Curley Knappy Algae

[Dewman]

Honestly, it feels like a brillo pad. It's dark green and grows in clumps. I went out yesterday and bought 15 blue leg crabs and another small Emerald crab.
I had been having a sudden bloom of algae and I needed a new cleanup crew to replace the red-legs I got rid of. I woke up this morning and all algae was chomped down to acceptable levels except for this curly rough stuff.
I know, I know, someone will remember that I was having trouble with an emerald crab torturing my xenia and Goniopora. but this guy is small and besides, that's the only thing the LFS had they claimed would eat that kind of algae.

Does anyone have any idea what this "Brillo pad" algae could be.

 

[Anonymous]

Sounds like "turf algae."

 

[Dewman]

Is there anything (besides Lettuce nudi's) that will eat and enjoy this fine treasure ?

 

[Anonymous]

Is it overgrowing your coral or something?
I've never seen it get very rampant or out of control. I just leave it alone.

 

[SPC]

I'm with Moe, mine kind of comes and goes but never gets out of control. I will even go one step further and say that I think it adds more to the look of a natural tank.
Steve

 

[Dewman]

Well, I wouldn't say rampant. But it is starting to pop up all over the tank. I picked the majority off the rocks by hand, but the rest of it just keeps growing back. Nitrate levels in my tank and so low the test strip I use to do quick tests every once in a while, takes 15 minutes to even register color. And I do 25% water changes every 8 days. All my levels are great. My photo period is a little long (14 hours) but I don't have a timer yer and I flip on the lights at 0640 in the morning before I leave for work, and off again at about 9:00pm. I might try to shorten the photo period.

 

[Anonymous]

I've had it get out of control once. Emerald crabs did a number on it but wouldn't touch the valonia as long as it still was around.

-Greg

 

[Chucker]

Without a pic of some sort, it is next to impossible to safely identify what you're describing. If you cannot photograph the algae yourself, you might take a look at John Rice's algae page.

 

[Dewman]

Wow, that is the best page I have ever seen. So informative. It is turf algae.

So now that we have it identified. What do I do about it?

 

[XXX]

I have the red turf covering about 10-15% of my rock. Can't stand the stuff. I have been fighting it off/trying to prevent it from spreading for several months. It definantly can get out of hand...have read threads about it several times.

What can be done.....

1.Frequent larger water changes
2.Reduce or stop tank feedings for awhile
3.No vitamin additives
4.RO water
5.Cuss it

Emeralds love it but you would need an army of them to do much good this way. It tends to get a stronger hold on areas of no coralline.


Steve

 

[newreefman1]

amazingly enough if its short, turbo snails(albeit buldozers) will eat the stuff right up. I just added 20 and I have rows of clean rocks.

Its a cheap fix.

J

 

[Dewman]

I also had some long thin green strands that looked like bird seed sprouts growing like a veritable lawn on one of my new star polyp rocks. I woke up this morning and there was a Mexican Turbo and about 8 blue legs working on it.
My Coral Beauty is worthless for grazing. He won't even eat the culeurepa (sp?) pieces that blow in from my sump and settle.
I will just wait and see...