Keeping nuisance algae off of macros!

[Lorekeeper]

So, I just got my second round of macroalgae in the mail yesterday. I'm very excited with what I got, but one of the macros I was really looking forward to came in with a bunch of GHA on it. Blue Scroll.

Now, this is a familiar issue. I had the same problem with some Dragon's Breath and some Laurencia when I first got into macros, and couldn't find anything short of manual removal that'd work. Even then, it'd be back in a few days.

What would you do to rid your macros of nuisance algae?

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

I've always heard to clip off as much as possible of areas that are covered by nuisance algae and eventually new growth will come in algae-free and shade out the nuisance algae below. You do risk damaging the macro-algae with this process though.

 

[Lorekeeper]

The only problem with that is that the Blue Scroll is covered, from end to end. Some places are better than others, but it's all got SOME on it.

 

[Lorekeeper]

Actually, I just re-read that after some coffee - and it makes so much more sense now! My bad.

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

Actually, I just re-read that after some coffee - and it makes so much more sense now! My bad.

Happens to the best of us actually happens to me all the time because I've gone 100% caffeine free ;Hilarious

 

[Lorekeeper]

Happens to the best of us actually happens to me all the time because I've gone 100% caffeine free ;Hilarious

Lol, I couldn't do it! I live off of coffee.

I trimmed back the blue scroll as far as I could, and still, there's a bit on there. But, I don't think trimming it back any more would be a good idea. We'll have to see how it goes!

 

[Subsea]

Not conclusive, but as a last resort use 20:1 solution of hydrogen peroxide as a 5 minute dip to kill micro algae but not macro. I use a 10 minute dip to at 10:1 for ten minutes to kill all algae on incoming coral plugs.

 

[Subsea]

I have a 55G monoculture of Halymenia dilatata. I prefer this Pacific version over the GOM two cultivars of Dragons Tongue.

https://www.marineplantbook.com/marinebookhalyfloresia.htm

https://www.marineplantbook.com/marinebookhalyfloridana.htm

https://www.marineplantbook.com/marinebookhalymeniaelongata.htm

https://www.liveaquaria.com/product/3551/dragons-tongue-algae?pcatid=3551&c=497+3752+3551

Case study of nuisance algae growth on surfaces of ornamental macro, Halymenia dilatata sometimes called Dragong’s Tongue. I prefer this Pacific cultivar because it is not fragile like its cousins in the Gulf of Mexico.

First test with a group of three showing epilytes:
To 100ml of display tank water add 5ml of 3% hydrogen peroxide. Because I use 35% h202, I only added .5ml. Soak for 60 seconds stirring constantly, then return to tumble culture to observe.

PS: I should see some results within an hour.

 

[Subsea]

As I saw no obvious damage to Dragongs Tongue after several hours, I will up the time duration in increments of 1 minute. The goal here is to increase hydrogen peroxide dosage exposure rate until damage to desirable macro is evident. That is the upper limit to get a mass killing of undesirable algae as epiphytes on desirable macro surfaces. So, depending on the resistance of undesirable algae determines if both good and bad die together.

Someone with a microscope could do a better job of categorizing differrent undesirables. I don’t have the patience. If a dip does not eliminate the bad from the good, then contaminated macro gets composted to the tomatoes.

Case study: Take 2
Mixed 5% solution of 3% hydrogen peroxide with tank water. Soak for 2 minutes, then put back in tank.

@Lorekeeper
Do the same protocol on your contaminated macro, until you find the upper limit that harms desirables, then hope that the undesirables have a lower threshold to hydrogen peroxide.

I will start my own thread to document my results with cleaning Halymenia dilatata of undesirable algae.
Laissez les bonne temps roulee,
Patrick