Tuft algae......how do I get rid of it?

[golfish]

I read that urchins will do the trick. Any ideas? Nitrates and PO4's are zero.

 

[Mouse]

Tang! if your tanks big enough.

 

[kipreefer]

I have algae like that but it is a red algae i cant get rid of it. Does anyone know how to get ride of this stuff.

 

[reefcam]

Looks like little clumps of hair algae. If your tank can't hold a Yellow Tang, try getting different types of hermits (but stay away from the regular blue legs ones as they will kill each other off). This is for the green algae.

For the red algae, try reducing the amount of food you feed to the tank for a week and do partial water changes 2 - 3 a week. Your main problem is cynobacteria, which is typically caused by dead organism or over feeding. Water changes will reduce the cynobacteria, but you need to do frequent but little water changes to reduce stress to the system. You should see the red algae dissipate within a week or 2. If not, your tank load may be too much.

Check your nitrate level. You want to have the minimal level.

And the best algae removing method is you. Sorry to say, but it's true.

 

[golfish]

Its Tuft algae. My tangs wont touch it. Its also not a water issue

 

[Anonymous]

There's a ton of stuff you can do. You have to be honest with yourself and objectively analyze every part of your system.

test regularly. last week's/month's/year's results don't cut it.
Cut back on feeding/change brands of food
shorten your photoperiod
is your skimmer working as well as it should? is it adequate?
religiously do weekly waterchanges
clean your powerhead strainers at least weekly
harvest aggressively--if you can get two fingers on it, pull it out. don't wait until it looks like vietnam. keep up with it.
add macro algae (this is helping big time with my tank)
Make absolutely sure that your makeup water is adequate. Test it. People that use tapwater are simply waiting for problems. Larry down at the water plant isn't going to give you a call when he makes adjustments and spikes the phosphates.

Your system makes NO3. Fish food contains PO4. Just because your test kit reads zero doesn't mean it isn't there--it simply means that removal rate is the same as the rate of introduction. If your hair algae is sucking up phosphates as fast as you are adding them, you get a reading of zero. Test your makeup water.

The stuff that you blow off or assume is still working, still good, is the root of your problem.

[ January 25, 2002: Message edited by: tyoberg ]</p>

 

[Anonymous]

Tuft Algae is the hardest algae there is to get rid of. You need to really get tuft with it. A headlock while you threaten it with pepper spray may do it. I don't know, but you could try it.

Stay tuft!!

 

[D.W.L.]

Mark, The only thing that worked for me was a pair of urchins and 25 large turbos.

 

[GMH320]

What fish will eat this stuff if the tank is to small for a tang? Say a 55 gal.

 

[GateKeep]

kip -
I had the red stuff a year or so ago, it was a beast. I'm not sure what finally did it but it's gone. I raised the salinity slightly, increased CA, and started doing water changes less frequently.

If it's the same stuff, it took a while to go away, but I haven't seen it in at least a year.

 

[golfish]

I noticed today that the snails were munching on it. I got one Urchin from Jeff's. That's all he had.

 

[XXX]

Tyoberg is on the money. Stop or lower your tank feeding to an absolute minimum for awhile. Little to no Selcon and other vitamin additives. A decent size water change weekly. I had an out break of the red stuff a few months ago after increasing my Golden Pearl feedings. Doing these things halted new growth at about 15% rock coverage and killed off some thin spots, but the thick stuff is still growing. I am still doing tank feedings at a minimum. This stuff thrives off of any feedings. Emerald crabs will eat it but you would need an army even for a small amount. It is tough stuff!