Algae-bacteria interactions

[ehsan2004]

Hi,
I’m currently having issues with Bryopsis algae and it’s the second day of treatment with Fluconazol. I was using GFO, weeky water change with Brightwell salt and RO/DI water, Brightwell resin to remove nitrate, 24/7 hours refugium with caulerpa and only fed my tank 1 time per day. My tank is 1.5 years old and phosphate and nitrate are always 0. I was using excess amounts of Purigen to remove organics and have an Innovative Marine skimmer for my 30 gallons nano reef tank. So I’m wandering why I had this Bryopsis algae that grew like a weed. It was taking over everything within a few days and I had to pull them out for hours and get ready for the next round. So p why my tank grows this type of algae.
a tutorial in algaebarn websites suggests that whenever there’s not enough carbon source in the tank, some tough algaes like bryopsis start to take phosphate and nitrate. If this is true, I’m afraid that Purigen and my refugium as well as skimmer have removed all the organics that may be used by bacteria(?)
and my other question is that why we should remove organics if they are used by bacteria that may compete with algae for nitrate and phosphate? So should I use Purigen? Should I use gfo and nitrate remover resin if they are both 0? Why this stubborn algae grew in my tank despite this apparently crystal clear water?
any suggestion is appreciated.

 

[Daddy-o]

Why do you run nitrate/phosphate both at 0?

 

[LARedstickreefer]

You need nutrients so that other life forms can compete.

Can you remove the rocks? Take them out and use peroxide on the bryopsis. That’ll destroy it. Don’t do all of your rocks at once, maybe one rock every few days or so. I’d probably have a bucket of tank water handy to rinse the rock off in after the peroxide treatment before it goes back into your tank.

Edit: Once the stuff starts to die, I’ll release nutrients into your tank. Stop running stuff to remove it. Nicer algae (stuff your CUC probably likes) can hopefully grow in place of the bryopsis.

 

[ehsan2004]

You need nutrients so that other life forms can compete.

Can you remove the rocks? Take them out and use peroxide on the bryopsis. That’ll destroy it. Don’t do all of your rocks at once, maybe one rock every few days or so. I’d probably have a bucket of tank water handy to rinse the rock off in after the peroxide treatment before it goes back into your tank.

Edit: Once the stuff starts to die, I’ll release nutrients into your tank. Stop running stuff to remove it. Nicer algae (stuff your CUC probably likes) can hopefully grow in place of the bryopsis.

Hi thanks!
I too believe that other life forms died as well due to lack of nutrients. Someday my tank was full of copepods, but currently I can’t see any pods in my tank even at nights. I think the same thing happened to bacterias.
does’t Fluconazole kill the bryopsis? I’m already treating my tank with Fluconazole.
do you believe that I shouldn’t use Purigen, gfo and nitrate removers? ( I have a powerful skimmer)
What are the preferable nitrate and phosphate in reef tank?

 

[ehsan2004]

B

Why do you run nitrate/phosphate both at 0?

Initially my nitrate and phosphate were elevated, but after using too much gfo and nitrate removers, they went down to 0 and bryopsis and turf started to grow on my rocks. After their infestation, i couldn’t raise my phosphate and nitrate anymore, even with heavy feeding. Heavy feeding only caused more outbreak of bryopsis algae.

 

[LARedstickreefer]

Hi thanks!
I too believe that other life forms died as well due to lack of nutrients. Someday my tank was full of copepods, but currently I can’t see any pods in my tank even at nights. I think the same thing happened to bacterias.
does’t Fluconazole kill the bryopsis? I’m already treating my tank with Fluconazole.
do you believe that I shouldn’t use Purigen, gfo and nitrate removers? ( I have a powerful skimmer)
What are the preferable nitrate and phosphate in reef tank?

Id put a stop to all nutrient removal for now. Keep your skimmer running, but take the cup off, letting it overflow. This way you let your nutrients rise and keep your water oxygenated.

Don’t worry about your pods. They’re still in there. In fact, you’ll probably see them squirm if you dip anything in the tank.

I believe the Flu does kill bryopsis, but it takes time. If you can remove your rocks without a lot of trouble, it could be dead in a day via direct peroxide.

Bryopsis takes over because it doesn’t need much to survive. You basically took out the competition by stripping your water of nutrients.

 

[ehsan2004]

Id put a stop to all nutrient removal for now. Keep your skimmer running, but take the cup off, letting it overflow. This way you let your nutrients rise and keep your water oxygenated.

Don’t worry about your pods. They’re still in there. In fact, you’ll probably see them squirm if you dip anything in the tank.

I believe the Flu does kill bryopsis, but it takes time. If you can remove your rocks without a lot of trouble, it could be dead in a day via direct peroxide.

Bryopsis takes over because it doesn’t need much to survive. You basically took out the competition by stripping your water of nutrients.

Thank you so much. Unfortunatelly I have attached all rocks together using cement and glued all frag plugs to rocks. So in order to remove the rocks, I have to remove everything at once which is impossible. I’ll follow your suggestions and hope Fluconazole kill bryopsis.
bests,
-Ehsan-

 

[LARedstickreefer]

Thank you so much. Unfortunatelly I have attached all rocks together using cement and glued all frag plugs to rocks. So in order to remove the rocks, I have to remove everything at once which is impossible. I’ll follow your suggestions and hope Fluconazole kill bryopsis.
bests,
-Ehsan-

Another idea is boiling water and a syringe. I have been able to kill all sorts of stuff that way. Get some RODI water boiling and carefully use a syringe to burn the algae.

 

[ehsan2004]

Another idea is boiling water and a syringe. I have been able to kill all sorts of stuff that way. Get some RODI water boiling and carefully use a syringe to burn the algae.

Can I use this method inside the tank? Doesn’t it harm the corals?

 

[LARedstickreefer]

Can I use this method inside the tank? Doesn’t it harm the corals?

Yup. Keep it away from the corals and you’ll be fine. It only harms whatever is directly hit by the boiling water. Use the syringe just like you were using it for injecting an Aiptasia with joes juice (or whatever). You’ll have to be quick and keep the water boiling. Use caution cuz it IS boiling water...You’ll probably need several treatments.