteria.

I have noticed that my sump Caulerpa peters out periodically and no amount of flow helps to keep other algae, cyanobacteria and detritus building up on the fronds. At this points I just harvest it.

 

[Bengals888]

Thanks for all your replies. This is the HOB fuge I am using, not my photo. The way it is designed, I am not sure if increasing flow is going
to remove detritus from the bottom. Looks like it is designed to keep flow rate lower towards the bottom.

Yes, I got the fuge to take care of excess nutrients and for pods. I went through the sump area in DT and cleaned out lot of build up. I have added
carbon/purigen/phosguard in one media chamber. It has been over a year and I neglated to clean out the bottom of the sump. Lots of build up
so it will take time to clear up. I use polyfil and my water at times were crystal clear

As an experiement, I could hook up higher flow rate pump and see if it will push the detritus out of the fuge into the DT instead of just settling
on the macro algae and bottom of the tank.

My tisbe pod population is growing. Just curious if anyone also has Apocyclops in their tanks. Google just shows them for sale but no
posts where people actually use them. Does one out compete the other, as with Tibse vs. Apocyclops?

 

[Bengals888]

I have taken out the macro algae every few weeks, tossed the extra growth and rinse through. Detritus still settles on it after it goes back in the fuge. Initially no luck with cheato. Sea lettuce grew quickly. Now I am trying cheato again, little of both.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

IMO ime (every tank in 10 years save one has had an hob fuge) you need to Clean out the hob. Period.

Put a sponge on the intake pump or where the water comes into the fuge.

Don’t worry the pods come back.

 

[Subsea]

Thanks for all your replies. This is the HOB fuge I am using, not my photo. The way it is designed, I am not sure if increasing flow is going
to remove detritus from the bottom. Looks like it is designed to keep flow rate lower towards the bottom.

Yes, I got the fuge to take care of excess nutrients and for pods. I went through the sump area in DT and cleaned out lot of build up. I have added
carbon/purigen/phosguard in one media chamber. It has been over a year and I neglated to clean out the bottom of the sump. Lots of build up
so it will take time to clear up. I use polyfil and my water at times were crystal clear

As an experiement, I could hook up higher flow rate pump and see if it will push the detritus out of the fuge into the DT instead of just settling
on the macro algae and bottom of the tank.

My tisbe pod population is growing. Just curious if anyone also has Apocyclops in their tanks. Google just shows them for sale but no
posts where people actually use them. Does one out compete the other, as with Tibse vs. Apocyclops?

Is this a picture of your display? It has display macro! Why macro in refugium, if you have some in your display?

With respect to different species of copepods thriving, I bought the mixed bag and may the best team win. I don’t try to sort it out. If you read the information at AlgaeBarn, feeding requirements are well described. Just like bacteria, the copepods & amphipods will figure it out and multiply to the food supply.

 

[Subsea]

I reread your post. Pardon my confusion with the picture.

With respect to detritus, I let it build up in my 25 year old EcoSystem mud & macro refugium, with a 75G Jaubert Plenum for a display. I never changed miracle mud. The mud section of three section filter gradually increased in depth by 0.5” in 25 years. It was crawling with worms and felt spongy to the touch. When I grew macro, it always was full of detritus with pods munching on it. Because it is out of sight, I never fretted over the looks of it. Detritus supports a varied micro invert population that is an integral part of the “microbial loop” which feeds the reef. With that component of live food chain in place, I can support Sea Apples, Flame Scallops & several deep water gorgonions in my 25 year old display tank.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/2...m-on-top-with-30g-ecosystem-mud-macro.421526/

 

[lapin]

Funny. The make their HOB look like a tank with plants. All fresh and clean. In real life your fuge is gona get all dirty(your 1st picture) unless you have high flow and just rock rubble with maybe some macros like chaeto tumbling. With a HOB I do not think you can enough flow to keep it spotless. Plus you would have to clean the glass every day. Ulva in slow flow will look like a bubbling mess of crud. Thats my fuge. There is nothing wrong with it. Grows great , pods love the mess and every week I toss some in the trash.
I seeded a 5 gallon bucket and my fuge with a bottle of Apocyclops (apex) pods. Should know more in a week or 2 after they get going if they will survive in the fuge or will need bucket cultivation.
The picture of your tank with the coral shows a bunch of cruddy stuff on the rocks. Do you know what that is ?

 

[Subsea]

One year ago, I turned out the lights in 25 year old refugium, composted tomato plants with Caulerpa and seeded refugium with cryptic sponges. Detritus stays in the mud bed and is not visible. The tube worms are part of the biofiltration. I also view them as bioindicator of a healthy mature system.

 

[Subsea]

@Bengals888

I can not find a single place where you discribes your complete system and your husbandry maintenance schedule or test results. You should start a tank thread to consolidate information.

Your focus should be on what is accumulating in your display tank. What do you have for a clean up crew which includes gravel vac and tooth brush for some serious clean up?

 

[Bengals888]

lapin, thanks for info. good to know detritus on settlihg on macro is normal. I could not identify what the stuff on the rocks are, looks like it is going away.

subsea, I did not include info intially since I was just asking about detritus on macro. It is a IM 25 gallon lagoon.
I use RO/DI and change out few gallons every few weeks.

I have cleaned the HOB fuge, scraped lot of cyano off the walls. This is what it looks like now.

I am growing tibse in a pot scrubber pod hotel so once the population increases, I will add to the HOB fuge.
Rocks were transfered to DT during cleaning, will put some back.

Thanks