opperation algae

[burning2nd]

From the makers of "This stuffs gonna wreck my tank" and the man who brought you "silicon reveled" introduceing the new hit of 2007 and years to come.

"ALgae, man that suff sucks" PARt II

so ive bin all over this algae like white on rice. and still its haveing its way.
Ive bin doing water changes litterly 2 or 3 times a day, some times more.

im almost done with that 2nd bucket of salt that i bought like maybe a month and a half ago.

my levels are as good as i can make them with out time.
no2 is real low, and ph4 is nota.

ive bin doing water changes with the pinch and grab technic.

but i had a idea a little big ago.

insted of doing water changes. turning off the flow leting everything settle down then pinch and suck. mix up a new bucket remove water and add new. what about

a mircon sock at the end of my siopon tube. catching the algae as i stuck it out, then pour'n my water thur another filter sock, and then adding it back to the tank.

im not saying im not gonna do water changes. but im doing water changes and nothings changeing the levels are the same.
ive deduced the feeding much and it shows. but the best way to kick this algae is (it seems) do my method right b4 lights go out.

kinda kick the algae in the shin then turn the lights off. in the morning its real sickly looking, but by the end of the 8 hour lighs its greener ageain.

so i repeated that meny times and i got it down now fighting it back and back (hopefully till its in the sump only)



but if i could get my hands in there with the flow off, and suck the water out catch the little leafs as they go in to the bucket. then reuse the water i just took out.

it would save me money on salt.

Im about to go get my 3rd bucket

 

[Krish]

Some algae's are nothing but pests man...That's why I tossed my rocks in the sun that one time. I don't understand why it is still growing after all you are doing, but something is feeding it. You need to find the most agressive, hardiest algae there is to pop in your fuge and let it out compete the stuff in your tank. Other than that, I couldn't say. You may just be fighting a loosing battle because it's been a while since you've been fighting this same algae and are still having the same problem after trying so many different things. I like your persistance though...If it were me, that rock would have been cooked long time :badgrin:

 

[brer]

I've been fighting some cyano and I siphon it out into a trash can ( I use a toothbrush rubber banded to the end of some 3/8"tubing), let it sit for half an hour then pump the water back into the tank from the top with a filter sock rubber banded around the intake of the pump. That way I don't have to keep putting in new water.

 

[james734]

Looks like you have some Zoa's on it, But you could take the rock out and scrub it in a bucket of SW with tooth brush. I have had to do this with some green hair algae once. The problem with picking it off you never remove it all therefore it just grows back. Scrubbing it gets the base of it.

 

[burning2nd]

no scubing it got it this way, if i would have just left it with out scrubing it probly wont have gotin that bad.

but i dont know

i just dont know what i should do with my people. i almsot want to start over but were are they gonna go

 

[james734]

Gotta srub it out of the tank. In a bucket and rinse it before placing back into tank.

 

[burning2nd]

did that, a few times.

made it worse.

 

[burning2nd]

I've been fighting some cyano and I siphon it out into a trash can ( I use a toothbrush rubber banded to the end of some 3/8"tubing), let it sit for half an hour then pump the water back into the tank from the top with a filter sock rubber banded around the intake of the pump. That way I don't have to keep putting in new water.

this was gonna be my idea, so insted of useing new water over and over and over.

cause that helps but its riping me a new one doing all these changes.

if i could just turn the flow off. then some how be able to pic and suck it out and still be able to use that water that im sucking out, i could probly kill this in like a week.

but see i dont know how small the spores are on Caulerpa taxifolia from what ive read touching it or pulling it will release the spore. (makeing it spread)

thats why when i srub it spread. even pour ro water over the rock as im scrubing will only result in a larger greener patch.

pinch and suck seems to stop it from spreading maybe later ill try 2 use a media bad or something at the end of the hose to try and catch the green leafs that get pulled off

i just wounder if the spore will make it thur.

 

[tike]

Wow i really don't have a answer! Whenever i get algae problems i purchase more snails and double up on the water changes. I do have a nasty case of grape calupera in the tank though. That could help keep algae down but it makles the tank pretty unsightly to me.

 

[burning2nd]

my sump is jaming with cheto and some calupera hell i think i still might have a small patch of cyno 2. but

this stuff on top has 2 be the worse algae. ever

(trying to brake me) not gonna win

 

[steve-s]

I can't tell if it's all the same but by the looks of it you have bryopsis. It's one of the hardest algaes to deal with. It can be beaten but it can't be eaten. Well, except by a select genus of sea slug (sacoglossans). Even then, finding the right species within will be near impossible.

Is it just the one rock or several pieces throughout the tank?

Cheers
Steve

 

[burning2nd]

thats the first i hear of that............... research time

 

[burning2nd]

where can you get one of them

 

[burning2nd]

nvr gonna find one of them in the US

 

[steve-s]

nvr gonna find one of them in the US

Nope!

If the bryopsis is correct, nutrient elimination (not just control) is your main defense. That's why I asked about how many rock where affected, it'll make a difference in what would be the most effective way to accomplish it's demise.

Cheers
Steve

 

[burning2nd]

all of the rocks are affected.

 

[steve-s]

That sux, gonna make this much more prolonged if there's also alot of coral? Basically what you need to do to beat this stuff is very aggressive export, high water flow, low waste imput, good chemistry and proper lighting.

The aggressive export can be a bit tricky. You can either employ another faster growing algae in hopes it will outcompete the byopsis but it may not be that advantageous. It will be tough to get another algae going while your doing everything you can to limit it's food reserves. Wet skimming, plenty of water changes, PO4/silicate removing products, not using dried, heavy pulluting, or liquified foods. Proper bulb replacement and light plexi cleaning maintenance. A good amount of both herbavor and carrion consuming snails. Make sure alk and pH are maintained in the higher ranges. Alk 3-3.25 mEq/l and a very good day and night pH. Low pH especially can be an algaes best friend and keeping the nighly pH 8.2 or higher is very important. In all honesty, a tank will be that much healthier if the pH is maintained in the 8.3-8.5 range no matter the time of day.

Cheers
Steve