Turf Algae Nightmare

[Ling_Thing]

not to use scary terms, but is "dimethyliminoethylene dichloride, ethoxylate" reef safe?

Yes I used it as a last resort and it saved my mixed reef. It really is magic in a a bottle. I have a thread on here called GHA has won tank tear down.

 

[TinyTinCans]

Just a suggestion: If your rock is that old you might be suffering from “Old Tank Syndrome” and with that thought in mind there is a great post in the articles. Called “Old Tank Syndrome” it’s definitely worth the read.

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/old-tank-syndrome.184/

 

[Diznaster]

Yes I used it as a last resort and it saved my mixed reef. It really is magic in a a bottle. I have a thread on here called GHA has won tank tear down.

I'm not opposed to chemical bombs as a last resort (or knocking them), but IMHO removing the marine pure block and doing a little manual scrubbing on the rocks seems like a safer test. If urgent death is imminent then maybe drop the chemical bomb. I'm also disinclined to believe that magic is real and anyone saying that it is real must have a vested interest in perpetuating a myth.

 

[Ling_Thing]

I'm not opposed to chemical bombs as a last resort (or knocking them), but IMHO removing the marine pure block and doing a little manual scrubbing on the rocks seems like a safer test. If urgent death is imminent then maybe drop the chemical bomb. I'm also disinclined to believe that magic is real and anyone saying that it is real must have a vested interest in perpetuating a myth.

Roger that, as far as magic I can’t wait to see the anti gravity reactor lazar has been talking about

 

[Diznaster]

Roger that, as far as magic I can’t wait to see the anti gravity reactor lazar has been talking about

LOL, this now sounds more like comments on Ars Technica. I'm OK with that, two of my favorite interwebs things combined.

 

[mfollen]

Has anyone tried battling turf algae with bacteria?
https://s3.amazonaws.com/brsinstructions/brsDrTims/DrTims_Treat_Cyano_Recipe_BRSv2+(1).pdf

I’ve used dr Tim’s successfully against dinos (with UV). Currently getting an outbreak of turf algae and may give refresh a go before desperation kicks in. Anyone else try this?

 

[KevinsReef]

Is this algae similar to a pad of fine steel wool?

No, it's more like hair algae. It gets up to about 1.5 inches long and waves in the current.

 

[brandon429]

question:

now that we have a way to rid this algae in about 48 hours work, is anyone still opting into keeping it, or is it all beaten from the tanks posting prior here


wanted to know/get updates on the psychological aspect of being invaded with turf algae, not the plant aspect. we have a way to will it gone, in May, its plant aspect has nothing to do with the invasion.

 

[KevinsReef]

Update: On Sunday, 7/14, I removed all my live rock, scrubbed each piece with a stiff toothbrush, rinsed in a bucket of water from the tank, put 12% food grade hydrogen peroxide on each spot where the GHA had been, rinsed again in the same bucket, and then rinsed again in a clean bucket of tank water. I also removed the large marine pure block from the sump and did a 20% water change. The live sand is only 6 months old so I didn’t do anything to it.

My parameters after all this were:
NO3: 0.1
PO3: 0.06 (Hannah ULR)
Alk: 8.4
Calc: 420
Sg: 1.024

I am continuing to dose 2 Part ESV 7.5ml per day and 10ml NOPOX per day.

Here are some current pictures of the tank after the treatment:

I plan to switch back to Red Sea Coral Pro salt. I had been using the blue bucket. I hope I can keep it at bay now.

 

[brandon429]

Oh wow you took back all the ground, with a measured approach unique to your tank age/ scaping etc. I’ll use this for a long time as a work example on sheer control of turf algae.

Now is the time fluc can be used if even needed, as growback prevention. It has no mass to work on, you spot killed it in surgery. Whatever bits remain can now be suppressed from gaining mass, easier than find ld50 level/kill/wait to rot/become part of detritus cycle

I’m seeing a sparking clean non invaded reef in 48 hours using skip cycle biology and preserving your animals and sandbed aging, all precision work with pics. My goodness it’s so nice, why does anyone opt for the by October maybe method vs this

 

[SoCalVictor]

Beautiful tank and glad to see you might have gotten a leg up. Are those yumas?

 

[drawman]

Update: On Sunday, 7/14, I removed all my live rock, scrubbed each piece with a stiff toothbrush, rinsed in a bucket of water from the tank, put 12% food grade hydrogen peroxide on each spot where the GHA had been, rinsed again in the same bucket, and then rinsed again in a clean bucket of tank water. I also removed the large marine pure block from the sump and did a 20% water change. The live sand is only 6 months old so I didn’t do anything to it.

My parameters after all this were:
NO3: 0.1
PO3: 0.06 (Hannah ULR)
Alk: 8.4
Calc: 420
Sg: 1.024

I am continuing to dose 2 Part ESV 7.5ml per day and 10ml NOPOX per day.

Here are some current pictures of the tank after the treatment:

I plan to switch back to Red Sea Coral Pro salt. I had been using the blue bucket. I hope I can keep it at bay now.

Any updates? I've tried peroxide myself and it definitely grows back.

 

[sgrosenb]

Bringing up an old thread here. I had this same exact problem and read this same exact thread a few months ago and nothing on here worked. I tried manual removal, urchins, etc. Fish weren't an option for me as I have a fully stocked tank. I got a tip that a few hundred blue leg hermit crabs should do the trick, so I got them from Reeftopia and within 2 weeks my turf algae was 100% gone. I couldn't believe it. My tank is 165 gallons and it was covering most of the rock. They just plowed through the algae. I didn't need all the hermits so I brought about half to my LFS for donation.

Hopefully this helps someone else with this issue - blue leg hermits for the win.

-Scott