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Green Turf Algae...Anything eat this stuff?


steelfin

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Hi

 

I have been struggling with alkalinity over the last few months and now have a small outbreak of green algae on some rocks. I believe it is some type of green turf algae.

 

Is there any natural way to naturally remove this algae? Something has to eat it...My turbo wont touch. I borrowed a sea hare and it doesn't seem to touch it either..

 

IMAG0334_zps7eq30owp.jpg

 

Any input would be appreciated.

 

 

Thanks

 

George

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SchnauzerFace

LOL, I was going to suggest adding a turbo or borrowing a sea hare. Guess those two are out. I was under the impression that sea hares ONLY eat hair algae? Maybe he needed more time to get acquainted with your tank?

 

Lawnmower blennies often love hair algae, but, just like turbo snails, you can't count on every single specimen to work for you.

 

Nevertheless, it's best to attack hair algae at the source. There is a phosphate issue somewhere. Are you using RODI water? Do you have a skimmer? What's the bioload and feeding schedule in the tank?

 

GHA sucks, man. I feel your pain.

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Thanks...I don't think it is GHA. It is much shorter in length. I believe it is some type of green turf algae.

 

Just had water tested over the weekend.

 

Nitrates <2

Phosphate .08 (higher than I like but not terrible - I am working on it)

 

 

Tuxedo Urchin is next on my list to try...and maybe fuzzy chitons...

 

After that I may just pull the rocks and use peroxide.

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How big is the tank? Tangs and rabbit fish graze off the rocks and can clear nuisance algae issues. But again it's hit and miss, could be just your luck you get the only tang that won't touch algae. lol.

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From my experience. ...nothing touches the stuff. Just added an urchin....so far, no interest. I'd pull your rock and try peroxide

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How about a drain and treat I'd never pull mine too much work

 

 

One initial test pull is wise however before full commit

 

With a single test rock external app, we get a gauge as to how long an ideally treated section takes to die and how responsive an invader is to 3%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the predicted course that pics will show if drain and treat or removal based thorough spot treating 3% is ran:

 

First pass, 80% or better death of algae in 8 days. Within ten prob every treated area will bleach but some holdfasts will remain because brush algae specializes there.

 

Within week two the whole tank w be cleared as you spot treated the remaining areas originally missed. Any grazer will be five times more attracted to peroxide burnt algae vs untouched algae unless we get further lucky a step and select the grazer that wants what the tank has to offer it.

 

 

This is not a bad invasion its controllable.

 

 

For sure a slug is the best natural option I give it a strong 50 50 good chance it will work. I'd always choose natural before chemical cheating if that kind of luck followed me.

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Thanks for all the replies. I will continue to decrease nutrients and try some additional clean up crew. If that fails I will break out the H202....Not sure I will be treating it in the tank though...

 

George

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My rabbitfish would eat it, but she's too big for a nano and so are all of her cousins. I don't know of a small enough fish that would eat it. What about a chiton? They're suppose to be voracious algae eaters. ReefCleaners sells them and has them in stock right now. I actually just ordered one. because I think they're awesome looking.

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  • 2 weeks later...

It has been a couple weeks now and the majority of the green turf algae is gone.

 

I added (2) mini oxydators to my system and slowly began raising my alkalinity. Low alkalinity is what I believe caused the issue in the first place...

 

I also added some additional clean-up crews...snails and emerald crabs...

 

In the beginning, nothing would touch the turf algae. However over the last week, the emeralds have been cleaning it up quite nicely.

 

Unfortunately one of the emeralds ate my cleaner shrimp in the process...

 

I guess that is price you pay sometimes...my tank will be turf algae free in the next day or so...

 

 

Thanks

 

George

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Nice ! Get us pics if you can before it dies

 

We've been debating if oxydators are directly injecting peroxide into the tank

 

 

Lysmata shrimp are the most peroxide sensitive animals in our tanks, can't rule out simple death due to change in tank stasis

 

 

 

You will have documented one of the only examples of indirect brush algae control I know of, try to get after pics

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those rascals! i did just read on another board where they wacked some innocent fishlol . can you get us a mid dying pic of the algae

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Nice ! Get us pics if you can before it dies

 

We've been debating if oxydators are directly injecting peroxide into the tank

 

 

Lysmata shrimp are the most peroxide sensitive animals in our tanks, can't rule out simple death due to change in tank stasis

 

 

 

You will have documented one of the only examples of indirect brush algae control I know of, try to get after pics

Oxydizers inject oxygen into the tank by decomposing h2O2. No peroxide gets in the tank.

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nanolutionary

Fauna Marine Ultra Algea X :)

 

A0DB233B-B6E5-491D-BF58-EADC350F8978.jpg

 

And after 10 days into the treatment:

 

9BD5FD61-3AA0-4ABB-B48A-5D079C325AE4.jpg

 

Now my rock is turf algae free total process took two weeks, can't recommend this stuff enough!

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Oxydizers inject oxygen into the tank by decomposing h2O2. No peroxide gets in the tank.

but in reading the multipage thread im not sure thats a resounding agreement. didnt matter to me either way but a great case was made for minor leakage, and then id added that every effect of the OD can be had with low level liquid injections, so by physicality alone it can't be ruled out (leaking)

 

additionally i posed the green dye test, nobody took! we have these opinions but nobody is simply trying some green food coloring in the perox as a test. green test vat water=leaks

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righttirefire

Between lower light times feeding less. I have seen my Cerith snail work on my turf algea, but it's hit or miss

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It has been a couple weeks now and the majority of the green turf algae is gone.

 

I added (2) mini oxydators to my system and slowly began raising my alkalinity. Low alkalinity is what I believe caused the issue in the first place...

 

I also added some additional clean-up crews...snails and emerald crabs...

 

In the beginning, nothing would touch the turf algae. However over the last week, the emeralds have been cleaning it up quite nicely.

 

Unfortunately one of the emeralds ate my cleaner shrimp in the process...

 

I guess that is price you pay sometimes...my tank will be turf algae free in the next day or so...

 

 

Thanks

 

George

I'll join in a bit late. Hope it's alright. I've been battling turf algae for months now, although in a red-ish variety. Tried all sorts of things, and the only things I've positively found effective is the emerald crab. Also a hairy pincushion urchin. The later however I'm not 100% certain to actually eat the red turf algae and not only some green patches that has also appeared.

Emeralds, very low nutrition and a vigorous water change schedule along with scrubbing has finally done some vissible damage to the turf.

I hate that stuff!

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I actually had these back then. I used tweezers to pull them off but they came back like it never happened.

 

Eventually, cyano grew over them and that was that. Not the best answer but it did the trick for me.

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those rascals! i did just read on another board where they wacked some innocent fishlol . can you get us a mid dying pic of the algae

Sorry for the delay in replying...

 

Unfortunately I didn't take any additional pictures and all of the algae is now gone.

 

I never really saw the algae dying. It appeared to turn a slightly lighter shade of green and eventually the emerald crabs took care of it...

 

Thanks

 

George

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  • 4 weeks later...

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