What's the first thing you do when you see it? Panic?

[Capitol Reef Corals]

I first try to ID it. Then I do nothing! I wait to see if it will grow, take over, or go away on it's own. I may up my water changes. If it continues to grow or take over I'll research methods to get rid of it. Like if I ID'd it way Bryopsis, once I see it being a problem I'll order fluxcanozle.

 

[Cassian]

my sump has a lot, like probably 2 dozen plus aips. my display tank has had two. one I killed with a syringe and lemon juice. the second was in reach to get super glued. pretty certain my copperband ate whatever others found there way in to the DT. sadly it recently died. having a hard time justifying the price for a replacement copperband.

Ah thanks! I’ll have to check out a copper band

 

[Greybeard]

Eh.

Algae is a natural, and even healthy, component of a reef aquarium. Don't let it get out of control, but a bit of algae isn't really a problem. I've got bubble algae, you can usually spot a piece of it somewhere, but it's being out competed by a comprehensive nutrient export process. Never more than a few bubbles in the tank. Hair algae? If I have any, I don't know it... tangs and foxface are constantly grazing on something, so I expect it's there, just never allowed to grow enough so I'd see it. Coraline algae, certainly.

Aiptasia? That one I'll rush to kill. Nuke the entire area, even if it means killing some surrounding corals. Hate those durned things. Ugh.

 

[Pntbll687]

Here's how the steps usually go
1- "hope that clears up so I don't have to do anything"
2- "well, it's not getting worse"
3- "dang, that's still there. I can't tell if it's worse or not"
4- "yea, i should probably remove that and siphon it out"
5- weeks pass by
6- "Where did that come from!! UGHHHH, no I have to do a water change and scrub that rock"
7- Looks at vibrant on BRS
8- Another week passes
9- Water change and remove algae are FINALLY done

 

[Paul B]

I look at it, smile and realize it is normal and healthy. Then I go out for dinner. Maybe have some nice linguine and clams, perhaps with a bottle of Pinot Grigio

 

[Clownfish_Boy]

Treat it with algaecide !

 

[brandon429]

the reason we should physically remove algae the second it pops up, and not change params, is to find out if a controllable strain has set in.

algae grows in great params, on a real reef, so its not always params causing the issue.


the cause of most gha problems, not the minority of problems, is nongrazing


there is likely a clean up crew in there, but they're not matched to the target and aren't working so the target was allowed to spread.


by commanding the first win, we know if it grows back rampant this strain isn't to be toyed with, potential reef killer


if after the first removal it stays gone a good long while, then if it comes up again you know you have more room to be hands off.

be sure and look at the first few pages of the nuisance algae forum, its very rare to have anyone asking for help with a cleaned tank, needing regrowth prevention help, because they stay busy making it algae free but want to work less (universal cure to all invasions in reefing, simple will)

whats common is us allowing 100% invasion, then posting for an ID, then ordering a scope off amazon, then confirming the id, then testing params, then dosing for a param= 100% hands off caused about 90% of those invasion challenges.

we need more hands on in the hobby to avoid total wasting, loss/start overs.

purposefully invading one's tank as an 'uglies' allowed phase is a very bad choice / our hobby circulates methods that welcome invasion challenges


To form an accurate opinion on how algae invasion works, don't look to our own tanks, u might be lucky

Go set up help threads in the nuisance forum and see what it takes to earn fixes/opinion earned.

 

[rwreef]

how did you treat your bubble algae and aiptasia problem? I’m having a heck of a time trying to get rid of mine.

For bubble algea it was a few months of Vibrant and manual removal with water changes. Now 100% gone.

For aptasia it was Aptasia X for a few weeks and then added a peppermint shrimp to clean up the smaller bits that were popping up. Now 100% gone.

 

[BZOFIQ]

I set up Agent Orange on a slow drip.

 

[Cassian]

For bubble algea it was a few months of Vibrant and manual removal with water changes. Now 100% gone.

For aptasia it was Aptasia X for a few weeks and then added a peppermint shrimp to clean up the smaller bits that were popping up. Now 100% gone.

Thank you! I’ll check those out for sure

 

[brandon429]

The #1 thing I would like to see in reefing is a live time thread by a book author or sage for our hobby who demonstrates algae remediation live time, across entrants.
Someone with a classically perfect reef tank, make other's look that way for the real challenge


dont write from the safe zone, our own tank. that's no fun. write about outbound work + live documentation on file


ok go

each time I request that nothing happens, here's the steps:

1. author makes new thread
2. thread title "I want to fix your tank invasions, send them here"
3. jobs are worked till the end and updates are given. you handle/react to noncompliant systems live time.
4. thread runs a couple years for patterning
5. writes book off that work.
6. hobby will be helped greatly
7. I buy book

 

[Paulie069]

I look at it, smile and realize it is normal and healthy. Then I go out for dinner. Maybe have some nice linguine and clams, perhaps with a bottle of Pinot Grigio

My man not trying to out smart Mother Nature, as we all should, just let her do her thing and step in only if completely need to

 

[HuduVudu]

To form an accurate opinion on how algae invasion works, don't look to our own tanks, u might be lucky

Or you might not, or you might not care because algae happens ...

This is from today. It is here because I changed too many things at once and angered my coral. List of things ... Alk dropped when I switched away from digester. Wife moved coral and light side got pointed downward and now underside of coral being lit. All in time proximity.

Life happens so make sure to PANIC PANIC PANIC ... CLEAN CHEMICLEAN TREAT KILL ERADICATE .... AHHHHHHH!!!!!

 

[Twitchy]

I scold my tang and and threaten to trade him in on a tang that will actually eat algae!

I do this with my garage tang... He is so lazy!!! he has a whole frag tank to graze on, and he spends his days waiting around the clip.

 

[adobo]

One thing you should not do is ignore it and hope it gets better!

What's the first thing you do when you see algae forming in your tank?

Do you have a plan of action?


@reef_daddy image

Related to the poll....

I see this in the sports section and even politics in news websites:

"Such and such team lost 3 games in a row, is it time to panic?"

Or

"This politician or that politician is down in the polls with 1 month to go, is it time to panic?"

Out of curiosity, under what scenario anywhere in life is panic a useful response?

 

[RichReef]

Identify.
Stop Nori.
Assess CUC.
Go over ATS. Clean glass? Check flow?
Check TDS.
Check sump for build up.

 

[Raj]

how did you treat your bubble algae and aiptasia problem? I’m having a heck of a time trying to get rid of mine.

Peppermint Shrimps for the aiptasia - they eat them up. For the bubble algae - I had a decent sized outbreak, I manually removed them and starting growing chaeto in my sump, which lowered my nutrient levels and stopped the outbreak. You could also use some chemical products to kill the algae in your tank. They actually work great and I used a treatment to obliterate my green hair algae outbreak. The only problem with the chemical treatment was it was too good, it killed my chaeto in the sump, shrunk it down to nothing!

 

[Raj]

The #1 thing I would like to see in reefing is a live time thread by a book author or sage for our hobby who demonstrates algae remediation live time, across entrants.
Someone with a classically perfect reef tank, make other's look that way for the real challenge


dont write from the safe zone, our own tank. that's no fun. write about outbound work + live documentation on file


ok go

each time I request that nothing happens, here's the steps:

1. author makes new thread
2. thread title "I want to fix your tank invasions, send them here"
3. jobs are worked till the end and updates are given. you handle/react to noncompliant systems live time.
4. thread runs a couple years for patterning
5. writes book off that work.
6. hobby will be helped greatly
7. I buy book

Check out Julian Sprung's book on algae. Heck any book he has written is a good one for reefers.

 

[murphy_a]

All of the above should have been an option because that is what I do lol

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

All of the above? I'm working on rounding the corner on a hard fought hair algae battle that started with one tiny little tuft and expanded to every surface. I pull it and scrub it but it returns almost instantly. I've got more cleaners on the way. It seriously makes me swing between "look, they're eating it, there is hope" and "my tank looks like crap, this is a complete disaster, I'll never get rid of it". Patience will win the day, though. Where the CUC remove the algae it doesn't come back. My tuxedo urchin is a champ. I think algae is a struggle if it's allowed to get ahead of you. Once that happens, climbing over the mountain can be very challenging in many ways. I'm putting my faith in my CUC now. Think happy thoughts! (the bare spots in the picture below were all cleared by the urchin, and yes, he also likes to wear the algae as a hat)