Bryopsis or hair algae?

[Miami Reef]

Nothing is eating it. Just wanted to know what I’m dealing with

Microscope

UPDATE:

It was derbesia (green hair algae) I added a Desjardini tang which ate it all!

No other herbivores touched it (urchins, slugs, other tangs like naso or orange shoulder, Mexican turbos, or trochus snails)

 

[Miami Reef]

@taricha
@Dan_P
@ScottB

 

[vetteguy53081]

Nothing is eating it. Just wanted to know what I’m dealing with

Microscope

Similar to bryopsis looks like derbesia. One you will have to assure roots are removed or it will keep coming back

 

[rmorris_14]

I cant tell for sure in the picture.. does it look like a fern?

example

 

[piranhaman00]

Bryopsis , easy treated with ReefFlux. You can buy it in bulk at various places. One 2-3x dose and it will all dissolve

 

[shakacuz]

i’m thinking bryopsis as well. perhaps the ferns haven’t developed yet

 

[ryanjohn1]

Similar to bryopsis looks like derbesia. One you will have to assure roots are removed or it will keep coming back

Have you ever tried covering the area with f-Aiptasia or something similar just curious

 

[vetteguy53081]

Have you ever tried covering the area with f-Aiptasia or something similar just curious

No- again, you must get rid of the roots. Flux and other chemicals will weaken strands but not the roots.

 

[piranhaman00]

No- again, you must get rid of the roots. Flux and other chemicals will weaken strands but not the roots.

Yes they will. Eliminated bryopsis from two tanks using flux

 

[vetteguy53081]

Yes they will. Eliminated bryopsis from two tanks using flux

See too many threads and persons with bryopsis and in time they say it returned- " it never truly went away"

 

[Dan_P]

@taricha
@Dan_P
@ScottB

Definitely a filamentous algae, no frond structures like Bryosis. The filaments seem wider than the typical PTA GHA. You will also notice all those dark buds on the filaments. I think those are reproductive bodies which I have seen on what we would all call hair algae. I also noticed how clean the filaments are. I interpret that as a sign of little or no cyanobacteria, and a healthy, reproducing alga. In my world this is a pretty alga :)

 

[Miami Reef]

Definitely a filamentous algae, no frond structures like Bryosis. The filaments seem wider than the typical PTA GHA. You will also notice all those dark buds on the filaments. I think those are reproductive bodies which I have seen on what we would all call hair algae. I also noticed how clean the filaments are. I interpret that as a sign of little or no cyanobacteria, and a healthy, reproducing alga. In my world this is a pretty alga :)

Thank you.

It’s not pretty, and it’s invasive. It is growing pretty fast, and nothing eats it. I don’t want it growing over corals etc.

I appreciate the complements about how clean and reproduction it is. I work hard in keeping my tank clean (ULN) with little organic material (ozone and carbon). My phosphates are 0-2ppb (hanna) and nitrates 0 on salifert.

 

[Dan_P]

Thank you.

It’s not pretty, and it’s invasive. It is growing pretty fast, and nothing eats it. I don’t want it growing over corals etc.

I appreciate the complements about how clean and reproduction it is. I work hard in keeping my tank clean (ULN) with little organic material (ozone and carbon). My phosphates are 0-2ppb (hanna) and nitrates 0 on salifert.

That alga looks well fed. I wonder how that can be. Here is a story…

The rhizomes or holdfast that keeps it anchored is embedded in a local nutrient enriched hole or crevasse. Low flow permits biofilms which are sticky, to collect and digest organic matter. And adding insult to injury, the algae further slows water flow in the vicinity, allowing even more organic matter to accumulate.

You might need to start power washing the rock in situ. Would a water jet from dental pick be strong enough? To clean yes, maybe, but probably not to remove the holdfasts.

 

[Miami Reef]

That alga looks well fed. I wonder how that can be. Here is a story…

The rhizomes or holdfast that keeps it anchored is embedded in a local nutrient enriched hole or crevasse. Low flow permits biofilms which are sticky, to collect and digest organic matter. And adding insult to injury, the algae further slows water flow in the vicinity, allowing even more organic matter to accumulate.

You might need to start power washing the rock in situ. Would a water jet from dental pick be strong enough? To clean yes, maybe, but probably not to remove the holdfasts.

Well, I do have a lot of fish and feed them well once a day. I also carbon dose (vodka) to keep my nitrate low. GFO for PO4.

There’s no doubt in my mind that my tank still has nutrients. I just don’t have a lot of nitrate and orthophosphate.

Thank you so much. The algae is anchored on to the rocks VERY tightly. It’s like pulling roots from the ground.

 

[Dan_P]

Well, I do have a lot of fish and feed them well once a day. I also carbon dose (vodka) to keep my nitrate low. GFO for PO4.

There’s no doubt in my mind that my tank still has nutrients. I just don’t have a lot of nitrate and orthophosphate.

Thank you so much. The algae is anchored on to the rocks VERY tightly. It’s like pulling roots from the ground.

Just curious. Is this alga located in a high flow area?

I ask because I have seen algae in my Ulva pond flourish being blasted by the jet from the water pump. Ditto in an experimental tank. Hair algae growing only where the surface is being blasted by a jet of water.

 

[Miami Reef]

Just curious. Is this alga located in a high flow area?

I ask because I have seen algae in my Ulva pond flourish being blasted by the jet from the water pump. Ditto in an experimental tank. Hair algae growing only where the surface is being blasted by a jet of water.

It seems to like moderate flow. My tank is SPS focused, and you can really see the type of flow it likes in this video I just took.



The video shows most of the algae I’m dealing with in different parts of the tank, but I also have more in other areas

did the video help?

 

[Dan_P]

It seems to like moderate flow. My tank is SPS focused, and you can really see the type of flow it likes in this video I just took.



The video shows most of the algae I’m dealing with in different parts of the tank, but I also have more in other areas

did the video help?

Thank you for sharing the video. You have a beautiful aquarium. You must just want to stop by often and just stare at it. Lovely.

The alga is not being insanely blasted but I would say the flow round it is generous, judging by how it is moving. Yes, this helps me. Thank you.

 

[UMALUM]

Nothing is eating it. Just wanted to know what I’m dealing with

Microscope

Could be a strain of chorodesmis, what some call maiden hair. If so that would explain why no one wants to much on it as it's toxic. If I'm not mistaken it also thrives in lower nutrient systems. I had a small battle with it and found there's not much you can do as getting to the root in an established aquarium is pretty much impossible. I went ahead and pulled out as much as I could then covered the area with coral gum to smother it out.

 

[Miami Reef]

Success!

This past Sunday I bought a Desjardini sailfin tang for this algae issue. As a test, I put in the algae that I used in the microscope in the tang’s QT, and it gobbled it up.

30 minutes later I tried again with a fresh piece, and it went straight for it.

I immediately added the tang to my display after this video.

 

[taricha]

You will also notice all those dark buds on the filaments. I think those are reproductive bodies which I have seen on what we would all call hair algae.

agree, those also tell me it's derbesia.
I once convinced myself that my GHA was something different because it was so distasteful to everything and I didn't see those little dark spores. So I emailed an academic phycologist... who sent me a few papers and told me it was just plain old derbesia.
So yeah, I asked a professional seaweed expert to look at ... GHA. lol.

update us on how that tang does with your tank GHA.