ID for Algae: Byropsis, Turf or Hair?

[niQo]

I've had this algae in my tank for about 2 years now. At first it was isolated to some zoas, but the last 6 (?) months, after I started feeding more to increase my nutrients (No Nitrates or Phos with Salifert), this algae started taking off. 

 

First I thought it was turf algae, but it is certainly growing "out of" the rock

It is mostly short, about 1/2 inch. (I do also have some longer hair algae, that is way easier to remove)

It does respond to rasping and 35% peroxide, but I never seem to be able to get it all! And then after a while it comes back!

Seems to like Pukani better than the BRS rubble.

 

I dosed Flucon last wednesday and have seen about zero effect (so far), so it makes me wonder if this is bryopsis or not! Please help me out!

 

IMG_8137 by Nico B., on Flickr

 

IMG_8136 by Nico B., on Flickr

 

IMG_8135 by Nico B., on Flickr

 

IMG_8132 by Nico B., on Flickr

 

IMG_8129 by Nico B., on Flickr

[chevegan]

Absolutely does not look like bryopsis IMO. Look at the leaf pattern in bry

 

 

Totally different to me. Also is it growing on your corals or irritating them? Looks like a type of turf to me. Especially considering that it prefers the more porous Pukani rock. Keep an eye on it and if it starts to get out of control try a natural solution first like maybe a sea hare. Again though if you have had it all this time and it just now started growing because of increased nutrients but ONLY to the extent it could I don't know if I would call it a pest algae. But then I like turf algaes. They don't bother coral and looks like the reef when I snorkel!

[Nixperience]

I have little spots of the same stuff. I always thought it was just short GHA, but it never gets long. I guess it's turf haha. 

[niQo]

2 hours ago, chevegan said:

Absolutely does not look like bryopsis IMO. Look at the leaf pattern in bry

 

 

Totally different to me. Also is it growing on your corals or irritating them? Looks like a type of turf to me. Especially considering that it prefers the more porous Pukani rock. Keep an eye on it and if it starts to get out of control try a natural solution first like maybe a sea hare. Again though if you have had it all this time and it just now started growing because of increased nutrients but ONLY to the extent it could I don't know if I would call it a pest algae. But then I like turf algaes. They don't bother coral and looks like the reef when I snorkel!

You might be right. I used to think it was turf, but it then I changed my mind as it doesn't have a mat like root structure, but apparently that's not always the case. I kinda wished it was bryopsis as it has a cure

[chevegan]

omg no you do not wish it was bryopsis. Thats like the devil living in your tank

[niQo]

44 minutes ago, chevegan said:

omg no you do not wish it was bryopsis. Thats like the devil living in your tank

Have you seen the recent threads on bryopsis and fluconazole?

 

I definitely prefer bryopsis over turf algae at the moment!

 

[uwharrie]

Looks like what was in my tank along with GHA. Needed to do a peroxide dip to rid the tank 

 

[niQo]

I will be upgrading tanks soon, I just really don't want this to be part of my next tank!

16 hours ago, uwharrie said:

Looks like what was in my tank along with GHA. Needed to do a peroxide dip to rid the tank 

 

Peroxide is great, but if I don't keep up with it, it will come back!

[Clown79]

Take the rocks out, scrub them, dip in peroxide, rinse and replace so iy doesn't go to the new tank.

 

If there are corals on the rock, scrub, rinse, spot peroxide treat so you can avoid touching the corals with it. Rinse, replace.

Get turbos and cerith snails

[niQo]

16 hours ago, Clown79 said:

Take the rocks out, scrub them, dip in peroxide, rinse and replace so iy doesn't go to the new tank.

 

If there are corals on the rock, scrub, rinse, spot peroxide treat so you can avoid touching the corals with it. Rinse, replace.

Get turbos and cerith snails

I am too worried it won't get rid of everything. I am thinking of starting over with new rock.

[Clown79]

Peroxide kills hair algae

[niQo]

7 hours ago, Clown79 said:

Peroxide kills hair algae

It's the turf algae I am worried about, that stuff is anchored in the rock and right around corals too. 

[niQo]

After about two weeks the turf (?) algae is turning white and is being eaten by my scarlet hermits! It seems the fluconazole is doing something! 

[Veng]

Emerald crabs and urchins have always solved my algae problems.  But don't get 1 emerald crab thinking one will be able to keep up with that much algae.  

[niQo]

7 hours ago, Veng said:

Emerald crabs and urchins have always solved my algae problems.  But don't get 1 emerald crab thinking one will be able to keep up with that much algae.  

I bought one of those, would only eat this algae after a peroxide dip. I think it ended up dying of starvation

[uwharrie]

Peroxide worked on my tank that was overrun by gha.. so far it has not come back

 

[DuleTTD]

On 5/30/2017 at 1:18 PM, niQo said:

After about two weeks the turf (?) algae is turning white and is being eaten by my scarlet hermits! It seems the fluconazole is doing something! 

 

I know it's an old topic, but it is still relevant to some of us "lucky ones" who won a lottery and got this devil's seed that no one really knows what it is!
It is incredibly strong and persistent algae, and literally impossible to exterminate!

...It's so strong that you can't even rip if of the rock!

Also no fish or snails will eat it...

Could you update us if fluconazole really killed them?
I just got fluconazole and I am going to try it, but I am not sure if I could be just wasting it... because I have a feeling that even nuclear bomb couldn't kill this irritating PEST!

[DuleTTD]

Well, I guess the topic is totally dead....😞

[mcarroll]

Using antibiotics as algae control is never the recommended way.

 

Removing algae by hand is the way, if herbivores won't eat it.

 

FYI...

 

Herbivores we typically use will RARELY or never eat full grown algae.  

 

Snails – our BEST and most common herbivores – cannot eat mature algae because they aren't equipped with teeth....just a tongue to lick up tender fresh algae growth.  Most other critters avoid it because mature algae protects itself by tasting bad (or worse).

 

If you're having an algae problem in your tank, you should open a thread of your own.  👍  

 

Post a picture of your tank, a closeup of the algae in good daylight, and a full set of water tests including nitrate and phosphate.   Also post details of the tank, such as how old it is, how it is cleaned and filtered, additives in use, etc.

[DuleTTD]

On 12/21/2022 at 3:47 PM, mcarroll said:

Using antibiotics as algae control is never the recommended way.

 

Removing algae by hand is the way, if herbivores won't eat it.

 

FYI...

 

Herbivores we typically use will RARELY or never eat full grown algae.  

 

Snails – our BEST and most common herbivores – cannot eat mature algae because they aren't equipped with teeth....just a tongue to lick up tender fresh algae growth.  Most other critters avoid it because mature algae protects itself by tasting bad (or worse).

 

If you're having an algae problem in your tank, you should open a thread of your own.  👍  

 

Post a picture of your tank, a closeup of the algae in good daylight, and a full set of water tests including nitrate and phosphate.   Also post details of the tank, such as how old it is, how it is cleaned and filtered, additives in use, etc.

 

Fluconazole is anti-fungal medication, not antiobiotics.
I am in this hobby more than 15 years.... so.... I do have an idea how chemistry works. Nitrate and phosphates are irrelevant for algae control.

Yes, if you decrease nitrates and phosphates to 0 you will kill your algae, but you will also kill your corals !
I am forced to dose nitrogen and phosphorus to the tank right now because these algae are consuming all of it and that affects my corals.
So, people should try to update their knowledge about algae and nutrients and stop telling people good old-fashioned false information about low nutrients as a cure for algae.
I am currently struggling to raise nutrients depleted by these pest algae, so that my corals (especially LPS) wouldn't suffer.

There's no need for pictures because I recognize clearly that this algae from this post is what I have right now. Why would I start new post if this one already exist haha

 

It can't be removed by hand because it is extremely hard and almost impossible to rip of the rock. and it seems like it has deep roots in the rock itself. It won't grow on the glass, for example.

No tank animals will eat it.

This algae is literally indestructible.

 

Oh, by the way, snails do not have a "teeth" as we understand the "teeth", but they do have a hard ribbon called "radula" or "radulus" which they use as their version of "teeth" to grind and tear algae.
But that's not important now.....

 

I used Vibrant in the past for it. Vibrant killed it, but it also killed few corals because, as we recently found out, Vibrant was probably a scam, and it is an algaecide.

Therefore I don't feel comfortable to use it again.

Almost a year passed since then and there was no signs of this pest until it showed up out of nowhere again recently.

 

So, the only thing that I wanted to know was - if author of this post could confirm that his fluconazole treatment worked for him.

That's all.

 

Anyways I will do the experiment by myself tomorrow and see what will happen in teh next 2-3 weeks.
I could update you about the results, in the case that someone needs the info.