A Simple Guide To Common Problematic Algae And The Means To Control It..

[Naso180]

GELIDIOPSIS AKA WIRE ALGAE:

IDENTIFICATION:
This algae grown on the rock work in long red or brown wiry strands.

WHAT FEED IT:
This algae like nitrates.

HOW TO CONTROL IT:
This algae is very easy to control and grows slower then most and is readily removed by pulling the tuffs out by hand. Along with manual removal aggressive skimming,and good husbandry this is a easily conquerable algae.

WHY ITS BAD:
This algae can suffocate other corals.

NATURAL HERBIVORES:
Surgeonfish, Diadema urchin.

Help! I have the stuff in the picture I attached here. I posted it here because Gelidiopsis seems to be the closest to it. I have not yet found what eats it or how to control it. It is in a flat with Yellow Tangs, a Tomini Tang, a Powder Brown Tang, a Fox Face, many Emerald Crabs, blue leg hermits, Mexican Turbo Snails, and Turban (Tectus fenestratus) snails. I tried several different species of urchins, but they avoid it in favor of the coralline algae and can't get into the nooks and crannies. Other info: I used Vibrant for a few months in this system at the higher off-label dose they recommend and it took care of all the algae in the system except this one, essentially selecting this one for success. I have since added some hair algae and a green film algae to the system to try to compete with it, but that isn't slowing it down at all. My Tangs eat the new introductions and keep them in check, but not this one.

I'm open to suggestions - Other types of herbivores (reef safe fish or inverts), Hydrogen Peroxide which does kill it when applied in off the shelf 3% concentaration for 60-90 seconds, but is also hard on the corals, and I can't wash the whole system with Peroxide. Or can I? I'm Open to lighting color and period changes as well. It doesn't grow in the dimmer parts of the flat, but I'm not sure if my SPS can survive on the low light level it will take to kill this stuff. Does anybody know the answer to that question?

This needs to be a high nutrient system for coral growth and health, and i do monitor my nitrate/Phosphate balance so there are both present. I appreciate any help anybody can provide!

 

[YankeeTankee]

Has anyone seen any literature or have anecdotal evidence on how algae is effected by pH, temp, and or salinity?

I've read that hypersalinity can deter algae growth but found conflicting info on that and are far from confident that is the case.

Anyone?

 

[Jono1487]

Could lack of flow be a contributor to hair algae in the tank? I’ve been fighting with getting it out of my display tank but my phosphates and nitrates are always low. I’ve got a fuge lit by a kessel that you would think could outcompete the display tank lights but still hair algae grows in the tank

 

[ReefingFamily]

Could lack of flow be a contributor to hair algae in the tank? I’ve been fighting with getting it out of my display tank but my phosphates and nitrates are always low. I’ve got a fuge lit by a kessel that you would think could outcompete the display tank lights but still hair algae grows in the tank

BRS has a good overview on this topic in particular on refugiums. The low reading of nutrients in your tank are more than likely a result of the GHA uptaking some of it. Remember GHA needs light and nutrients to grow. without it it fades out and dies. There are products from RedSea that are very effective in reducing nutrients in your tank with caution.

I usually remove as much as I can by hand, use peroxide dipping of the rocks when I do a bi-weekly water change and use the RedSea product (Algae Management) very spearingly with a refugium.

 

[Ne$$]

Thank you for this post. This info is going to help me a lot.

 

[ScottB]

Great guide. Here is one that is stumping me under the scope. In the tank it is a gelatinous goop that is pretty loose and jello like. It is easily blown off with a baster and comes back in a few days. Here are some shots from under the scope @ 40x/400/1000. Any ID would be appreciated. 20 years in this hobby and this is a new one for me!
Thanks and appreciate the id.

I know this is a very old post, but just curious if you ever got an ID on this stuff. I have a bit of it going in one tank. It is not Euglena, and not a dinoflagellate. And di you get rid of it? Thanks.

 

[125mph]

I think its
Blue Green Cyano
!

 

[blackstallion]

Help in identifying the long strands of algae on the back glass?

And then on the rocks, maybe the same as the algae on the back glass?

 

[blackstallion]

Help in identifying the long strands of algae on the back glass?

And then on the rocks, maybe the same as the algae on the back glass?

If you look closely, you can see something that looks like clear or translucent slime like material, circled in the picture. It seems like this is predominant now all over the LR, any help ID’ing this?

 

[Acros]

Could this be Cyano? Red-brown in appearance. Growing on the front glass. The tank is 4 months old.

 

[Twoddler]

Very educating thx.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

@Drew_E36 check out this thread and see if any of these in the first posts are what you have.

 

[Lenett]

Yes, nice write up! I'm having issues with diatoms all of a sudden because of moving my lighting. My Blenny eats brine shrimp. I did see my emerald crab shoveling it in by the claw fulls one day.

 

[Jon F]

DIATOMS:

Diatoms are just a natural things that happens in a new aquarium and will normally will subside with in a few weeks to a couple months.


ID: This Algae normally forms on the sand, glass and rock work of a new tank. It has a variety of colors from a dark reddish color to tan, brown and green. On a lot of occasions there will be oxygen bubble's trapped in the algae from photosynthesis.

HOW TO CONTROL IT:
Medium to strong flow across the sand bed and rock, and watch the amounts of Silicate being added to the system ( top off water and water change purity is the main cause for silicate being introduced to the system )

NATURAL HERBIVORES:
Astrea snail, Turbo snail, Tangs, Trochus snail, Almost all blennies.

I have a couple of patches on the rocks with bubbles, does this also form on the glass as a fine spiderweb type? Tank is 5 months old and not seen this before.

 

[kalel454]

As we all know algae is inevitable in both Marine and fresh water aquariums and if not watched and without proper procedures for removal can quickly turn a beautiful aquarium in to something that resembles a scene out of a old Swamp thing episode. Some are easy to control some are a non stop war. Once established either way the war against algae can be won with dedication and persistence.

This is a easy a easy quick guide to the most common algae that plague us and basic steps we can take to control them through mechanical, biological, and natural herbivores.


The dreaded green algae.

Green hair algae: DERBESIA

This is one of the most problematic Algae that is most commonly seen through out the hobby and is also one of the hardest to control once it is established and can be a daunting task to get under control and remove and will quickly take over your system if given the right conditions..


ID: This Algae is very easy to identify it forms green tuffs on the rock work and glass normally in areas of low flow it should be a solid green/brown color with strands of ( hair ) flowing away from the base.

CONTROL: One of the easiest ways to control the spread and outbreak of this algae is to have aggressive skimming and control the amount of food you add to the system. This in conjunction with a regular water change and light use of carbon ( a good carbon ) will help you control the outbreak of this and many more types of algae. Also a Alkalinty of 8DKH or higher will help stem the development of this Algae.

WHAT FEEDS THE GROWTH OF (GHA)?
Green hair algae feeds off of phosphates as it primary source of food followed by nitrate's. So if you have a reliable pure fish food that is soaked and rinsed is one way to control the addition of phosphates to the system. Also the reason it is advised to not skimp on quality when it comes to activated carbon is that a lot of problems with algae outbreaks is caused by carbon re-introducing phosphates into the system after the carbon is used to its full potential. Also along with re-introducing phosphates a lot of activated carbons leach phosphates from the time they are added to the system. So Good carbon is a must to help fight Algae outbreaks.

REMOVAL:
A toothbrush is your best friend against this Algae and you should scrub the rocks with it after removing as much as possible by hand.

NATURAL PREDATORS:
This Green hair algae has very little natural predators

ALGAE AGAINST ALGAE:
A refugium is a natural way of removing Phosphates and Nitrates from your system. If done correctly a refugium can eliminate a lot of algae problems..Simple to set up and maintain all you need is a 6,500k light source And some chaetomorpha on a reverse or 24hr light cycle. This Algae will out compete other algae for nutrients and will not leach nutrients back into the system and will not go sexual..

I got that before i used i think it was vodka treatment.took care of it and after 5 years never got it back.

 

[AvoidTheNoid]

I have a mildly bad Cyanobacteria problem and I was hoping to get some tips to get rid of it

I employed Brightwell Clean and Brightwell 7 and my massive cyano outbreak was for fixed in three weeks. Not fast but nothing good in a reef tank happens fast Follow the directions exactly and it works. Use it until it does the trick and taper off. I still use it in low dosages to prevent issues. Good luck

 

[Reefrats]

So I have this fluffy stuff that blows off my rocks growing on the underside of my rocks and the vertical face of my rocks. It brushes off super easily and comes back the next day. Under the scope it looks like GHA. I was told several times it is lyngbya - a Cyanobacteria. I followed the protocol for Azithromycin and it knocked it back some but it is still there and keeps coming back. I also have GHA on the surface of my rocks. My nutrients test 0 obviously used by the GHA. Tank is almost 2 years old. I use RODI and feed super light twice a day. I have a refugium, make my own RODI and regularly blow off my rocks with a power head. Please help. Thanks.

 

[joco]

DIATOMS: This is definitely my issue in my hundred gallon. So I’m wondering if I should buy an extra flow to put closer to the bed.

Diatoms are just a natural things that happens in a new aquarium and will normally will subside with in a few weeks to a couple months.


ID: This Algae normally forms on the sand, glass and rock work of a new tank. It has a variety of colors from a dark reddish color to tan, brown and green. On a lot of occasions there will be oxygen bubble's trapped in the algae from photosynthesis.

HOW TO CONTROL IT:
Medium to strong flow across the sand bed and rock, and watch the amounts of Silicate being added to the system ( top off water and water change purity is the main cause for silicate being introduced to the system )

NATURAL HERBIVORES:
Astrea snail, Turbo snail, Tangs, Trochus snail, Almost all blennies.

 

[joco]

This is definitely my problem in my tank. So should I buy an extra slow and put it down lower near the sand in the rock.

 

[joco]

Flow