# New marine algae. Need advice.



## TankCla (Dec 31, 2010)

I started a battle with HA about 2 weeks and now I am stumbling upon new types of algae:

*Algae #1* - Marine Hair Algae
Treatment: Algaefix Marine









Already starting to fall off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Algae #2*: - Diatoms ???
Color: - dark red
Shape: - like a blanket on the sand
Spreading: - it grows in patches on the sand.
Treatment: ???? *anyone using hydrogen peroxide*

















~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Algae #3*: - unknown
Color: - brown (I think in the picture they look green from the light)
Shape: - like a deflated baloon
Spreading: - they started to grow in the last 2 days. nothing changed in the tank to trigger the growth.
Treatment: ????

















~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Algae #4*: - unknown
Color: - light green
Shape: - like spikes, very hard algae (makes a pop sound when I pull them from the rock.
Spreading: - Appeared where HA used to grow. I have 2 spots in the tank. 
Treatment: ????









~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I had a NO3 and PO3 problem due to faulty tests and bad water.
Since then, I improved water quality with a RO/DI unit. Decreased NO3 and PO3 with Nitraguard biocubes, phosguard and running active carbon. 
Siphoned the sand with every WC (20% every 2 weeks). Macroalgae and mangroves in the sump. Cut the feeding in half.

Tests:
NO3 - 5ppm (salifert) 
PO3 - 0~0.05 (elos)

*Any piece of advice will be very much appreciated.*


----------



## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

Battling the exact same thing on a clients' tank...for the 3rd time. They like to overfeed and override the light timer. 

1. Cut photo period to 4hrs
2. Siphon out cyano w/3/8" vinyl tubing; large enough for most "clumps" of aragonite to pass through and not plug up the tubing. If it does, get a pair of pliers and gently crush the plug free. Shut the pumps off while you do this so you don't have to worry about "topping up" w/NSW.
3. Same as 2 but hold the tubing in your hand leaving your index and thumb free to pluck off the algae. Position the siphoning close to suck up what you plucked to minimize missed free floating bits to settle and regrow.

Pic #3 I think is a type of bubble algae. Do #2 and work the tubing around the ball to either work it off the LR or pop. The siphoning action will remove most of the inner spores.

When you are done, top off w/NSW, plug everything back on and use a net to catch any free floating bits...if you use a filter sock...wait an hour and clean it.

Lather...rinse...repeat...as often as you can.

I hear you have a little one soon to make an appearance...congrats! Sorry to add to the "To Do List"...LOL!


----------



## TankCla (Dec 31, 2010)

I was siphoning the cyano. It was worse then now. 
Algae #1 is starting to die and fall of the LR. I have fairly large clumps of HA in the filter sock. Where HA was now I have #4 algae, and #3 algae I have no idea where it come from. Started to grow 2 days ago w/o new additions.

Many things on my "To Do List" lately.


----------



## Thoreffex (Dec 31, 2013)

You have a clean up crew? Have a tang?


----------



## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

Just noticed you are using GFO and NG pellets...is the NG the "regular" or the Titanium? Too low of PO4 will slow down how NG "regular" works.

Where on type of algae has a problem, another type will pop up when conditions for it is optimal...just the way nature works...just keep at it . 

Your first child? Hope you stocked up on diapers and wipes as well as a freezer full of prepared meals; homemade or store bought. That alone makes the day easier when you're sleep deprived and as your wife recovers.


----------



## TankCla (Dec 31, 2010)

Thoreffex said:


> You have a clean up crew? Have a tang?


I have a tang and a sea urchin and some turbo, but none is willing to eat them. I know HA has a toxin and it is not eaten buy tangs and snails.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## TankCla (Dec 31, 2010)

wtac said:


> Just noticed you are using GFO and NG pellets...is the NG the "regular" or the Titanium? Too low of PO4 will slow down how NG "regular" works.
> 
> Where on type of algae has a problem, another type will pop up when conditions for it is optimal...just the way nature works...just keep at it .
> 
> Your first child? Hope you stocked up on diapers and wipes as well as a freezer full of prepared meals; homemade or store bought. That alone makes the day easier when you're sleep deprived and as your wife recovers.


Regular NG and I know low PO3 will slow down NO3 removal, but when I started dosing algaefix, PO3 went up.
I also run purigen ). Almost overkill, but I want to fix it.

First child and I have a Pita Grill close by, if I need... 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## loonie (Mar 29, 2008)

I had this kind of problems before but after I started using bio cubes, I have no worries. This bio cubes can last you, almost a year. 

In the beginning of course you have to do some clean up with a tooth brush if the algae are on the rocks.


----------



## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

I got a sea hare from march and within days all of my algae problems were gone except the bubble coral.

If you want to borrow him you can come pick him up just as long as be makes it back in a few weeks to jump into my DT.


----------



## TankCla (Dec 31, 2010)

Thank you for the offer. I will keep in mind. 
I can take the bubble coral too, if you want it gone. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

Sorry meant bubble algae. My bubble coral was killed by my clowns


----------



## someguy (Sep 7, 2009)

Man, just when you get rid of one type another pops up! I was waiting for the new FTS pics now I have to wait a little longer =( 
I hope it clears up soon for you, good luck with the baby too!


----------



## TankCla (Dec 31, 2010)

Cut the light hours to 4 and already diatoms disappeared. HA is getting thinner and thinner.

Algae#3 looks similar to this:
Colpomenia peregrina









Algae#4: I will pull out one and try to make a macro photo.

@someguy - Thanks!


----------



## TankCla (Dec 31, 2010)

I did a short video with Algae #3









And new pics of Algae #4

Cluod it be Bryopsis:


----------



## TankCla (Dec 31, 2010)

1 month update:
Cyano is gone, Algae #3 is gone, but Algae #1 & #4 is the same: Bryopsis.
After 1 week of only 4h/day light, it is still growing. I got a seahare (from Dave) to take care of the problem, and it is good at it.

If "Charlie" is eating all bryopsis, will it grow again?


----------



## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

Mine never grew back after charlie ate it all. From what I've read, they eat the root as well 

Try going for a full blackout for 2-3 days. Wrap the whole tank with cardboard and turn off the lights. The fish and coral will be alright. I've done this and my display tank was much better after. While its blacked out Charlie can keep eating. No need to feed the fish either


----------

