Algal genus Spotlight: Bryopsis "hair algae" - Page 6

Lunchbucket · #**126** 07/13/2006, 11:16 PM

why not pull out that lockline and nuke it w/ some heat, kalk, or soemthign else of the such

if it is only one spot it would be easy to get rid of

Lunchbucket

RonD · #**127** 07/13/2006, 11:21 PM

So by saying that... this a nasty then ???

Thanks alot

DNA · #**128** 07/14/2006, 02:06 AM

Got myself a Foxface and now I have none.

roxy25 · #**129** 07/14/2006, 08:49 PM

I have read this WHOLE thread and I am a little confused on some of the info.

I have a nano tank right now that is filled with ALGAE and its HAIR ALGAE

I justed finished cycling maybe 2 weeks ago. SO luckly I have nothing in there but some snails.

The reason I got hair algae is from Phoshates I was used sparklettes distilled water to fill up the tank and I believe this is the brand that brought phosphates into my tank.

Right now I am running Phosguard

Anyways what I am confused on is the natural way to get rid of this stuff.

I have people telling me different things and I want to get things staright before I buy anything else.

Lettuce Nudi
Sea Hare
Turbo snails
mower Blenny

which one actually works if you say it does not work please only say so if you have tried it or witness any of these animals in person.

If you say one of those animals does work how many and how fast did they do the job.

when I went to my LFS they tried to sale me a sea hair but once I saw how big and UGLY it was I didn't buy it. but I have read they work?

I have 4 snails right now in my 8 gallon

they are 2 ceriths, 1 astrea,1 black turbo

I plan to get a mexican turbo and a few more snails. the astrea snail really is eating this stuff and so is the black turbo. but they are losing the battle lol.

I am also going to upgrade to a truvu 10gal next week.

please give suggestions thanks

roxy25 · #**130** 07/14/2006, 08:54 PM

o yeah I will post a pic later I think my tank is the worst case of Hair Algae ever in history

Paul B · #**131** 07/14/2006, 10:23 PM

Roxy, I have good and bad news for you. Those animals you mention will not help with your algae problem. A lot of people will tell you that one of those things will eat all of that algae but it's not going to happen. I raised over 100 Lettuce slugs and they do not eat the stuff. Sea hares may eat some as will all of those animals but not as fast as it is growing. I have been doing this longer than anyone here so I am not without some experience. Let the stuff keep growing and try to pull out as much as you can. It is common in a new tank. Eventually, it will exhaust any nutrients it needs to grow and it will die off in about two days. Those creatures may make the process longer. After it is gone you can add some snails or all of those animals if you like but it will leave on it's own. Thats the reason people believe their algae bleeny ate all their algae, it disappears by itself. Of course, if you overfeed you will get it back.
You have to remove it by hand otherwise it will keep dying and in the process it will keep fertilizing itself and keep growing.
Paul

Phiche Master · #**132** 07/14/2006, 11:42 PM

Roxy dont let it use up all the nutrients in the water.....I tried that,takes WAY too long. Since you have nothing in the tank just take out all the rocks, assuming it hasnt taken root in the glass or sand yet, and let them dry out....killing the plant. If it is in the glass and or sand just drain the tank and start over.....and yes dont use sparkletts....if you are gunna use non-homemade RO/DI water, buy the "distilled water" it has 0 ppm tds and fill the tank after everything is dried out. Hot water in a syringe also works very well, but for a serious outbreak as you have discribed, just dry it out. Bryopsis can sustain itself with nothing for months....Ive tested. So can chaeto.....actually when you cycle your tank the next time get some chaeto it will absorb the nitrates and phosphates as well it colonizing your tank with bacteria and mb even critters depending on the source. PS the Foxface will eat all the bryopsis but doesnt really like it....will eat every other plant in the tank before going after the bryopsis. The bryopisis will still have roots in the rocks and continue to grow, but if the foxface remains he will keep in in check. Nudis cant eat it fast enough, nor do they prefer it and since they are so small and hard to care for they will rarely cure the problem. I have run an aquarium maintenance co in dallas for many years now and have seen everything I think. Wow DNA you only have 700+ posts...I remember when you had the tank of the month. You must be like me and never post and/or never go on the site. Peace all~Joshua

Shadow Tempter · #**133** 07/15/2006, 02:24 AM

I agree completely with Paul B. - and do not dry your live rocks. You will end up killing all the "live" critters & bacteria thats has now established itself during the cycle causing your nitrates to spike fertilizing the algae.

And I would also do 20% water changes every other day the dilute the sparkletts water.

Here's what I did to win the bryopsis battle
1. Manual Removal and puttied over the rocks that I've cleaned out.
2. Started a refugium (chaeto) to help compete with the bryopsis.
3. No water changes for 2 months - nutrient depletion, I'm convinced that the bryopsis was absorbing other nutrients besides phosphates and nitrate.
4. added a foxface lo - this guy ate the bryopsis that was left in the tank within 2 weeks.
5. chemical filtration - rowaphos & chemipur carbon.

For a nano, you might just want to drop the ball of chaeto in there and/or add a tiny foxface lo (you will eventually have to give him up when he gets big)

Goodluck.

Paul B · #**134** 07/15/2006, 06:55 AM

Sorry Roxy but you see you will get more opinions that you need.
By the way Nudibranches eat no algae, none, zippo, zilch. They are carnivores. Slugs eat algae and nothing else. Lettuce "slugs"
really don't "eat" anything, they suck the chloroplasts out of bryopsis. There is no such thing as a lettuce nudi.
Good luck.
Paul
I wrote this a few years ago

http://www.breedersregistry.org/Arti...oweredSlug.htm

Phiche Master · #**135** 07/15/2006, 10:23 AM

Yup drying out the LR will definately kill the "live" and cause a nutirent spike in the next cycle. Thats why the chaeto. And since youll be adding corals, the rocks that the corals come on will come with the critters that will populate the rock. I dont really care what you do, I m just telling you I ve dealt with massive outbreaks probably 60 times and this way is the fastest most dependable way to elim the problem and get the reef beautiful. O yea I almost forgot....dont put the chaeto in there with the hair algae still there, it will take up root in the chaeto as well. Peace

roxy25 · #**136** 07/15/2006, 11:28 AM

Thanks for all the HONEST replies. I hate to waist money on more critters that will not eat this stuff.

I got sick of looking @ it last nice and I pulled off a lot by hand. its like 4 inches long! and it just waves back in forth lol.

it is on the glass and sand but not so much on the sand. I pulled out a lot a few weeks ago and I pretty much cleared the sand bed.

As for the sparklettes water it was distilled water. and I am pretty sure I have gotton all of that water out by now. I have been doing water changes and I started this tank May 14/06.

The snails are working but some of the algae is too high for them and it is growing too fast. 2 of my snails cleared up a big patch on one of the two bigger rocks I have. The astrea snails is on a roll.

I am going to just scrub the rock on sunday. I do not want to dry my rock out. I might as well buy new rock if i do that, and start a new cycle.

My main concern is when I transfer the water and rock to the new tank. After I scrub the rock and do two dips can I use the water from the old tank? I will be adding 2-3 gallons of new water along with more snails. If I use all new water wouldn't that start a new cycle? I do not want to kill my snails.

roxy25 · #**137** 07/15/2006, 11:38 AM

I have also ordered some chaeto from a local but it was supposed to come yesterday and it was shipped on thursday. now it says monday fro delivery. I am assuming it will be dead when it comes

Daemonfly · #**138** 07/30/2006, 12:36 AM

I had a bryopsis outbreak (new tank bloom). Got my DIY skimmer up & running, and the bryopsis started to get under control.

Nice thing is that the pods are actually eating all the bryopsis now. They're not eating the main "stalk", but all the fine fronds are completely stripped clean. They're deffinately eating it, not just hanging out on it. These are the common ones you usually find crawling on the glass eating algae film, 6-8 or so legs on each side (isopods?).

Lunchbucket · #**139** 07/30/2006, 11:21 AM

i've been using AZNO3 in an attempt to eat up any nitrate i can so it won't grow. i'm also changing out my po4 remover every 3wks or so. the bryopsis has come to a halt (mostly) and in some areas is GONE! oh i've been using Prodibio too. not sure which caused this or if it was all of it. it grows the best on my sand now and in the LR it pulls out way easier and doesn't come back really. i think i'm limiting all the nutrients for it and it is loosing the battle! haven't pulled it in 2wks or more and it only needs to be pulled on the sand. seems like after i pull it's gone. i'm liking it

Lunchbucket

killagoby · #**140** 08/02/2006, 06:11 AM

If I can recall correctly my Diadema Urchen ate my hair algae...

swimboy123 · #**141** 08/05/2006, 11:41 PM

Tuxedo urchins did it for me

Claeth · #**142** 08/22/2006, 11:36 PM

I own my own aquarium maintenance business, and the answer that everyone has been looking for to remove bryopsis from their systems is the addition of multiple convict tangs. They will eliminate any and all vegetation from the aquarium, including macroalgaes as tough as Halimeda!!! Trust me, it will work for you too. I have been using this method for over 5 years now, and my customers LOVE my services for their beautiful algae free tanks. Thats our secret, shhhhh!

angmoh · #**143** 08/25/2006, 12:27 AM

i'm wondering will pods finish up those broypsis ?

currently my tank has no fish but some softies and a pair of shrimps...

pods are multiplying everyday. i know pods are feed on algae.

if i maintain this, wondering will pods finish up all the broypsis over the coming months ?

roxy25 · #**144** 08/25/2006, 12:34 AM

Well I would like to update everyone

I just ordered more astrea snails and these cat eye snails from marine depot and one mex turbo

all algae GONE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

vest0830 · #**145** 09/10/2006, 09:14 AM

Wow, I just spent about an hour reading everyones posts in this. I myself am having issues with this stuff.

I have read people doing a few things to help rid it:
~Just let it go until it litterly starves itself, dont do any water changes

~add a lawnmower blenny

~foxface rabbit fish

~urchin

~manually remove

~create a 'dip' and remove all rocks and clean them (another form of maual removal)

~some are having lluck with various snails /slugs, but that seems to be a hit or miss kinda thing.

Of all of the things mentioned, it seems the blenny, the slug and the urchin seems to be the way to go, as more people who posted said these worked for them. I myself am having issues with brypopis at the momoent in my tank, and I will be adding a blenny and a urchin tommorow.
I would add the slug, but my LFS said they would run around $70 for one, (the price goes down the more I get) and that IMO is going to be the last resort.

angmoh · #**146** 09/10/2006, 10:33 AM

i'll rated foxface No.1 in consuming bryopsis algae.

urchin will do more harm then good, cos they always trip down all the corals and tuxedo urchins eat coralline algae!

Me No Nemo · #**147** 09/10/2006, 02:42 PM

I've also found the yellow, Hawaiin Sailfin mows the stuff down, if it isn't too long. I wouldn't suggest one for a 55 gallon though. I have the most luck with Large Mexican Turbos, the large Hawaiian Sea Hare, Trochus Grazers and Rabbits. Bristle tooth (Koles and the like) Blennies will scrape some, but only the very short stuff and they don't seem to make a huge dent in it.

vest0830 · #**148** 09/10/2006, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by angmoh
i'll rated foxface No.1 in consuming bryopsis algae.

urchin will do more harm then good, cos they always trip down all the corals and tuxedo urchins eat coralline algae!

yes, the urchin will knock everything down, but IMO its a small price to pay to rid this nuscense. I have little to no chorline in the tank, so that im not worried about.

Eric Boerner · #**149** 09/13/2006, 01:44 PM

Simply put, you cannot "expect" ANY live critter to take care of your algae problem with the exception of algae grazing snails & hermits. But to nail down a significant problem, you need to throw hundreds of them at it.

I have experienced non-eating: Blenny, Yellow Tang, Sailfin Tang, Foxface, Rabbitfish, Kole Tang, Powder Blues, Pygmie Angel... All of them refuse to eat hair algae and only eat flakes... Stop feeding flakes and they'd rather starve themselves to death despite the 3 month supply of hair algae on the rock...

I've found turbo and margarita snails do the job best, but wind up dying off fairly quick. Plus they are damn expensive these days. Margarita's are in the $2 a pop these days, and turbos are around $1 ea, but tend to have a 1 month life cycle at the size they're shipping at. Kinda pricey...

Paul B · #**150** 09/13/2006, 01:55 PM

Eric I have been trying to tell people that for many years but it seems to be falling on deaf ears. I gave up.
Paul