Attack plan for 3-4 types of algae?

[cdw79]

Making a new post as my previous one got sidetracked by me mistakenly thinking something was a weird algae when actually it was a spaghetti worm, lol.

I've been dealing with some chunks of GHA / turf algae for awhile (previously was only popping up in my fuge on my chaeto), so I've been doing manual removal as well as getting back to my regular dosing of MB7 to help combat nutrients being too high (with work getting busy I'd started slipping on that). In recent weeks I've started getting red cyano too. I went through this early on in my tank's post-cycling period but MB7 seemed to do the trick then so I decided to stick with it now. This past week I also have identified bryopsis in several places now too. I also have bubble algae in tiny clumps here and there too, though it hasn't been much of a nuisance at all so far.

Parameters at last check a few days ago:
Nitrate (Salifert)- 2-5 ppm (hard to tell for me)
Phosphate (Hanna) .08
Alk (trident)- 9.65
Cal (trident) 410, slowly moving it up to about 420-430
Mg (trident)- 1284

Nothing seems significantly out of wack there beyond maybe the phosphates, but I'm trying to get a sense of where the root problem is coming from and what I can do to eliminate it going forward. And more presently, what I can do to nuke the algae I have at the moment. I've tried to stay away from chemicals but Flucanazole does seem to be the must-use for bryopsis at least (any brand recommendations?), so at this point I'm open to whatever as long as it is fully reef safe, if that's possible.

I'm definitely planning on majorly reinforcing the CUC (it feels like it's dwindled in the past few months) so any recommendations there would be great- not an expert at the strengths and weaknesses of the different types of snails or hermits, for example. But really want to attack this head-on and finally fix the root of the issue too, so thanks for the help in advance!

 

[P-Dub]

I and many others have had tremendous success with Vibrant for reef aquariums. Take a look at my tank. No issues with all the SPS's, LPS's, Shrooms, zoa's, softies, and fish I have. It was my last resort that I wished I had done from the start.

 

[P-Dub]

In addition, I used fluconazole for my GHA. the whole treatment did wonders.

 

[cdw79]

In addition, I used fluconazole for my GHA. the whole treatment did wonders.

I've got some flux rx on the way but I've read differing accounts as to whether it'll kill my chaeto. My original plan was to let it do its thing while I went on vacation from Thursday on for about 10 days, but if the chaeto died while I was gone I could see my nitrates going through the roof without me knowing, much less being able to do anything about it. What was your experience like?

 

[Spare time]

I'd use fluconazole and then add a diverse set of snails. I have had chaeto survive fluconazole.

 

[cdw79]

I'm definitely eyeing a CUC revamp- thinking I'll add a serpent star too to help the snail population too. Any snail recommendations? Admittedly much more informed on coral and fish species than on CUC inverts. I'm not super thrilled with hermits at the moment, especially as one murdered one of my larger Nassarius snails for its shell... but I'm open to whatever honestly.

I'm mostly just confused at where the issue lies. My params don't seem notably off, to me at least, and I want to figure out the root of the problem so I don't find myself in the same place in a month or two. Any ideas?

 

[Spare time]

I'm definitely eyeing a CUC revamp- thinking I'll add a serpent star too to help the snail population too. Any snail recommendations? Admittedly much more informed on coral and fish species than on CUC inverts. I'm not super thrilled with hermits at the moment, especially as one murdered one of my larger Nassarius snails for its shell... but I'm open to whatever honestly.

I'm mostly just confused at where the issue lies. My params don't seem notably off, to me at least, and I want to figure out the root of the problem so I don't find myself in the same place in a month or two. Any ideas?

Giant turbos, trochus, and cerith are great. I like emerald crabs too. You might also want to slightly raise the nitrate and slightly lower the phosphate. Cyano can do well in a 0 nitrate elevated phosphate environment, so that is something to consider. However, I frequently run a similar nitrate and phosphate (last time i checked it was 0.07ppm phosphate and 1.5ppm nitrate with some hanna checkers. Typically my tank gets nitrate limited to I have to dose a lot of aminos.

 

[Ef4life]

If your worried about the chaeto you can pull it all out and leave it in a ziplock bag with tank water for a few days, keep it lit or in a window and it would be fine for months most likely

 

[cdw79]

Giant turbos, trochus, and cerith are great. I like emerald crabs too. You might also want to slightly raise the nitrate and slightly lower the phosphate. Cyano can do well in a 0 nitrate elevated phosphate environment, so that is something to consider. However, I frequently run a similar nitrate and phosphate (last time i checked it was 0.07ppm phosphate and 1.5ppm nitrate with some hanna checkers. Typically my tank gets nitrate limited to I have to dose a lot of aminos.

What would be the most effective way to raise nitrates in a controlled fashion? Don't want to tick off my SPS or anything. I already feed quite a bit too so not sure if that's the solution? And would that be part of the reason for the GHA/turf? I assume that my levels might be somewhat false bc of the GHA absorbing the nutrients

If your worried about the chaeto you can pull it all out and leave it in a ziplock bag with tank water for a few days, keep it lit or in a window and it would be fine for months most likely

I had read somewhere that taking it out and putting it back in can end up reintroducing the bryopsis, so I'm hesitant. I've also got a nice pod population in there that's been great for my mandarin (who is quite small and hard to find during the day, so direct feeding hasn't been an option). I wouldn't want it to starve but I also don't want to set off a nutrient bomb if the chaeto were to start dying off

 

[Spare time]

What would be the most effective way to raise nitrates in a controlled fashion? Don't want to tick off my SPS or anything. I already feed quite a bit too so not sure if that's the solution? And would that be part of the reason for the GHA/turf? I assume that my levels might be somewhat false bc of the GHA absorbing the nutrients



I had read somewhere that taking it out and putting it back in can end up reintroducing the bryopsis, so I'm hesitant. I've also got a nice pod population in there that's been great for my mandarin (who is quite small and hard to find during the day, so direct feeding hasn't been an option). I wouldn't want it to starve but I also don't want to set off a nutrient bomb if the chaeto were to start dying off

You can dose nitrate or very tiny controlled amounts of ammonium chloride (very small amounts). Aminos work well but I think cyano can use them so I am not sure if that would be the best route. Feeding heavily works too

I don't like to use the false reading idea as its an accurate reading of the available nitrate, regardless of how fast it is being taken up.

Again, this may or may not help. Its more or less something to think about when you see cyano appear. I have a lot of anecdotal evidence as well as some general knowledge about cyano that leads me to believe that ultra low nitrate and elevated phosphate may be a frequent cause of cyano (emphasis on anecdotal as I don't like to make anecdotal claims as if they were fact). 2-5ppm is fine just so long as it doesn't go much below that.

As for the chaeto, I would leave it in and if it dies then I'd get some new macroalgae from algaebarn. I have had chaeto survive it, so maybe it depends on the species of chaeto

 

[P-Dub]

I've got some flux rx on the way but I've read differing accounts as to whether it'll kill my chaeto. My original plan was to let it do its thing while I went on vacation from Thursday on for about 10 days, but if the chaeto died while I was gone I could see my nitrates going through the roof without me knowing, much less being able to do anything about it. What was your experience like?

Had no effect on my mass of chaeto.

 

[cdw79]

You can dose nitrate or very tiny controlled amounts of ammonium chloride (very small amounts). Aminos work well but I think cyano can use them so I am not sure if that would be the best route. Feeding heavily works too

I don't like to use the false reading idea as its an accurate reading of the available nitrate, regardless of how fast it is being taken up.

Again, this may or may not help. Its more or less something to think about when you see cyano appear. I have a lot of anecdotal evidence as well as some general knowledge about cyano that leads me to believe that ultra low nitrate and elevated phosphate may be a frequent cause of cyano (emphasis on anecdotal as I don't like to make anecdotal claims as if they were fact). 2-5ppm is fine just so long as it doesn't go much below that.

As for the chaeto, I would leave it in and if it dies then I'd get some new macroalgae from algaebarn. I have had chaeto survive it, so maybe it depends on the species of chaeto

Since I siphoned it up on Friday night it's not come back, so hopefully that'll be the end of it! I'll keep the tips in mind though if it starts appearing again, much appreciated.

The only other thing I'm wondering about is when the meds go into the tank (and presumably sit in there for at least the two weeks it recommends), how do you ultimately get them all out? Do you even want/need to get them out in the first place?

 

[Spare time]

Since I siphoned it up on Friday night it's not come back, so hopefully that'll be the end of it! I'll keep the tips in mind though if it starts appearing again, much appreciated.

The only other thing I'm wondering about is when the meds go into the tank (and presumably sit in there for at least the two weeks it recommends), how do you ultimately get them all out? Do you even want/need to get them out in the first place?

You can simply run carbon. Often times they break down on their own.


PS during this time you may not want to do a water change and thus some waste eating bacteria would be very nifty to use to eat the dying algae.

 

[cdw79]

So I'm about 8 or 9 days I think into using Flux RX, and honestly I've seen no improvement on the GHA / Bryopsis. I know I still technically have several days to go until I hit the 10-14 day mark as recommended on the package, but in the reviews I watched it appeared that by now GHA and Bryopsis started to grey and begin dying, but I've not seen much evidence of it so far.

I don't think I've made any mistakes in how I dosed (carbon off, mechanical filtration off, no water changes, etc.) and if anything I put in a little extra than the recommended dosing per some threads I read, but pretty disappointed about the results.

If by day 14 I still have algae present, should I leave it in longer? Or pull it out with carbon and maybe start to look at other options like Vibrant (as much as it makes me a little anxious)? Has anyone else ever not had Flucanazole not work?

 

[BelieveInBlue]

I and many others have had tremendous success with Vibrant for reef aquariums. Take a look at my tank. No issues with all the SPS's, LPS's, Shrooms, zoa's, softies, and fish I have. It was my last resort that I wished I had done from the start.

Do you know if vibrant/flucanazole will affect macro algae like dragon's breath/ulva/red ogo?

 

[tnw50cal]

So I'm about 8 or 9 days I think into using Flux RX, and honestly I've seen no improvement on the GHA / Bryopsis. I know I still technically have several days to go until I hit the 10-14 day mark as recommended on the package, but in the reviews I watched it appeared that by now GHA and Bryopsis started to grey and begin dying, but I've not seen much evidence of it so far.

I don't think I've made any mistakes in how I dosed (carbon off, mechanical filtration off, no water changes, etc.) and if anything I put in a little extra than the recommended dosing per some threads I read, but pretty disappointed about the results.

If by day 14 I still have algae present, should I leave it in longer? Or pull it out with carbon and maybe start to look at other options like Vibrant (as much as it makes me a little anxious)? Has anyone else ever not had Flucanazole not work?

It's not in the instructions but you need to turn UP your light(white light is best). The GHA has to grow for the fluconazole to kill it. If you don't turn up your light it can take 2 months to work. Meanwhile if you don't fix what made the GHA grow in the first place as soon as you stop using the fluconazole the GHA starts growing back. Been there did that. The best answer to GHA is time. Time for your tank/rocks to mature(2 years or more).
Best things that work:
Tangs--but they really need to be in the tank before algae starts growing.
Snails--turbos are best, astrea second best, again must be in tank before algae starts to grow.
In both of the above if you don't have enough the algae wins.
Cyrano--yes I just said that.For GHA It will grow over it and if left on it will block out light that lets GHA grow and kill it. Then all you have to do is get rid of the cyrano(a whole other story that DOESN'T involve chemiclean).
Now for the best answer see my next post---

 

[cdw79]

It's not in the instructions but you need to turn UP your light(white light is best). The GHA has to grow for the fluconazole to kill it. If you don't turn up your light it can take 2 months to work. Meanwhile if you don't fix what made the GHA grow in the first place as soon as you stop using the fluconazole the GHA starts growing back. Been there did that. The best answer to GHA is time. Time for your tank/rocks to mature(2 years or more).
Best things that work:
Tangs--but they really need to be in the tank before algae starts growing.
Snails--turbos are best, astrea second best, again must be in tank before algae starts to grow.
In both of the above if you don't have enough the algae wins.
Cyrano--yes I just said that.For GHA It will grow over it and if left on it will block out light that lets GHA grow and kill it. Then all you have to do is get rid of the cyrano(a whole other story that DOESN'T involve chemiclean).
Now for the best answer see my next post---

Funnily enough I have noticed Cyano growing on the GHA, maybe because of having kept the skimmer off until today. I was going to pluck it and the GHA out but from the sound if it I'll leave it on, lol. So it seems like if I'm still having issues at day 14, get a big order of snails to combat things.

I have a few smaller turbos, but they don't seem too interested for whatever reason in the GHA- they seem to prefer the back of the tank's film algae from the looks of it? I've also heard big turbos can be kinda destructive in terms of knocking stuff over, is that your experience?

 

[tnw50cal]

Right now I'm dealing with this brown "turf" algae that sucks itself flat and turns black if you touch it. Nothing I have will touch it-not the tangs or snails.
In this picture the best answer to all algae has been in the tank for 2 weeks but didn't move for the first ten days. It's bad enough I went to every LFS(like 7 of them) for months looking for one of my best answers and after months of looking the first 2 died(the 2nd one also came with flatworms). The 3rd was the charm even if it took 10 days to move.
In the picture you can see(for me the first time in 1/2 a year) clean rock as well as the brown "turf" algae. The tubro snail in the picture is on the rock for the 1st time in 1/2 a year keeping the clean rock clean.

 

[tnw50cal]

The answer picture---a urchin. I'm looking forward to no more algae, should take this urchin about 2 months to do the job. I do have urchins in my other tanks-the mature ones with no algae and they keep them that way so there was no chance of moving one into this problem tank.

 

[tnw50cal]

So it seems like if I'm still having issues at day 14, get a big order of snails to combat this.

Turn up the white light, double the dose(won't hurt ANYTHING except the GHA), and suck out the dying GHA to keep nutrients in it from getting back into the tank. You may have to keep treating for 6-8 weeks. Then buy a urchin and snails to keep it at bay after treatment. After getting a urchin I've never had to use fluconazole again(knock on wood). Since to many nutrients and not competition( good bacteria that comes with maturity) is what caused the GHA in the first place, I like to still do the weekly water changes and dose more Fluconazole while doing the treatment.