How can I get rid of macro algae?

[jayare]

Hello all,

I've been having an issue with my tank being overrun with macro algea. I try to manual remove as much as I can, but its starting to get a little crazy. How can I eliminate this stuff?

 

I've thought about adding a small yellow tang to try and eat it, but my tank is only 18 gallons, and I have three fish in their right now. Also, I don't want the tang to spred any illness to my already very healthy fish.

 

I've also started cutting back feeding, but I'm not sure if this is helping. Should I think about just cutting the light back, or maybe turning the light off for a few days? Would this cause any major harm to the sps in my tank?

 

I've included a few photos of the growing macro. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Jesse

 

bump

[formerly icyuodd/icyoud2]

your probably going to have to remove the rock from the tank, and either scrub it, toss it, or leave it dry for a while. tearing the algae will probably make it spread.

 

why not role with the punches and let it take over? it looks very nice if you ask me once it gets bigger you might find it thins out, depending on food availability. starve it!

 

what about this option, trade the rock to somebody with a planted tank that would love to have your macro, like me (im in canada so unfortunaly trading is out of the question)

[jayare]

Thanks for the advice. I really can't remove the rock as many of the sps (if not all) have encrusted onto the rock. So I don't want to remove any.

 

Question, does macro grow more from nutrients or from light? If its main source of food is lights, I will try cutting back lighting for a few days. If its food, I will reduce feeding times and amounts.

[ProFlatlander15]

I would reduce feeding first. Try manual removal, but I think starvation (either from light or nutrients) is the only thing that is going to kill it. Since your corals rely on light, get rid of some of the nutrients. Maybe pick up on WCs, skim, feed less, and pick it out maunally. HTH

[Mr. Fosi]

Cutting back on feeding probably won't help too much. I'm no macro expert, but that stuff looks pretty invasive, which means that it probably won't respond well to attempts at nutrient limitation.

 

I wouldn't want to add a tang either, but I wonder if an emerald crab would eat that stuff...

 

How diligently have you tried picking it off? Have you pulled the rock out of the tank to do it, or just picked off what you could with it still 'scaped?

 

If manual removal isn't doing it and you don't want to add an emerald, you may have do something medieval, like exiling the affected rock to a dark bucket for a couple weeks. Light-denial therapy has done wonders for some of my rock that was infested with hair algae.

 

EDIT: Since you have SPS in the tank, I wouldn't try cutting your lighting period back. The macro will be better able to handle a blackout than your SPS. You may have to do with what icy said.

[formerly icyuodd/icyoud2]

Algae need nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorous, and light to grow. The level of growth or productivity is often dependent on the amount of nutrients in a system.

cut back feedings and light, and keep those nitrates/nitrites low.

remove any dying algae, it will feed the surviving algae if left in the tank. cant hurt

 

i still think your gonna have to remove the rock/scrub it. like fosi said, it looks invasive and is going to be a long hard road.

[jayare]

Thanks for all of the suggestions.

 

Question, would a yellow tang even eat the macro? I'm thinking about adding the tang and then removing it after the macro has subsided.

[formerly icyuodd/icyoud2]

you'd be better off with a sea hare. i know a few members here have mentioned thier local reef club "share" sea hares to control algae (mainly hair, but in my experiance any green) one of my lfs send them out on loan also (when in stock)

the tangs will eat the leaves, but the problem returns.(a small fox face would also be good for this) sea hares have the ability to liquifi there skin to get right into very small holes/cracks in the rock. i'm not sure how they do it, but somehow when they eat it, it usually does not return. sea hares do however like to knock things over if not secure and all your powerheads will need to be cuc proofed do to the liquified skin thing.

hth