What kind of algae is this?

[tewebb]

Getting a lot of green fern like algae on my live rock. Tangs are not eating it at all. Can someone advise me on what type this is and how I can get rid of it before it takes over my corals.

 

[Eternal]

Looks like bryopsis to me. If so that is a nasty algae, only thing I have heard works is removing rocks or kent tech magnesium and rasing to 1800.

 

[WhoDey]

Agreed, looks like bryopsis.

 

[sexycorals]

is there any fish or animals that will touch that?

 

[wrasseluver]

Looks like bryopsis to me. If so that is a nasty algae, only thing I have heard works is removing rocks or kent tech magnesium and rasing to 1800.

X2. Use Tech M and if its only that rock I would remove the rock if you can.

 

[wrasseluver]

is there any fish or animals that will touch that?

You have to weaken it by raising your mag and snail & sea urchin should eat it once it's weak.

 

[reeftank21]

It can be beat. If you don't do the tech M thing then manually remove. If you keep up with it you can beat it. If you pull it out don't let any of the pieces get away from you. Just like a weed, pull out as much as you can as often as you can.

 

[tewebb]

Looks like bryopsis to me. If so that is a nasty algae, only thing I have heard works is removing rocks or kent tech magnesium and rasing to 1800.

Using kent tech mag, do you raise it to 1800 at once or over time?

 

[WhoDey]

Using kent tech mag, do you raise it to 1800 at once or over time?

Over time, I do not recommend raising more than 100ppm per day maximum!

 

[Eternal]

Using kent tech mag, do you raise it to 1800 at once or over time?

If it was me I would shoot for raising it 50-100 each day. So over the course of a week or so

 

[tewebb]

Thank you all for your help. Now just to find the Kent Tech.

Thanks again everyone.

 

[nixer]

good luck its not always that easy

 

[sf_ramsden]

Definitely looks like bryopsis. I have read many threads around here and "that other site" where raising magnesium with Kent Tech M worked very well. I would suggest manual removal while at the same time raising mag... Basically remove everything you can / raise magnesium (with Kent Tech M). Keep magnesium up for a few weeks and slowly bring it back down once you are comfortable that the bryopsis is gone.

 

[melev]

Is that the only spot where you see it? If so, clean away all you can. Then take Tech M and put it in a syringe, turn off all the flow in the tank, and squirt it all over the remainder of the bryopsis. Wait 5 minutes, then resume flow in your tank. The temporary blanket of Tech M will do a number on the algae, and within a couple of days it should turn white and be easy to remove. Repeat if necessary.

This is easier than raising the Mg level in your reef, and it won't be nearly as hard on your snails. The only thing is to watch that the Mg cloud doesn't hit a nearby coral. Consider the surroundings before trying this.

 

[drainbamage]

Hmm...i'm going to have to try that method out Marc, ran out of the gallon of tech-M I had, and the other forms of mag just haven't been effective. Was unsure how to defeat the problem popping up in my 20, but that may just work out.

 

[CJO]

Is that the only spot where you see it? If so, clean away all you can. Then take Tech M and put it in a syringe, turn off all the flow in the tank, and squirt it all over the remainder of the bryopsis. Wait 5 minutes, then resume flow in your tank. The temporary blanket of Tech M will do a number on the algae, and within a couple of days it should turn white and be easy to remove. Repeat if necessary.

I haven't heard of anyone doing that before, but it makes sense. The only issue would be if there are other pockets of byopsis hanging around that you don't see. Also, be aware that the high levels of magnesium will change the coloring (bleach) some corals including montiporas and zoanthids.

CJ

 

[tewebb]

Got 16 fl oz bottle of Kent Tech M and a Salifert test kit for Magnesium. Never done this before. Test scale only goes up to 1500 ppm. Also the directions on the Tech M bottle says add 1ml per gal of water each day to bring the tank level to 1250 and 1350 ppm????

Can someone get me started on the right track with this. I have a 180 gal tank with about 250 lbs of live rock in it with a 20 gal sump. Can someone please send me some simple instructions on how to do this without killing all my fish and corals.

Thank you:wink:

 

[CJO]

Test your current magnesium level.
Add 180ml of Tech M per day and retest.
Buy another gallon or two of Tech M.
Keep going until you've reached 1700 ppm or the Bryopsis starts to die off.
Keep it at that level for at least a week after the Bryopsis has died off.

CJ

 

[tomle]

that bryopsis

 

[toyencounters]

Any new news??