Hydroids problem

[Abissus]

I have these things on my live rocks, I thought they are just small feather duster. Until I read an article that has a picture of the same thing and realize they are hydroids (I think)

See pictures in my gallery.

Do I need to remove them? If so how?

I am really sick of my live rocks. They are causing more work for me than anything else.

 

[tike]

It is really hard to identify anything with your current pics. Do you have any a little clearer??
Also.......why is your liverock driving you crazy???

 

[Abissus]

Unfortunately I am unable to take better pictures

It looks like the picture before the flatworm covered brain in this article:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-10/sp/feature/index.htm

Some algae is growing on my live rock (a fuzzy picture on my gallery also), it started on 1 piece of rock, and now it is showing up in many places. I have boiled several pieces of rock already to try to get rid of them. It is even growing on my conch!

Driving me nuts, tired of tearing donw my tank to boil rocks

 

[lizardarm]

Driving me nuts, tired of tearing donw my tank to boil rocks

i don't know all the details of what's going on with your tank joyce, but tearing down your rock and boiling it probably isn't going to solve the algae problem. the algae bloom is everywhere in the water column, not just on the rock. it's usually more a matter of reducing nutrients and uping the water changes.
as far as the possible hydroids on you rock, i also can't tell from the pics but i'll take your word for it that they look like what you saw in the article.
i've never dealt with hydroids myself, luckily i guess, but everyone seems to rank them right up there with hairy crabs. seems like boiling the rock would have killed it off, no matter what it is.

 

[NaH2O]

Joyce - I'm sorry you are frustrated with the algae in your tank. Let's take a closer look at your system, and see if we can't nail down the source of nutrients and help you feel better about your tank. I've attached below a picture of an algae from my tank, which I think is similar to what you have in your gallery. Let me know if it is the same thing. It's common name is Caterpiller weed. I had a lot growing in my tank in the beginning of my tank's life, and now it is all gone. I didn't really do anything to get rid of it......it just left as the tank aged.

I'm going to ask a bunch of questions, so bare with me. I just want to have a look at some things with your tank. Hopefully, others will add their opinions and comments too.

How bad is your algae problem....is it different kinds of algae, or is it a specific kind.....like hair algae, cyano, etc?
How old is your set-up?
Are you using RO/DI water?
What are your water parameters? if you have a phosphate test, please include this result.
What size is your set-up, and what are you using for filtration?
What is your maintenance routine? Do you turkey baste your rocks?
What are your inhabitants?
How much and how often are you feeding?

In regards to the hydroids - what worked for me in my nano (I only had 2 hydroids)....I took the rock out, and applied a kalk paste on them. I let the paste sit for 5 minutes or so, then rinsed the paste off very well. I didn't want to have a huge pH change, so I made sure to give a very good rinse to that area. Also, you could apply epoxy over them.

 

[Abissus]

I am glad I finally know what I am dealing with, never heard of that until now. Thanks Nikki.

My tank is almost 3 months old, it went through the worse of the algae bloom already (had those bushy growth everywhere, and they went away finally)
The only algae problem I have right now is that and what I think is bryopsis. The bryopsis came on a frag from LFS and is growing onto whatever live rock that it touches. Oh got some bubbles here or there but not a big deal i dont think.

I use RO/DI. water parameter:
NH4 0
NO2 0
NO3 <10
alk 3.0
calcium 420
ph 8.2
did not test phosphate

I have a whole 2 fish now, some xenia, mushrooms, few LPs and a clam. I feed every other day or so, however quantity might be a little too much. (will try feed less and see if that help). I feed frozen fish and sometimes flake.

60G with insump AquaC ev-180 skimmer. Turkey baste sometimes.

I thought those are macro like calurpa, that's why I tried so hard to remove them. Especially the prrevious owner told me he had some in his tank.

I'll give the hydriods the kalk treatement when I tear down the rocks to get the fish. I did not quarantine (stupid me) so I want to re-start right this time.

 

[Oscapus]

The free swimming medusa stage of hydroids sting and kill baby seahorses, plus compete for their food (baby brine shrimp). I have lost entire seahorse hatches of 50+ to them. I kill on sight.

 

[aquariumdebacle]

The hydroids seem to be associated with brine shrimp. Those that feed brine shrimp end up with hydroids in the tank. The way to prevent this is to decapsulate the brine shrimp eggs before hatching. they are difficult to remove once established.

 

[NaH2O]

Dan - I have not fed brine shrimp and I had a couple of hydroids. After applying kalk paste, they are no longer.