Turf Algae

Miguel Negron · Sep 24, 2019

Hello everyone,

I am currently going throw a problem with my aquarium involving turf algae. I been battling this for the past year. First time, I removed all the corals from the rocks and removed the rocks from the tank. I ended up scraping all the hair and cleaning the rock. After that I haven’t seen it in a couple months. Few months later, it happens again!
This time instead of removing the rock. I tried Mexican turbo snails and vibrant. That didn’t help, so I ended up removing the rocks again and scraping everything off. Now instead of a couple months, the algae returned the next week. I’m really running out of ideas and this is making me frustrated that I don’t wanna deal with it anymore. But, I don’t wanna give up on the hobby.

My tank:
20 Gallon Long
Filter (Chemi-Pure, Kolar GFO, Poly-Bio Filter Pad, Acurel Pad)
Tank parameters in check
Tank shows 0 Phosphate & Nitrate

Below I have added a picture of my tank with turf before, then my whole tank cleaned and scraped, then how’s its currently growing back.

Thank you for viewing

LesPoissons · Sep 24, 2019

How long did you try vibrant and how often did you dose?
You could try adding more cuc or a tang to try to tackle it but usually these things take scrubbing and removing. I would take rocks out, scrape off as much as possible trying to get the roots off, then spray peroxide on the area, let it sit for a bit, then rinse and return to tank. It may take one or 2 tries but that should do it. In connection I would try vibrant after the treatment or you may want add a fuge or something as your tank is supplying enough nutrients for nuisance algae... something will grow to take up those nutrients- you want it to be something you control.

Miguel Negron · Sep 24, 2019

Maya Ybry-Yagy said:
How long did you try vibrant and how often did you dose?
You could try adding more cuc or a tang to try to tackle it but usually these things take scrubbing and removing. I would take rocks out, scrape off as much as possible trying to get the roots off, then spray peroxide on the area, let it sit for a bit, then rinse and return to tank. It may take one or 2 tries but that should do it. In connection I would try vibrant after the treatment or you may want add a fuge or something as your tank is supplying enough nutrients for nuisance algae... something will grow to take up those nutrients- you want it to be something you control.

Thank you for replying. I will look into to adding and trying this method out.

brandon429 · Sep 24, 2019

its true. likely to work and you can use a tiny test area first, doesnt have to be whole tank. you are willing to apply it, thats very rare and this whole time you have been preventing a full takeover, doing whats required, only missing that algaecidal step above. nice

kireek · Sep 25, 2019

Sorry for your troubles. You are tackling the problem hands on, keep it up! Check out what our sponser writes about the nuisance here;

Nuisance Algae ID Guide- Reef Cleaners

Nuisance Algae ID Guide. Red Slime, Cyano, Cyanobacteria. Green Film Algae, Film Algae. Green Hair Algae. Green Turf Algae. Bryopsis pennata and B. plumosa. Bubble Algae, Valonia. Lobophora. Blue Green Cyano.

www.reefcleaners.org