Ulva for Dino’s?

[Reefnewb]

Anyone try using Ulva algae to battle Dino’s? I read about it on one post, and curious to see if others have given it a try

 

[EmdeReef]

Macroalgae in general will have an impact on dinoflagellates (and other organisms in the tank) by limiting available nutrients. I don’t know that ulva would be more efficient at this than caulerpa but perhaps it is more efficient than cheato given its faster growth rate. It will all depend on other factors such as nutrients and lights in your tank etc.

Can’t be sure if it will be enough to completely eradicate dinos but doesn’t hurt to try

 

[lbacha]

I had a Dino outbreak last year that corresponded with 0 nutrients in the tank due to running my fuge 24/7. I started dosing nutrients and dialed back my fuge along with daily siphoning of the Dino’s. During this time ulva took over my display tank and I had to harvest it daily but the Dino’s just disappeared once the ulva showed up. Now it’s 6 months later and I get ulva in places my clean up crew can’t reach but no Dino’s. While I don’t know if the ulva had anything to do with eliminating the Dino’s it was a coincidence it showed up and my Dino’s disappeared

 

[Reefnewb]

I just heard a rumor that there is something in Ulva that it releases that Dino’s do not tolerate.

 

[B-ridge]

It’s only been a few days for me and I can tell you the ulva did nothing for my dinos/diatoms. Maybe I didn’t add enough ulva. Maybe my red lighrs aren’t on long enough. My po4 is no longer 0. I just checked and they are now 0.11. Skimmer is still off. I know nothing happens fast in this hobby so I’m just waiting it out. Haven’t done a water change yet. I ordered and am gonna place some more ulva in fuge. See if it works.

 

[andyg1960]

Ulva- wasn’t that the girl in that one Seinfeld episode?

 

[Reefnewb]

Lol yes @andyg1960

 

[B-ridge]

Added more ulva and still nothing. Not sure if I’m doing something wrong if possible

 

[Scrubber_steve]

Dinoflagellate Problem? Could Ulva lactuca be the Answer?

 

[Scrubber_steve]

Added more ulva and still nothing. Not sure if I’m doing something wrong if possible

Re-read the Lactuca paper

 

[Scrubber_steve]

"The enhanced potency of the extracts also suggests that allelochemicals in cells were more concentrated than the portion released into the environment (by live thalli) .

"The ability of live thalli within partitioned chambers to restrict HAB growth but the inability of filtered Ulva culture medium to do so suggests allelochemicals released by live thalli may degrade rapidly.
Thus, the HAB-inhibiting effects observed in live thalli were likely a consequence of a low but sustained level of release of the allelochemicals.
Additionally, the Ulva thalli used for all experiments besides the filtrate experiment were mechanically cut or disrupted, a processes that may enhance the production and/or release of allelochemicals (stressing the algae definately causes a higher release of DOC for periods perhaps up to an hour ).
As such, the inability of the filtrate to impact HABs may have been due to an absence of mechanical disturbance of the macroalga."