is this turf algae?

[stephanjupillat]

Hey guys. I'm having trouble identifying this algae. It's growing in clumps everywhere in the tank. Mostly on rocks or frag plugs. It's really tough to pull off. Looks like small lettuce. I'm thinking turf algae as it doesn't look like anything else. haha

And then what eats it? I only have a 60 gallon tank so can't do any recommended fish as they are too large. Not sure if the algae blenny will eat it but my tank is pretty maxed out with fish.

I have 2 emeralds recently put in there for the bubble algae. Need to get some larger snails for the hair algae. But for turf algae they say pincushion urchin, maybe crab and then fuzzy chiton. Could maybe do a tuxedo urchin as they are smaller but everyone states they pretty much only eat coralline algae. That I would need a pincushion urchin. is that true?

any help would be appreciated!

alk 8
no3 is 7
po4 is .03 - .05

 

[shakacuz]

your "small lettuce" description makes me believe this is: ulva lactuca? very difficult to tell from the picture. turf algae does not resemble "lettuce" in any way unless there is another form of it i am unaware of.

could try a hydrogen peroxide filled syringe and target the areas on the frags with the algea. should weaken/kill it rather quickly. do this outside the tank.

 

[stephanjupillat]

your "small lettuce" description makes me believe this is: ulva lactuca? very difficult to tell from the picture. turf algae does not resemble "lettuce" in any way unless there is another form of it i am unaware of.

could try a hydrogen peroxide filled syringe and target the areas on the frags with the algea. should weaken/kill it rather quickly. do this outside the tank.

Yup that’s it! Thanks! I googled it and it seems you can buy it for your DT. Haha. It’s smothered some zoas and I thought it was turf. Apparently not considered a nuisance algae. I’ll look it up but do you think a smaller tuxedo urchin would eat it?

 

[shakacuz]

do you think a smaller tuxedo urchin would eat it?

only when the ulva is very small. your best bet is to pull off as much as you can before including new CUC to take care of it.

 

[Lyss]

I have ulva growing on my DT rocks and just keep it for CUC and to help w/nutrients. It hasn’t really bothered anything, and I prune it when it gets too wild. It’s super easy to just pluck off.

 

[Blumon18]

Here's my before and after picture been dosing with vibrant twice a week the last few weeks for about 6 or 7 weeks dosing. Gonna rip off the rest tonight

 

[afrokobe]

Here's my before and after picture been dosing with vibrant twice a week the last few weeks for about 6 or 7 weeks dosing. Gonna rip off the rest tonight

you should reconsider dosing if you haven't seen this: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/warning-use-vibrant-at-your-own-risk.894995/unread