Green Turf Algae

[Earl Karl]

So, I sorta have an outbreak of this in my ten gallon. I think it was introduced by an acro frag. Nonetheless, I need to get rid of it. So far I added an emerald crab, she's been picking at it, but I was wondering if I can add a second. All my parameters are good, 10 nitrates and 0.03 phosphates, I keep it at that level to keep my lps happy. I never do water changes however, I just use a chaeto reactor and dose a mixture of trace elements and vitamins. I just use ROX 0.8 Carbon and occasionally Brightwell Phosphat-E.

I want to stay away from spot treating since my rocks are caked with corals, it would pretty much be impractical to do that.

I was also wondering if a sea hare would do a good job on these.

What other methods are there that work well?

 

[ihavecrabs]

Hey Earl,

Yes a second emerald crab would be fine. You could also look at an algae eating blenny (sailfin blenny or lawnmower blenny) if you are not fully stocked. They'll make short work of it!

I would not recommend a sea hare as they can clean out a 150g tank in a matter of days and then they starve. Supplemental feeding of algae sheets do not meet their diet requirements and they slowly wither away.

Keep in mind, every healthy reef has algae, the only difference in seeing it is the herbivores taking care of it before it becomes visible. I have some crevices in my rockwork where it gets enough light but nothing can get to the algae.. quite funny as the tangs always look for ways to get at it.

If it were me, one of the blennies would be by top choice followed by another emerald and manual removal.

 

[Earl Karl]

No sailfin blenny, tank too small and I am quite fully stocked. I have a tail spot blenny that doesn't do anything to it.

I work at a fish store, so I can always bring the sea hare back. You think they would make short work of the algae? I think I've heard that they tend to ignore these types of algae, but I'm not sure.

I know every healthy reefs has algae, I grow a film over my panels every day lol. I just don't like turf algae.

 

[brandon429]

Being stocked has nothing to do with spot treatment to rid it, it will work. Killing brush algae with water dosers is hard, but it's not hard to take your tank apart, clean it, kill the algae, and put it back together harmlessly. we have already done this surgery in about 200 examples and applying it to yours would be easy, but not work free.

You have a way to fix it by Saturday, or to choose to let it continue on its path to taking available real estate. Sure there is some form of water adjust that may work, but why take risks with a small stocked tank? The safest mode for your packed corals isn't a month's long change to current water params, which your corals clearly like. Your reef needs a trip to the dentist. Most will not even consider forcing it clean, they'll keep the invasion until losses start. But just in case you want it fixed, not hard in a ten gallon. It's hard in a 100 gallon

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/s...p-cycle-reassembly.525310/page-2#post-5514711

 

[Earl Karl]

You have a good point, but I do not have any intent to change parameters. I just want a natural predator that can at least control the situation. Of course if it doesn't work, I will do the spot treatment method. But methods that don't require putting my hands in the tank takes priority over methods that do. I prefer to just leave my reef alone and let it flourish. But of course, if I have to, I will.

It's not really an outbreak, just some spots, it's only a ten gallon. So I'm sure a natural predator can handle it.

Also, I don't really know how to spot treat in the first place lol. Would you mind explain or send me a link that shows a great explanation of spot treatment?

 

[ihavecrabs]

I'd avoid the sea hare tbh. You could utilize one temporarily, but the turf algae will come back.

Emerald crab and some long tweezers to pull excess out? Get the long long tweezers and you won't have to put your hands in

 

[Earl Karl]

So the only way of permanently removing it is spot treating? No predator removes it? Not even Sea Hare/Emerald Crab combo?

 

[brandon429]

You are free to try those, but have one area which is simply commanded into compliance. Have at least one portion complying, so that you can at least be sure about what even works to cause compliance, all else is guessing. Not a whole tank treatment at once, a tiny test area thankfully will do.


I edited in the link above, and totally agree you can arrest it really any time in a tank that small.

Large tankers pay the biggest price for waiting, nano keepers are more free to experiment/ironic lol

The best part of the method is you don't do the whole tank at once, easy to work in incremental steps to be careful of your coral coverage

The right way to handle your issue is one single test spot, no more. Treat it the right way, no tank takedown yet, then watch that one spot in comparison to the rest of the tank as the coming days show for the non treated areas. Have one section that follows the rule of hand guiding, the unideal but saving mechanism, and all the rest are following the more ideal approaches that's the key bc establishing one test area doesn't take a big commit

Lift out one rock, or drain your tank to access one growth area

Use a precision knife tip to surgically, like a dentist, scrape that area clean, unanchor the brush algae and rinse off. Apply peroxide on the clean, rinsed, algae free spot. You can use droppers to keep it off nontargets

Rinse, put back and observe and photograph for us to use in help threads if poss. There is no rush, we value the calculated incremental work which is what people demand for their investments, they don't like all-in risks and we adapted to that with incremental testing.
B

 

[Earl Karl]

Yeah, I'm more of a visual learner type of guy lol. I'll find some videos on it, but as far as I'm concerned, spot treatment is the best method.

Remember kids, if you don't quarantine your corals, you'll end up like me.

 

[Earl Karl]

Ok, I understand the method, just gotta pick up some h2o2 and I'm good to go.

Few more questions, what do you mean apply h202? Just squirt some and rub it on the area?

Also, how long can the corals be out of water?