I think I have Lyngbya - Best way to get rid of it, please share your experience?

[ReeferSurf]

Hey guys,

I had this for about a year now, it started when I dossed Nitrate before that was 0 Nitrate/Phosphate. Thought it was dino, Didnt really care about the aquarium as I should have after that event.

A search seems to bring up only 2 threads about Lyngbya.

Not 100% sure if is Lyngbya but by the pics in thread https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/is-this-lyngbya.338909/ it looks like it.

Some details:
-It grows everywhere in main tank but sand it starts but doesn't continue its growth, covers the output from return pump and also wavemakers (wavemaker has been cleaned before photo)
-Sump and inside overflow has no sight of it. Light dependent?
-My Aquarium has been 0 Nitrate and 0 Phosphate reading from hobbygrade testkits/hanna. (my input of of food is 1 cube split into 3-4 pieces in a week to a clown fish in a 70gal tank )
-Grows really fast, as in 3 days the glass is brown, 6-7th day is growth in picture.
-Rubs off with just a finger and slimy. It flows like grass when current hits it.
-Had bit of green algae on the glass that needed to be cleaned every 2 week or so, once i dossed nitrate and messed the ratio, this took its place and havent had to use a blade to clean the glass since.
-No air bubbles or film on it (cant be dino?)
-Dipping say a Zoa frag in it for 2 mins 3% peroxide, it turns gray. 3 day later, it starts to grow ontop of it before the dead bit has a chance to disintegrate away.

Pic: https://imgur.com/a/mw1lHnb
video: https://imgur.com/a/IXxlXrM

I have started dossing Peroxide at 1ml per 10 gallons for last 3 days, it still has new growth and the existing patch still grows longer.

Anyone else have this if its Lyngbya and can you share your experience in tackling the problem?? Thanks

 

[Big G]

Bump

 

[ReeferSurf]

After some more searching on google. Was on phone/laptop/ipad, so didnt write everything or link info down but from what i remember.

Lyngbya
-Likes High flow and "Clean water" e.g Low nutrients (most talked about having low nutrients)
-Uptake of Iron (study/research them paper)
-Rabbitfish will eat it secondary but not mature ones. (study/research them paper) the way Lyngbya grows, you would need so many
-Thread using Peroxide (2 people, first link i posted on original post + another one)
-Thread using with Kent m Magnesium / Continuum Aquatics Reef Basis Magnesium at 1550-1600mag level. ( 2-3 people but only 1 person with pics of it working)
-Thread using Fluconbazole tablets (1 person working with pics)
-Thread upping feeding (2 people)

Im going to split this into 4 trys, will keep a small patch of it untouched on the tank wall to notice any decline/affects of patch:
-Upping Peroxide to 2ml per 10gallons, will keep upping to a safe limit once i google more info.
-Using Magnesium Continuum Aquatics Reef Basis Magnesium to 1550-1600 area. (cant find Kent M here in Aus)
-Overfeed into a sock, so im feeding a clownfish a cube a week, will throw 10cubes a week into the filtersock.
-Fluconazole, saved this for last and rather not use it, in case overfeeding for more nutrient tank gets me algae / cyano / bryoso / whatever, might as well hit it at once.

 

[tautog83]

I had something similar like this growing in my tank , I actually used a little under the recommended dosage of dino x and 2nd treatment it basically wiped it out .

 

[ReeferSurf]

Okay, a update.

What Ive done so far.

*Introduce more feeding into a sock
*Flucon dossed at 1 cap per 20gal, plus 2 extra. 11/05/2019 at 730pm
*Dossing 2ml per gallon Peroxide two times a day.
*Cleaning it off glass, will drop in 1 ml per gallon as well to disrupt it.

I saw my first green algae clump today on a frag disc!!! So happy!
New growth has stopped growing on rocks. Glass still has new growth but at very slow rate.
Half of the existing patches I kept for observation, some are knotting up in themselfs and lighter brown. Other half haven't grown as much but still retain their color.

Dunno if the extra force feeding into the sock / Peroxide or Flucon is the winner but im happy overall.

 

[ReeferSurf]

Few days ago, nitrate 0, nitrate now 0.
Few days ago, Phosphate 0.02, now 0.08

Really surprised bout the nitrate and Phosphate, with the extra feeding into the filter sock and the dying off would expect it to go up higher.

To compare with the pic i posted in original post. https://imgur.com/a/mw1lHnb
https://imgur.com/QEdLEgw

Overall tank shot, I can see purple rock again!!!!!!
https://imgur.com/qfA0YA9

Worst offending rock took a hit
https://imgur.com/a/LgyCEO7

 

[stacksoner]

Lyngbya!!! God bless America this has been a difficult one to ID.

 

[stacksoner]

@ReeferSurf what's the purpose of putting food into the filtersock? thanks

 

[stacksoner]

Few days ago, nitrate 0, nitrate now 0.
Few days ago, Phosphate 0.02, now 0.08

Really surprised bout the nitrate and Phosphate, with the extra feeding into the filter sock and the dying off would expect it to go up higher.

To compare with the pic i posted in original post. https://imgur.com/a/mw1lHnb
https://imgur.com/QEdLEgw

Overall tank shot, I can see purple rock again!!!!!!
https://imgur.com/qfA0YA9

Worst offending rock took a hit
https://imgur.com/a/LgyCEO7

We're you able to clear the Lyngbya? If so, do you have a final treatment methodology that you'd advise?

 

[ReeferSurf]

@ReeferSurf what's the purpose of putting food into the filtersock? thanks

We're you able to clear the Lyngbya? If so, do you have a final treatment methodology that you'd advise?

Hey,

I was filling the rodi tank and it overflowed into the tank, so i had about a week off of not doing anything until it got evaporated back into the 1.026 again. I will have to ask around here to find it it affects the fluconzole dossing.

Putting food into the filter sock was to build up phosphate and nitrate, hoping green algae or more common algae thats easier to deal with would overtake it. Other reason was to stop the clown fish filling his stomach to the point he couldnt swim properly.

I will continue and keep this thread updated.

Ive notice a green fluffy algae taking over my rock work, all rock has no more Lyngbya. Will post pics.

New growth of Lyngbya is still growing on glass and powerhead but at a slower rate.

 

[ReeferSurf]

Worst offending rock took a hit

Heres the same rock. lyngbya gone but green fluffy algae is covering rocks

another green algae (green hair clump most likely) thats popping up now.

I rather take on green algae fluffy or hairs clump. Both you can just suck out with a hose and thats nutrient out of your tank.

With Lyngbya at its prime, it took a big toll on my corals. I would remove a big chinese bowl full of it a week. Only it to regrow in three days on glass and 6 day for coverage of tank. Feeding 1 cube cut to smaller pieces and nitrate/phos at pretty much zero.

 

[ScottR]

So is lyngbya basically similar to dinos in that they prefer a clean tank? Kind of curious as I’ve never heard of this l. Following along to see what comes of this.

 

[stacksoner]

So is lyngbya basically similar to dinos in that they prefer a clean tank? Kind of curious as I’ve never heard of this l. Following along to see what comes of this.

It looks and behaves like hair algae that's brownish green and . I think the main distinguishing factor is that it doesn't have a strong foot hold on rocks like algae and parts become dislodged with a baster.

I think this could be the most misdiagnosed reef tank affliction. On rock work, it starts off looking like short, fuzzy, hair algae that also grows on glass, power heads, and pretty much everything.

 

[Reefrats]

Ironically I have both lyngbya (low nutrient) and GHA (high nutrients). Frustrated beyond belief. My NO3 and PO4 test 0 my chaeto is growing. I’m thinking of trying Azithromycin. Did anyone have success with anything?

 

[Reefrats]

So I dosed Azithromycin and pulled skimmer cup for 4 days per protocol. Put skimmer cup back on and running carbon. Now that microbubbles have cleared up it’s coming back. I brushed some off on day 3 and today is day 5. Now what???

 

[juarec0201]

Battling this algae as well. Would like some updates if any.

 

[Cnidoblast]

So I dosed Azithromycin and pulled skimmer cup for 4 days per protocol. Put skimmer cup back on and running carbon. Now that microbubbles have cleared up it’s coming back. I brushed some off on day 3 and today is day 5. Now what???

I'd say to run as much activated charcoal as possible - members of that genus of bacteria produce a toxin that behaves like mustard gas:


"Lyngbya dermatitis is an irritant contact dermatitis. Lyngbya is a Blue green alga lives in depth down to 100ft. The alga often clump up in to hairy mat-like masses, often called “mermaid hair” or “fireweed”, along the ocean floor and can be blown to areas with swimmers by strong current and/or wind. Histopathological examination of lesions may show dermatitis with infiltrates of lymphocytes and eosinophils, and some neutrophils. By direct contact with Lyngbya, dermatitis, ocular and respiratory tract irritation has been observed. When lyngbya was ingested, oral and intestinal irritation, edema, and cellular damages may be developed. Differential diagnosis includes Swimmer’s itch, and several types of cnidarian dermatitis. Type of water and location of the symptoms on the skin may be able to differentiate from other dermatitis."

 

[Reefrats]

I'd say to run as much activated charcoal as possible - members of that genus of bacteria produce a toxin that behaves like mustard gas:


"Lyngbya dermatitis is an irritant contact dermatitis. Lyngbya is a Blue green alga lives in depth down to 100ft. The alga often clump up in to hairy mat-like masses, often called “mermaid hair” or “fireweed”, along the ocean floor and can be blown to areas with swimmers by strong current and/or wind. Histopathological examination of lesions may show dermatitis with infiltrates of lymphocytes and eosinophils, and some neutrophils. By direct contact with Lyngbya, dermatitis, ocular and respiratory tract irritation has been observed. When lyngbya was ingested, oral and intestinal irritation, edema, and cellular damages may be developed. Differential diagnosis includes Swimmer’s itch, and several types of cnidarian dermatitis. Type of water and location of the symptoms on the skin may be able to differentiate from other dermatitis."

Thanks - it’s taking over my tank. This sucks. I may try again with a different Azithromycin

 

[Reefrats]

Battling this algae as well. Would like some updates if any.

I ordered Azithromycin and fluconozole from Payless pet products as recommended in some videos. Neither worked and I still have lyngbya and GHA. I’m starting to wonder if the meds I got were bogus. I may try again with meds sourced elsewhere. The only other option is to start over. Sucks.

 

[juarec0201]

I’m having somewhat luck after running flucazonal twice and chemi clean. It’s super weak now and I’m hitting it with 35% peroxide every other day as well as cleaning and scraping what comes up.