advice needed

[ReeferGoneMad]

extermination advice needed

Hey guys. I need some advice.

How do I get rid of byropsis?
I've tried a lettuce nudi that did its job but then decided to get full, stop and use my light to sustain itself for a long time so long I had to return him.

Ive heard about sea hares but not sure if they truly eat it or not.and I'm scared of it knocking things down in my 29 gallon.other than this I don't know but I'm goin nuts.also I'm tryin to find the quickest to get rid of it.

The other question is how do I stop a sponge from growing in my tank?

Thanks guys

 

[crox99]

I have 2 lettuce nudi and they do a great job.

 

[lfsmarineguy]

what are your water params and what kind of filtration are you currently using. Also, why would you want to stop a sponge from growing?

 

[ReeferGoneMad]

I ripped most of it out. As I did not know what to do. I asked for advice only because I wanted to know if there is another creature that would eat it and be peaceful in my tank. I thank u for ur responses.

The problem with nudis is that they have their own personality. Some will eat all day and others get lazy by eating what they can and then just hang out at the top of the tank to photosynthesis for what it seems like forever.

The sponges I would like to stop it cause its going to grow on my corals.they are growing quick as well. So please anyone with a tip could save a coral.

Filtration wise I have one
Css65 protein skimmer. And about 50 lbs of live rock. As well as a shallow sand bed of fine aragonite sand.

PH-8.3 daytime 8.0 or lower at night
Ammonia-0
Nitrite-0
Nitrate-undetectable i don't like to say zero
Phos-might be high as I don't have a reliable test. This also contributes to it growing fast.
Calcium 420-430 I maintain it high because I have a mixed reef.
Alk-12 dKH
Temp- 75-80 degrees

 

[LeslieS]

To get rid of bryopsis, I took my rock out and scrubbed every inch and corner with a wire brush and then rinsed in tank water which I then threw out. Once is was under control (only 2 tiny sprigs) the inverts kept it under control.

 

[fluidimagery]

Bryopsis is the most annoying algae I've had to deal with in my 2 years of reefing. I had it pretty bad in my 12g Nano Cube, tried just about everything I could think of from manual removal, to nudibranchs, to turbo snails etc. When you test the water, more often than not you're going to show 0 nitrates and low phosphates because the Bryopsis is consuming whatever nutrients are in the water to help it flourish.

The best solution is for manual removal like LeslieS said, pull whatever rock you can out of the tank and scrub with a wire brush. Pick up some large turbo snails or rent a small sea hare for the remains in the tank. Any algae grazer isn't going to touch anything long (this is the reason behind the manual removal)

Next you want to feed the tank sparaingly as to keep nutrients at a minimum.

One thing I read the other day from an experienced reef keeper (maybe a bit controversal) but he's had a reef tank in existance for 35 years and has seen every sort of algae phase. But he says to NOT do water changes as plants need iron to grow. Usually when you have an algae outbreak your first instinct is to do a large water change. When in fact almost every salt contains iron and and you're introducing more of it in the tank possibly worsening the problem. He believes in holding off on doing water changes until the problem subsides or doing very small ones if absolutely necessary.

Finally, not to throw money at the problem but when I was having the problem in my 12g I was running an AquaC Remora. IMO the Remora is a low end skimmer, at the time, I was in the transition phase upgrading to a 25g along with upgrading my skimmer to a Deltec MC500. When I pulled the rock from the old 12g to use in the 25 I scrubbed it very heavily and the problem hasn't been back since. Whether the skimmer was the leading factor in the elimination of the problem or the new tank etc. But almost everytime I hear of a Bryopsis problem or hair algae etc the skimmer being used is a fairly inadaquate one.

I hope I was of a little help.

 

[ReeferGoneMad]

I agree withthe salt water changes. it does replenish nutrients allowing the nuisance algae to grow. This was my fault as I introduced it and realized it was there until it was too late.I'm trying but hopefully I can buy a grazer. Its pretty short now.lol. Thanks guys

 

[LeslieS]

NOT do water changes as plants need iron to grow

I actually bought an iron test kit to see if that was part of the problem. Maybe the amount was too small to be detected, but the test showed no iron in my tank at the time.

 

[ReeferGoneMad]

Was it for reef tanks?

I guess even if there is no iron nuisance algae like byropsis uses any and all nutrients from a reef tank.so I bet keeping water changes to a mininum would slow its growth down enough so it could then be eradicated by other means.

 

[ellebelle]

I haven't done a big water change in a month, and the stuff is still growing like a weed in my tank. it's not spreading, really, but it's the only algae I'm still having a problem with. And I can't scrub my rock, because the algae is growing mostly on a rock full of zoos.

Will any fish eat this stuff? Like a hair algae blenny?

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

Will any fish eat this stuff? Like a hair algae blenny?

Mine algae blenny likes all other algae except the hair algae.

 

[jackson6745]

You should know your phosphate level but even so i don't think limiting phosphates will rid you of this type of algae. I had bropysis in an old tank that was VERY low nutrient and this algae thrived. only way I was able to get rid of it was to remove the rocks it grew on.
Consider yourself lucky that you don't have red turf algae. This $hit is all over my rocks and I have no idea how to get rid of it. I'm going to try Leslie's scrub brush method I guess

 

[fluidimagery]

Jackson, Big Turbo snails housed the small sprout of turf algea that I had. There are all sorts of types of turf though. I took a dremel to the small section of rock that was effected and the snail took care of the rest.

 

[JHOV2324]

can someone post pic on bryopsis

 

[Deanos]

Bryopsis

 

[DevIouS]

Mine algae blenny likes all other algae except the hair algae.

Hair Algea & Bryopsis are different.

 

[WaterPlant]

Mine algae blenny likes all other algae except the hair algae.

the one i got from you eats neither the bryopsis nor the hair aglae.

i heard some green sea slugs or nudi eat them. but i also heard they will store the light toxins of the bryopsis.