Algae Experts needed

Bubblewood · Apr 29, 2015

Looking for some ideas from the Algae experts out there.... I have some small patches of this algae starting to pop up in places. Its very easy to remove and soft. Levels in this tank are PO4 .02, NO3 .05. Looking for natural means for removal. Don't want to raise mag and hope for the best. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Joe

Joeganja · Apr 30, 2015

what size tank, inhabitants, and daily lighting period?

Reefing Madness · Apr 30, 2015

Looks like Bryopsis ya got there.

SantaMonicaHelp · Apr 30, 2015

For the natural way to remove the algae you can try to build your own algae scrubber:

https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/equipment-lighting-hardware-aquarium-filtration/86207-lowest-cost-easiest-way-eliminate-green-hair-bubble-turf-slime-algae-your-aquarium-hopefully-permanently.html

Also, here is a description of what causes the algae in the first place:

Nutrient Export:

What do all algae (and cyano too) need to survive? Nutrients. What are nutrients? Ammonia/ammonium, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate and urea are the major ones. Which ones cause most of the algae in your tank? These same ones. Why can't you just remove these nutrients and eliminate all the algae in your tank? Because these nutrients are the result of the animals you keep.

So how do your animals "make" these nutrients? Well a large part the nutrients comes from pee (urea). Pee is very high in urea and ammonia, and these are a favorite food of algae and some bacteria. This is why your glass will always need cleaning; because the pee hits the glass before anything else, and algae on the glass consume the ammonia and urea immediately (using photosynthesis) and grow more. In the ocean and lakes, phytoplankton consume the ammonia and urea in open water, and seaweed consume it in shallow areas, but in a tank you don't have enough space or water volume for this, and, your other filters or animals often remove or kill the phytoplankton or seaweed anyway. So, the nutrients stay in your tank.

Then, the ammonia/ammonium hits your rocks, and the periphyton on the rocks consumes more ammonia and urea. Periphyton is both algae and animals, and is the reason your rocks change color after a few weeks from when they were new. Then the ammonia goes inside the rock, or hits your sand, and bacteria there convert it into nitrite and nitrate. However, the nutrients are still in your tank.

Also let's not forget phosphate, which comes from solid organic food particles. When these particles are eaten by microbes and clean up crews, the organic phosphorus in them is converted into phosphate. However, the nutrients are still in your tank.

So whenever you have algae or cyano "problems", you simply have not exported enough nutrients out of your tank compared to how much you have been feeding (note: live rock can absorb phosphate for up to a year, making it seem like there was never a problem. Then after a year, there is a problem).

So just increase your nutrient exports. You could also reduce feeding, and this has the same effect, but it's certainly not fun when you want to feed your animals

Hope this can help you on your algae problem! Good luck

-YK

Reefing Madness · Apr 30, 2015

Unfortunately that won't rid anyones tank of Bryopsis.

st1doppelganger · May 2, 2015

Blah bryopsis good luck.I killed mine with Kent B over a few months

Up2no6ood · May 2, 2015

How bad is it? Just a few patches or defcon 5? If it is a few patches use the up2no6ood method

Take out some tank water "a few cups" and microwave until boiling. Next suck up the water in a syringe or turkey baster. If your using a baster DO NOT TURN THE BASTER UPSIDE DOWN AFTER FILLING IT! The temp change within the baster will make the hot water shoot out "kinda dangerous". Next put the device filled with hot water in the tank and stick it right on the patch of bryopsis. Slowly squirt the hot water onto it. Your aiming for the root system. It dosnt take much water. I use about 5ml per dose. A dose will take out a patch about the size of a quarter. Next is to just sit and wait. 10 or 12 hours later the bryopsys will be gone. Try it on a small patch I promise it works!

Bubblewood · May 3, 2015

Thanks for all the advice!
Nutrients levels have been very low.
Po4 = .01
No3 = .2
So it's nothing crazy. I only have a few patches here and there on the rocks. I have never heard of the "hot water" method. Guess it doesn't hurt trying in a bowl. Has anyone else had success with this method?
Again thanks for all the tips.
Joe