Take Refugium offline due to nuisance algae?

[cubbyman60]

Hey all,
I'll try to make this short and simple and appreciate your input.

Problem: I've noticed cotton candy algae growing on my chaeto and in my fuge. I've manually removed it a few times, but it keeps coming back and seems to be spreading. It only grows under my refuge light, and has not moved to the display.

Question:
1) Should I take remove all of the algae and chaeto from my refuge and go to an all dark period to kill the cotton candy before it has a chance to spread to the DT?
2) If I remove all of the algae and go dark in the refuge, will there be any repercussions for the tank.- like a nutrient spike. The fuge is tiny, with a basketball sized clump of chaeto.

Thank you.

 

[lion king]

What light are you using in the fuge, It's likely not going to spread to the dt, because the lighting source is a major contributor. You will have a nutrient increase if you shut down your fuge, by removing the source of export. You could always counterbalance by doing more frequent water changes. I would first look at lighting, but you are going to get other forms of algae in the fuge, it is just natural. Better in your fuge than the dt.

 

[cubbyman60]

Thanks for the response. I'm using a plant grow light over the fuge. The light is certainly providing different spectrum than the DT.

The fuge represents probably less than 1% of the total water volume and I don't think a major source of export. But, it does harbor lots of pods.

Is it possible that the cotton candy algae will only grow in this condition? Other nuisance algae in the fuge don't bother me, but I've read about cotton candy algae's potential to become invasive. I would rather clean this area out and try to eradicate it while I can to prevent it from spreading to the DT.

Thanks.

 

[najer]

As above, think how the system is working, with such a small fuge I would just siphon some of it out, if it is in the sump it is stopping it in the display, ime.

 

[ReefQueen]

I had take same issue a while back, it did end up moving to the display. I got some Mexican turbo snails and they quickly took care of it for me:)

 

[philosophile]

Chaeto growing well IS a major nutrient export as illustrated by BRS' experiments. A ball of chaeto and nothing else can clear a completely empty tank that's being fed a cube of mysis weekly of nitrate and phosphate to zero. Especially if it is being given grow light spectrum.

So don't take your fuge off line without worrying about nutrient spikes.

If your cotton candy algae isn't spreading to the dt, and you're regularly exporting it, then just consider it a part of your fuge. If it starts spreading, you'll want to take stronger action obviously. But I would try moving a turbo snail into the fuge and see if it'll get rid of it all.

 

[uvafred13]

Chaeto growing well IS a major nutrient export as illustrated by BRS' experiments. A ball of chaeto and nothing else can clear a completely empty tank that's being fed a cube of mysis weekly of nitrate and phosphate to zero. Especially if it is being given grow light spectrum.

So don't take your fuge off line without worrying about nutrient spikes.

If your cotton candy algae isn't spreading to the dt, and you're regularly exporting it, then just consider it a part of your fuge. If it starts spreading, you'll want to take stronger action obviously. But I would try moving a turbo snail into the fuge and see if it'll get rid of it all.

I believe their experiment included feeding one cube of mysis daily, not weekly, which bolsters your argument.

 

[BlueCursor]

I had a red spirulina problem in my refugium for 6 months. Never a bit in my DT. Work on correcting the problem, but if it isn't in the DT don't worry about it too much. All algae reduces nitrates, so all algae is good as far as I'm concerned . . . provided it is in the DT.