macro algae killing my tank

[Fonchy]

Other than taking the rock out and cook it so I can kill this stuff, Im trying to get something that will eat the stuff, I got grape caluerpa in my fuge an migrated to the display, now is everywhere, The tank is a 30 gal tank. I used to have a yellow tang on my 125 that kept it to non-existant, what can I buy fish wise to help me get rid of it. I will get pic later.

Armando

[landlord]

One of the smaller dwarf angels. Unfortunately he/she may not be able to keep up with the growth, and that's if he/she even decides to eat it.

I put a lemonpee in a 29 gal and he made quick work of all the available macro, then I caught him and traded him back in for a couple of emerald crabs that kept it in check.

I might have gotten lucky, but it worked!

Good Luck --landlord

[Fonchy]

I bought 6 emerald crabs and they did not even touched the stuff. The guy at my LFS has a mimic tang for 34.00. but I had never delt with that fish before so I dont know.

[tigereye37]

Get rid of the caluerpa and use Chaeto, at least that is what everyone says. Apparently, once the caluerpa goes sexual it will spread from the fuge to the main tank (like what happened to you). Chaeto is supposed to work just as well and is easier to control. Unfortunately since it is already in your tank, maybe someone else has ideas..........

[landlord]

I have never seen my emeralds graze on the stalks directly but I can tell you that the crap never came back once the angel mowed the lawn for them.

FWIW --landlord

[Fonchy]

I cleaned some of of it every week and a half, this thing grows like crazy. anything else that I can toss in there???

[ACBlinky]

I second the dwarf angel - you could try a C. flavicauda or C. argi, they're about the smallest dwarf angels and can hold their own with most fish. They graze constantly - I'd remove every single bit you can see by hand, then let the angel keep the rockwork clear from that point on.

When I kept Centropyge angels in my old 65g I had the cleanest rock I've ever seen - not a leaf of macro or bit of microalgae anywhere. When I sold them and upgraded, it didn't take long before I saw caulerpa, sargassum, halimeda, botryocladia, valonia and loads of turf and hair algaes starting to appear (it didn't help that there was a small cycle when I upgraded). I have a yellow tang and she works hard, but I just introduced a coral beauty to my 90g because I miss how good my tank used to look - IMHO, there's no better custodian than a dwarf angel.

[qfrisco]

Does anyone know if the grape caulerpa propagates from the grapes? Just curious as I have had a handful or so make it from my fuge to the display, and they have been sucked into the intakes of a couple of my powerheads. Should I get these out before they stick to a rock?

I've since replaced the caulerpa with chaeto in my fuge.

[Fonchy]

qfrisco, If you have chaeto get rid of the grape, Im telling you is a PITA. This thing has killed my zoos, 2 SPS and the rock is white (no coralline) under it.

[basssnake]

Try a Blue hippo tang, i put some of that grape calupera one time in my tank and it was gone the next day, food for him. That was before i knew the stuff was bad, but it lasted maybe a day or two max.

[Fonchy]

I was thinking the same about the hippo but it will be cruel to put it in a 30 gal

[ManotheSea]

Try using a toothbrush to scrub the rock under a fast fresh water rinse. I used this to clean hair algae from rock after a tank crash. The hair never returned so I bet the calurpa will be easier to remove. The coraline will be fine and a fast rinse wont hurt too much life in the rock.

[nmhs2]

Get a phosban reactor? starve the macro algae