| Author |
 Topic Search  Topic Options
|
jmw 
Guest
Joined: February 12 2009
Location: perry
Status: Offline
Points: 433
|
 Post Options
 Thanks(0)
 Quote  Reply
 Topic: Help Identify
Posted: November 11 2010 at 7:03pm |
I have some sort of algae growing and and I would like to be able to identify it and know how to get rid of it. It is very stiff and it is very hard to pull off the rocks. Any help would be appreciated.
cal=450
alk=11.5 dkh
mag=1230 ppm
|
 |
tileman
Guest
Joined: November 05 2003
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 5368
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 11 2010 at 7:09pm |
|
Bryopsis!!! Get it out now or you will be forever getting rid of it.
|
|
335G Reef
TOTM.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2015/2/aquarium
ReefKeepers TOTM Feb. 2012
http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index....k-of-the-month
&
|
|
jmw
Guest
Joined: February 12 2009
Location: perry
Status: Offline
Points: 433
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 11 2010 at 7:16pm |
|
how??????
|
|
tileman
Guest
Joined: November 05 2003
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 5368
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 11 2010 at 7:24pm |
|
Take whatever its on and take it out. This stuff spreads fast and soon it will be throughout your tank. The only way to get rid of it is to dose your tank with Kents TechM magnesium. You have to raise your mag to 1700 and keep it there for a few weeks before it will die. It took me 2 and a half gallons before it started dieing. And it has to be Kents Tech M. Dont ask me why, but its true.
|
|
335G Reef
TOTM.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2015/2/aquarium
ReefKeepers TOTM Feb. 2012
http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index....k-of-the-month
&
|
|
Mark Peterson
Paid Member
Joined: June 19 2002
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 21436
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 11 2010 at 7:40pm |
That's not Bryopsis and high Mg won't do a thing with it. It's common name is Sea Brush. It's related to Valonia. At one time, before I knew about it, I had a lot of it. The herbivores kept it mowed short.  It has such a strong attachment that when a piece can be pulled off, rock comes with it. See this recent thread for info about what to do about it. http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=44482
|
Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks:www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
|
|
jmw
Guest
Joined: February 12 2009
Location: perry
Status: Offline
Points: 433
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 11 2010 at 7:46pm |
 Mark Peterson wrote:
It has such a strong attachment that when a piece can be pulled off, rock comes with it.
|
That is soooo correct.
|
|
Ahanix
Guest
Joined: February 11 2010
Location: Eagle Mountain
Status: Offline
Points: 1670
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 11 2010 at 7:46pm |
You sure its sea brush?
I don't know a lot about plants, but it certainly does look like this brypropsis. I couldn't find any good pictures of Sea Brush though
Brypropsis
|
|
jmw
Guest
Joined: February 12 2009
Location: perry
Status: Offline
Points: 433
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 11 2010 at 8:00pm |
I added 30 astria snails and a yellow tang about two weeks ago. I think its too long for the snails to eat however the tang eats it continuously. I have cut feeding in half. Once a day half as much.
My tank is a 34 gal RSM. I have a question though, everywhere I have read about valonia algae says its a bubble algae however I see no bubbles. What am I missing?
Thanks,
John
|
|
Jake Pehrson
Admin Group
Joined: June 13 2002
Location: Murray, UT
Status: Offline
Points: 4279
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 11 2010 at 8:37pm |
Let me start out by saying that I am not an "algae expert".
Mark are you thinking of Cladophora? If so then it is somewhat related to Valonia in the fact that they both belong to the same order (although this is a very distant relationship when it comes to algae).
Maybe you are thinking of Valoniopsis? This is closely related to Valonia although I don't think it is ever called "Sea Brush".
I don't think I know what it is (I tend to think it is not Bryopsis since it usually has feather shaped tips, although there are like 40 species of Bryopsis). Whatever it is I would try to keep a high alkalinity, feed less if you are a heavy feeder, replace your bulbs if they are old and remove it by hand if possible. Most likely you won't have a problem.
Good luck.
|
|
|
|
Mark Peterson
Paid Member
Joined: June 19 2002
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 21436
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 11 2010 at 8:56pm |
Jake, you are more expert than me. I'm just a hick farmer. I'd say that neither of those are what we are looking at. If you look closely at the structure, you will see that it has a very
strong outer shell with water inside. It's just a different shape.
I used to cut it short with my fragging scissors and the herbivores came after me. Unfortunately I never could get rid of it. 
It's not a common algae so it's common name probably doesn't matter. Here is possibly a red variety of the same stuff or at least a similar tough algae. 
Edited by Mark Peterson - November 11 2010 at 9:01pm
|
Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks:www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
|
|
tileman
Guest
Joined: November 05 2003
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 5368
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 11 2010 at 9:39pm |
OK , I'm no expert on algea either, but I have been battleing bryopsis for 2 years now and I've tried snails, crabs, urchins and none have worked. The bryopsis I had also had the little feathers as Jake described, but also looked just like the picture above . Just take my word, if it starts spreading everywhere you'll be sorry. And even if Mark doesn't believe it, TechM finally worked for me.
|
|
335G Reef
TOTM.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2015/2/aquarium
ReefKeepers TOTM Feb. 2012
http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index....k-of-the-month
&
|
|
jmw
Guest
Joined: February 12 2009
Location: perry
Status: Offline
Points: 433
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 11 2010 at 9:43pm |
Here are a couple more pictures. The strands are about 3/8 long. Not good pics but maybe it can help a little.
|
|
Jake Pehrson
Admin Group
Joined: June 13 2002
Location: Murray, UT
Status: Offline
Points: 4279
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 12 2010 at 1:26am |
Mark,
The red variety above is possibly a large variety of Polysiphonia (I wish we had an algae ID expert on the board).
jmw,
I think you have Cladophora (although again I am not positive) and not Bryopsis. I don't think you can usually see the cell wall segments like you can above with Bryopsis.
Another great way to get rid of these types of algaes is urchins. I like the diadema genus since they tend to chew less on the calcareous algae. Try and get little tiny guys so they can get in the tight spaces.
|
|
|
|
Chad
Guest
Joined: July 06 2006
Location: West Valley
Status: Offline
Points: 3260
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 12 2010 at 3:17am |
|
Where is Suzy when we need her?
|
|
What?! You pooped in the refrigerator, and ate the entire wheel of cheese?! I'm not even mad.... That's actually amazing!
|
|
jmw
Guest
Joined: February 12 2009
Location: perry
Status: Offline
Points: 433
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 12 2010 at 2:55pm |
|
Thanks for all the input.
|
|
Mark Peterson
Paid Member
Joined: June 19 2002
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 21436
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 12 2010 at 4:10pm |
tileman wrote:
And even if Mark doesn't believe it, TechM finally worked for me. |
Sorry Brad, I was a little irritable last night when I answered that. I didn't mean that Tech M doesn't work on Bryopsis, cause it does. I meant that I don't think it will work on jmw's algae. But who knows. It's easy to try, so why not. Honestly, that algae looks exactly like the stuff I once had; strong bushy tufts of prickly fibers. That was so long ago, though... I could be wrong. I agree with Jake that Urchins are a good bet.
Edited by Mark Peterson - November 12 2010 at 4:12pm
|
Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks:www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
|
|
tileman
Guest
Joined: November 05 2003
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 5368
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 12 2010 at 6:50pm |
|
No problem Mark, that's why we are all here. To give advice and different opinions. Nothing in this hobby is cut & dry. All is good.
|
|
335G Reef
TOTM.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2015/2/aquarium
ReefKeepers TOTM Feb. 2012
http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index....k-of-the-month
&
|
|
Aquatic Evolution
Pet Store
Joined: July 07 2006
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 1332
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 12 2010 at 7:07pm |
I actually agree with Mark, it is not Bryopsis. the common name is Maidens Hair. It kind of has a texture of a bristle on a toothbrush if I'm not mistaken. Tech M will not work on this Algae.
Sorry Brad  |
|
CapnMorgan
Guest
The Capn'
Joined: August 19 2009
Location: Tooele
Status: Offline
Points: 3537
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 12 2010 at 7:59pm |
|
I'll tell you what WILL work. Take the rock out and apply some hydrogen peroxide to the algae, after about 3 min rinse it off with some RO and put it back in your tank. Goodbye algae.
|
Steve My Old 180G Mixed ReefCurrently: 120G Wavefront Mixed 29G Seahorse & Softies Running ReefAngel Plus x2 435-8
|
|
jmw
Guest
Joined: February 12 2009
Location: perry
Status: Offline
Points: 433
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: November 13 2010 at 12:37am |
I have read alot about hydrogen peroxide. Some say just apply directly with a syringe, no harm to coral or fish. Also, I have read about Seachem Excel. Anyone have any experience with this?
I'm really leaning toward the hydrogen peroxide just wondering if I need to remove the rock or apply directly in the tank?
Aquatica,
I looked up Maidens hair, of all the algae pics I've seen that looks exactly like what I have. My only question is why is my yellow tang eating it like crazy?
| Chlorodesmis is a green filamentous algae whose appearance is similar to thin blades of grass or tufts of hair. Its common names include Maiden's Hair Plant and Turtle Grass. It contains a toxic substance which deters herbivorous fish from eating it. It is a beautiful bright green plant that will bring a diversity of color and form to your marine refugium. | |
Edited by jmw - November 13 2010 at 12:46am
|
|
