Dinoflagellate Problem? Could Ulva lactuca be the Answer?

[Scrubber_steve]

So its been about 48 hours and the dinos havent receeded from new life spectrum algae max. Its second ingriendient is ulva. Will have to try live ulva later. Since the paper said 48 hours had a mass mortality in dinos i havent seen it. Unless they are dead just stringy still. Not sure.

Ulva is only one of 9 seaweeds used in the mix & it doesn't specify what type of ulva it is. So I wouldn't expect much.
How did you dose it? As fish food, or powdered?

 

[Cory]

Ulva is only one of 9 seaweeds used in the mix & it doesn't specify what type of ulva it is. So I wouldn't expect much.
How did you dose it? As fish food, or powdered?

I crushed about 12 wafers in a mortar and pestel and added tank water and crushed and swirled more. I added this green water every 2 to 3 hours to the tank totalling 12 wafers or so for about a day. Probably around 6 grams of it. I have higher hopes for live ulva. My tanks getting covered in dinos lol. Even star polyps are 90% covered. I cant say its not working without knowing how much ulva is in it or what kind as you say.

 

[Scrubber_steve]

I have higher hopes for live ulva.

Live Ulva lactuca growing would be better than the algae food mix, but also consider from the paper -
"The enhanced potency of the extracts also suggests that allelochemicals in cells were more concentrated than the portion released into the environment (by live thalli) .

"The ability of live thalli within partitioned chambers to restrict HAB growth but the inability of filtered Ulva culture medium to do so suggests allelochemicals released by live thalli may degrade rapidly.
Thus, the HAB-inhibiting effects observed in live thalli were likely a consequence of a low but sustained level of release of the allelochemicals.
Additionally, the Ulva thalli used for all experiments besides the filtrate experiment were mechanically cut or disrupted, a processes that may enhance the production and/or release of allelochemicals (stressing the algae definately causes a higher release of DOC for periods perhaps up to an hour ).
As such, the inability of the filtrate to impact HABs may have been due to an absence of mechanical disturbance of the macroalga."

 

[Fudsey]

Do you think that sea lettuce could be grown in a reactor?

 

[Scrubber_steve]

Do you think that sea lettuce could be grown in a reactor?

Probably

 

[Porpoise Hork]

So its been about 48 hours and the dinos havent receeded from new life spectrum algae max. Its second ingriendient is ulva. Will have to try live ulva later. Since the paper said 48 hours had a mass mortality in dinos i havent seen it. Unless they are dead just stringy still. Not sure.

It's possible that the processing method used in the production of the pellets may have altered the ulva in such a way it either no longer has the allochemicals or is in such a small percentage that it is not enough to impact the dino's present in your system. I'm thinking either live, dried or minimally processed may be the best options compared to pelletized products.

 

[Mortie31]

Do you think that sea lettuce could be grown in a reactor?

People tried Ulva intestilanis in reactors in the uk and it was a real problem, it grew on everything in particular inside the light tube, and attached very well, so was a pain to clean.

 

[Cory]

Is anyone going to try it? Its been hard for me to find ulva where i live.

 

[B-ridge]

I just ordered some from algae barn. See if it works

 

[Scrubber_steve]

I just ordered some from algae barn. See if it works

Do you have a nuisance algae problem of some type, & which species of Ulva have you ordered?

 

[Reefnewb]

I found new life spectrum algae max. Its second ingredient is ulva seaweed. Hopefully it works.

Keep us updated!!

 

[B-ridge]

Yes. I either have diatoms or dinos. Some parts of my sand and rocks are brown. This could be do to undetectable po4 and nitrates 0-5

 

[Scrubber_steve]

Species of Ulva ordered?
Are you to use it in a fuge?

 

[B-ridge]

I ordered the ulva lactuca
Yes I plan on using it in my fuge. My fuge is a 75 gallon tank that’s stands slightly above my sump. And drains into sump through gravity. I have 2 drains. 1 directly into the fuge. The other drains into the skimmer section of my sump

 

[Scrubber_steve]

I ordered the ulva lactuca
Yes I plan on using it in my fuge. My fuge is a 75 gallon tank that’s stands slightly above my sump. And drains into sump through gravity. I have 2 drains. 1 directly into the fuge. The other drains into the skimmer section of my sump

Once you have the Lactuca settled & growing in your fuge keep a record here of what effects you see it having on your "diatoms or dinos". If nothing happens there are other technics that can be used to manipulate the Lactuca & the amount of photosynthate it releases, as mentioned already.

What macroalgae do you have growing in your fuge at present, & is it growing consistently?

 

[B-ridge]

Lol. I hope it settles and grows. Don’t have good luck with macro algae’s.
I have chaeto in my fuge. I’ve tried it multiple times and no luck. Tried it with flow. Tried it without flow. It eventually died. Last batch I had had calupera mixed in. It died also. Kept having to clean this yellowish slime foaming looking stuff off the top of the water of my fuge

 

[Cory]

Keep us updated!!

In case you missed it, it didint work. Im on the search for live ulva. It could be the processing or that they really add small quantities of it.

 

[Woody1911a1]

just got mine from https://www.algaebarn.com/

great folks :)

 

[Saveafish]

https://www.live-plants.com/sealettuce.htm

 

[Reefnewb]

https://www.live-plants.com/sealettuce.htm

Did you try this? I’m suprised it’s that cheap to be honest