Is bleaching everything and starting over my only option?

HWDylan · Jan 30, 2013

Big byropsis problem in my new tank. I have no livestock other than CUC so I am open to even extreme measures to get this problem under control.

I have tried the Tech M 1800+ Mg solution for about ~2 weeks now and the stuff is still growing fine. I read that the Tech M only works on certain species of bryopsis. I have also tried bumping the salinity up to 1.028 but that has had no effect on it either.

I want to solve this issue for good before I put livestock in the tank. Is there any other option I can try before I break it down and bleach everything?

Also, what do I do with the CUC if I bleach everything? I can't keep them right? They could potentially have bryopsis on them.

These pics are from about a week ago. The problem is worse now.

always reefin · Jan 30, 2013

I don't think bleaching is the answer. You need to get to the root as to why you have the problem. Learn and adjust now or you will still have the problem later. How long has tank been running? Is it cycled? What are your water parameters? Nitrates? Phosphates?

RavePartyReef · Jan 30, 2013

Don't want to be off topic, but your rock work is insanely cool...looks like a natural reef...

HWDylan · Jan 30, 2013

Believe me, I dont want to bleach it. That is the recommendation I have heard over and over when it comes to Bryopsis though.

Parameters:
Mg: 1800
Alk: 8
Ca: 420
Salinity: 1.026
NH4: 0
NO2: 0
NO3: ~10ppm
PO4: 0

I am not feeding the tank and I have no livestock except CUC. I cured all the dry rock with a bleach/acid bath and then cooked it with 10lb of live rock for 2 weeks. Everything tested 0 when I first put the thing together.

HWDylan · Jan 30, 2013

RavePartyReef said:
Don't want to be off topic, but your rock work is insanely cool...looks like a natural reef...

THANKS! I like it a lot as well and that is another reason I dont want to break it down and bleach it.

always reefin · Jan 30, 2013

how are you testing? with those numbers you shouldn't be having this problem. have you ever added bacteria?

spscrazy · Jan 30, 2013

Last time you asked I said bleach it. Got voted down on that. I hoped the tech m would work for you. Now you have to ask yourself how long do I want to fool around with this stuff. You could try raising the mag up higher and see how that does first but this is one tough enemy.

HWDylan · Jan 30, 2013

spscrazy said:
Last time you asked I said bleach it. Got voted down on that. I hoped the tech m would work for you. Now you have to ask yourself how long do I want to fool around with this stuff. You could try raising the mag up higher and see how that does first but this is one tough enemy.

Exactly my thinking. I am gonna scrub the rocks off and do a big watch change and see how it goes but I think bleaching is the ultimate solution.

always reefin · Jan 30, 2013

need to think long term, what's the problem. bleaching may just be quick fix

Bigdaddy · Jan 30, 2013

could find a tang that would eat it my lieutenant tang loves the stuff

E.intheC · Jan 30, 2013

This is likely a phosphate issue. Is that dry Marco rock? I ask because my dry rock looked almost identical (rock itself, not the hair algae) and it's Marco rock. Even the BRS and Fosters and Smith rock is the same thing. Good stuff, but many people have had phosphate issues with this rock.

Also, I highly doubt your phosphate is zero. What are you using to check it? The majority of hobby grade test kits for phosphate are worthless. Even if you're getting a zero reading, the algae is using up the phosphate before it can be picked up by a test kit.

My suggestion is to use a large amount of GFO in a reactor, and manually pull the algae off (don't let it loose in the water or it'll spread). Do a water change right after manual removal and try to suck up most of the loose algae. Give it time. I had this problem a few years ago. I tried the above methods and after a while it went away.

Good luck.

HWDylan · Jan 30, 2013

always reefin said:
need to think long term, what's the problem. bleaching may just be quick fix

Believe me I would love to find the issue. but I think it is just that it was introduced on the small amount of LR I bought and it needs to be killed to solved. My nutrients are super low and I have not fed the tank at all so I am not sure what else I can really do to solve an algae problem. I have no other algae in the tank except for a tiny bit of cyano.

HWDylan · Jan 30, 2013

E.intheC said:
This is likely a phosphate issue. Is that dry Marco rock? I ask because my dry rock looked almost identical (rock itself, not the hair algae) and it's Marco rock. Even the BRS and Fosters and Smith rock is the same thing. Good stuff, but many people have had phosphate issues with this rock.

Also, I highly doubt your phosphate is zero. What are you using to check it? The majority of hobby grade test kits for phosphate are worthless. Even if you're getting a zero reading, the algae is using up the phosphate before it can be picked up by a test kit.

My suggestion is to use a large amount of GFO in a reactor, and manually pull the algae off (don't let it loose in the water or it'll spread). Do a water change right after manual removal and try to suck up most of the loose algae. Give it time. I had this problem a few years ago. I tried the above methods and after a while it went away.

Good luck.

The rock is BRS pukani which is notorious for leaching PO4. To solve that I treated the rock in an acid bath and a bleach bath and then cured it for 2 weeks. It tested 0 for PO4 every single time I tested while I was curing it. I don't think it is the rock. I have some GFO and a reactor but I am waiting on a pump to arrive so I can start running it and some carbon. We will see how that goes I guess. I would really rather not bleach everything.

HWDylan · Jan 30, 2013

I am testing PO4 with Salifert. Rest are API and Red Sea test kits. I want a Hannah but that is expensive.

CSJIII · Jan 30, 2013

I can't believe that someone would suggest that you quit and bleach it! That problem is nothing compared to my last tank and where I brought it back from. Please d on't bleach and start from scratch! Everying in this hobby takes time and there is always cause and reaction. Look at what I battled back from. Emerald crabs, a CUC, and manual removal are my suggestions besides finding the source to the problem.

After about 6 weeks...

E.intheC · Jan 30, 2013

HWDylan said:
I am testing PO4 with Salifert. Rest are API and Red Sea test kits. I want a Hannah but that is expensive.

The Hanna Checker is what I have. It's a bit more expensive than the other brands but definitely worth it. Even though you were reading zero when you tested the rock right after it was "bleached and acid bathed".. there was still probably phosphate in there. Again, the Salifert, API, Red Sea, etc kits are (also) notorious for reading Zero phosphate, even when there is phosphate in the tank. I would try to borrow a Hanna phosphate checker.

That said, I'm willing to bet it's still the Phosphate issue. Just be patient, as others have said.

Even if you bleach it the rock moving forward, what's to say more won't grow back? Meanwhile, you're going to kill the good bacteria that's in the rock.

Chemchef · Jan 30, 2013

What about dosing peroxide.

SkuMe · Jan 30, 2013

i would have to agree with CSJIII that this hobby is all about taking your time. i have seen one thing that may explain a low reading at this point (not so much the other readings as the rock cured), and that is that the algae is currently using that phosphate and thus bringing your readings down. i had a budy of mine that i had to coral sit for (aka add to one of my tanks for a little while) while he dealt with a problem like this. he attempted to just cover the tank and turn off all of the lights so kill the algae. his readings were all normal before the black out, after a few days of no light the readings shot through the roof. partly because of the decay that ensued as the algae died but i believe also the algae released the phosphates and such back into the system as it died back. some water changes and a little magic with some phosban took care of the symptoms and he slowed down on the feedings aka his problem.

sean151 · Jan 30, 2013

I would highly recommend hydrogen peroxide as it's a starting tank with no livestock that it could harm. H202 destroys algaes faster than any other treatment and seemed easier on my SPS than when I tried to raise magnesium for an extended period of time (didn't really work).