Live Rock = Turf Algae

[GarrettT]

People suggesting to use a higher percentage of live rock, how did you avoid getting turf algae? I’d imagine there is a very high probability of getting it when using actual live rock such as KP Aquatics and TBS.

I have it and can’t seem to get it under control. I have low levels of P04 and NO3 with a good clean up crew - Tuxedo urchin, tronchus, and cerith snails. I did two rounds of Reeflux HD, but all that did was kill 80% of my corals. Hydrogen peroxide doesn’t seem to be enough.

I want to restart with new “live” rock, but fear it will only come with more turf algae.
Is this a common issue?

 

[blaxsun]

I like dry rock myself. Less unknowns...

 

[Garf]

People suggesting to use a higher percentage of live rock, how did you avoid getting turf algae? I’d imagine there is a very high probability of getting it when using actual live rock such as KP Aquatics and TBS.

I have it and can’t seem to get it under control. I have low levels of P04 and NO3 with a good clean up crew - Tuxedo urchin, tronchus, and cerith snails. I did two rounds of Reeflux HD, but all that did was kill 80% of my corals. Hydrogen peroxide doesn’t seem to be enough.

I want to restart with new “live” rock, but fear it will only come with more turf algae.
Is this a common issue?

You got a pic?

 

[araziza]

This is one of the reasons I switched to dry rock. So far so good, although it really sucks not to get any of the fun hitchhikers. Not to mention the biodiversity of beneficial bacteria and other organisms.

 

[GarrettT]

You got a pic?

Unfortunately I don’t, as I just picked much of it off the rocks. I have both red and green turf algae. It’s definitely turf and not GHA though. No matter how much I remove, it just grows back within a week. The unfortunate part is that with the lower nutrients, I’m starting to see Dino’s come back.

 

[Reefing102]

I haven’t had an issue with turf algae in my tanks and used KP both times. I am having a Cyano outbreak but not turf

 

[vetteguy53081]

People suggesting to use a higher percentage of live rock, how did you avoid getting turf algae? I’d imagine there is a very high probability of getting it when using actual live rock such as KP Aquatics and TBS.

I have it and can’t seem to get it under control. I have low levels of P04 and NO3 with a good clean up crew - Tuxedo urchin, tronchus, and cerith snails. I did two rounds of Reeflux HD, but all that did was kill 80% of my corals. Hydrogen peroxide doesn’t seem to be enough.

I want to restart with new “live” rock, but fear it will only come with more turf algae.
Is this a common issue?

Light and inorganics will promote turf.
Is tank at or near a window?
Check and assure phosphate levels not elevated?
RODI water or tap water from the faucet?

Some good cleaners for turf algae are:
Ninja star snails
astrea snails
trochus snails
Chiton snails
Pitho crab
Caribbean blue leg hermits

 

[GarrettT]

Light and inorganics will promote turf.
Is tank at or near a window?
Check and assure phosphate levels not elevated?
RODI water or tap water from the faucet?

Some good cleaners for turf algae are:
Ninja star snails
astrea snails
trochus snails
Chiton snails
Pitho crab
Caribbean blue leg hermits

No window. 0ppb phosphate (I know not recommended, but trying to eradicate it), 0ppm tds (I run two DIs).

ill likely give that cuc a try.

 

[GarrettT]

I haven’t had an issue with turf algae in my tanks and used KP both times. I am having a Cyano outbreak but not turf

Surprising. If you look at their stock photos, you can see plenty of turf in there. Glad you didn’t get it.

 

[Blumy]

Never had had a single algae issue with live rock.

 

[X-37B]

People suggesting to use a higher percentage of live rock, how did you avoid getting turf algae? I’d imagine there is a very high probability of getting it when using actual live rock such as KP Aquatics and TBS.

I have it and can’t seem to get it under control. I have low levels of P04 and NO3 with a good clean up crew - Tuxedo urchin, tronchus, and cerith snails. I did two rounds of Reeflux HD, but all that did was kill 80% of my corals. Hydrogen peroxide doesn’t seem to be enough.

I want to restart with new “live” rock, but fear it will only come with more turf algae.
Is this a common issue?

How big is the system? It sounds like alot but I use 1 snail per gallon and have mostly live rock now in 4 systems.
In my old 120 I ran 2 per gallon with 2 halloween urchins.
Before I took it down I counted close to 90 snails.

 

[GarrettT]

How big is the system? It sounds like alot but I use 1 snail per gallon and have mostly live rock now in 4 systems.
In my old 120 I ran 2 per gallon with 2 halloween urchins.
Before I took it down I counted close to 90 snails.

My MP60s are notorious at getting snails trapped on the propeller, esp. cerith. Im trying to avoid more, especially since most of the algae is limited to turf only. I know u run Tunze tho.

edit: 220g total

 

[WVNed]

I have 150 pounds of live rock and no turf algae.

 

[sixty_reefer]

No window. 0ppb phosphate (I know not recommended, but trying to eradicate it), 0ppm tds (I run two DIs).

ill likely give that cuc a try.

How old is your tank

 

[GarrettT]

How old is your tank

1yr 3 months

 

[sixty_reefer]

1yr 3 months

That’s a mature system, what’s the ideology behind starving the algae by depleting phosphates? Guide me through your thinking in choosing that method. are you aware that your main bacteria to control ammonia is actually heterotrophic bacteria that need carbon nitrogen and phosphorus to carry on the biological filtration

 

[GarrettT]

That’s a mature system, what’s the ideology behind starving the algae by depleting phosphates? Guide me through your thinking in choosing that method. are you aware that your main bacteria to control ammonia is actually heterotrophic bacteria that need carbon nitrogen and phosphorus to carry on the biological filtration

Wouldn’t food and fish waste support this? I don’t think I’ve ever heard of bacteria not being able to handle a bioload because of low P04.

 

[sixty_reefer]

Wouldn’t food and fish waste support this? I don’t think I’ve ever heard of bacteria not being able to handle a bioload because of low P04.

If the dominant species in your tank was nitrifying bacteria that would be correct, what many people come to realise is that over time heterotrophic bacteria comes to dominate our reef and they become the main species to control ammonia, what happens wend they get limited by removing nitrates or phosphates is that they can’t carry on doing they’re job properly meaning that more ammonia becomes available for photosynthesis organisms to utilise. In your case it will be the turf algae so instead of killing it you are actually giving them more nutrients by limiting nutrients in your system.
Heterotrophic bacteria needs a constant supply of C N P if one is limited they can’t perform.

personally I would let the nutrients stabilise and regain the bacteria that is lost and use natural predators to deal with the turf algae or use other method available that won’t reduce your nutrients and weaken your biological filter.

 

[GarrettT]

If the dominant species in your tank was nitrifying bacteria that would be correct, what many people come to realise is that over time heterotrophic bacteria comes to dominate our reef and they become the main species to control ammonia, what happens wend they get limited by removing nitrates or phosphates is that they can’t carry on doing they’re job properly meaning that more ammonia becomes available for photosynthesis organisms to utilise. In your case it will be the turf algae so instead of killing it you are actually giving them more nutrients by limiting nutrients in your system.
Heterotrophic bacteria needs a constant supply of C N P if one is limited they can’t perform.

personally I would let the nutrients stabilise and regain the bacteria that is lost and use natural predators to deal with the turf algae or use other method available that won’t reduce your nutrients and weaken your biological filter.

That’s interesting… I’ll have to give that a try.

 

[sixty_reefer]

That’s interesting… I’ll have to give that a try.

Why do we work so much on nitrifying bacteria to just replace them at a later stage

This isn't to say that nitrifying bacteria are absent on a natural coral reef, or that they are completely insignificant ecologically, but rather to show that they're not particularly abundant (and therefore exert a limited influence). Check out this list of top 18 microbial genera sampled from...

www.reef2reef.com

Have a look at that thread, many substantial evidence have been posted that may help a bit more in understanding the difference.