Can anybody ID this Algae

[EMS503]

I have this unknown type of algae growing on my LR.
I can not brush it away, My Kole tang and Sailfin Blennie won't touch it.
I can not remove all the LR that is affected to scrub it off due to Anenome being attached to the large LR.
This is a 30 gal long tank with a 3" - 4" crushed coral bed, using an Aquaclear 200 with a foam block and Chemi-pure pouch also a Prizm protein skimmer. I am doing Bi- weekly 5 gal. water changes R/O HIS unit from Kent. All levels are well within there parameters.
Lighting is a 65 watt smart lite setup on 10 hours a day.
I also have a PH with a spray bar attached running when lights are on.
Im afraid it might be Bryopsis Algae. Anybody have any ideas.

 

[michealprater]

got a pic?

 

[EMS503]

Forgot to put the algae pic. in

This is the Algae I think is Bryopsis Algae

 

[michealprater]

it just looks like hair algae to me. of course im not an expert.

 

[EMS503]

I forgot to add it is very coarse kind of like steel wool

 

[michealprater]

ive got one patch about 1" in diameter in my tank. it hasnt spread yet. i thought it might have been a macroalgae. when i bought the tank the former owner had several different varities of macro in the tank.

 

[EMS503]

Anybody have any Ideas, I would like to get rid of it if it is bad.

 

[MaggiesGame]

I have that on one of my star polyp rocks and it has literally suffocated the whole rock....very few of the polyps left. I have tried manually removing it, but its wrapped so tight around the polyps, that it removes them as well.

 

[reefrunner69]

http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/img/faq_bryopsis.jpg

http://omp.gso.uri.edu/discovery/biota/Algae/Bryopsis.jpg

Here are a couple of pics of bryopsis, from the looks of the tufts it could be bryopsis, but I can't see if it has the tell tale fern/feather like appearance. Bryopsis is coarser than derbesia, but not as course as cladophora. From the pic it appears to me, that the algae is cladophora or cladophoropsis. Tangs don't like it, the texture is probably too tough and snails can only control small turfs of this stuff. I would use a bottle brush or pipe brush and stick it in the middle of it and twirl. This will help remove alot of it. Try giving your herbivores a head start, scrubbing as much off as possible. Check all make up and top off water for nitrates and phosphates as well as your GAC (if you use it). Most hair algae can be associated with phosphates. Don't overfeed, many foods are loaded with organic phosphates, which can't be read by most hobbiest level kits, but are utilized by the algaes.

 

[reefrunner69]

I just read in this thread, that you are using a canister filter and a hangon filter in your reef. This could very well be a source of fuel for your hair algae. I would recommend that you take the advise offered in that thread and remove them, or at least empty the and use them just for water movement.

 

[EMS503]

In the thread you mention, The filters are what I am using in mult. tanks FW & SW. The tank in question does have an aquaclear 200 with a foam pad to catch any larger particles also has a prizm protein skimmer.
The filter has chemi-pure pouches in it as an experiment (it is supposed to cut down on algae, It is working on FW but not in SW).
The sites you sent on the algae look very much like the first one. I will give your suggestions a try. Thanks

 

[fishfreek]

How old is the pad? maybe its full of detrius and needs cleaned or replaced.

?

Just an idea that poped in my head

 

[reefrunner69]

In the thread you mention, The filters are what I am using in mult. tanks FW & SW. The tank in question does have an aquaclear 200 with a foam pad to catch any larger particles also has a prizm protein skimmer.

Sorry, my mistake. Aaron is right, any mechanical filtration has the ability to become a biofilter (producing nitrates) as well as the possibility for the detritus to decay, causeing algae issues. I use a whisper filter on my 20, and I try to clean it 4 times per week (every other day) and change the carbon twice per week.

 

[EMS503]

The foam pad is 1 month old and the chemi-pure is 2 months old.
These do not get cleaned as often as yours (maybe I should start cleaning more frequently) I clean both Bi-weekly using tank water. There isn't really any visible buildup on them I clean them to keep the garbage out of them. The entire filter gets taken down as needed. I am not running a live bed in this tank so I do a deep siphon when I change the water. If I had to guess my algae is coming from to much food, Tank is fed only 3 times a week with the exception to seaweed select for the Kole tang & Sailfin blenny. I am trying to figure out how to get rid of this algae. As I said in my earlier post the largest rock has my anenome attached to it so removing this one and scrubbing it is not an option, Also the chemi-pure was an experiment which did not work in SW, so out it comes. I am going to do a two person water change next and scrub the rock in the tank with a siphon hose close by and see how that works. I only run carbon in my tanks every 2nd water change for 1 week and then remove it. Also just recieved new filters and membrane for my R/O unit., Even though they are not that old I am going to replace the Silicate filter, The membrane is original almost 3 years old. Hope this helps get rid of this algae.

 

[reefrunner69]

The foam pad is 1 month old and the chemi-pure is 2 months old.
These do not get cleaned as often as yours (maybe I should start cleaning more frequently) I clean both Bi-weekly using tank water. There isn't really any visible buildup on them I clean them to keep the garbage out of them.

This is at least part of your problem. Both are acting as a biological filter. They are unnecessary, the rock will biologically filter the water, better than the filters. The rock also has denitrifying bacterias in proximity to the nitrifying bacteria, so as soon as the nitrate is produced...bingo, it is denitrified.

 

[EMS503]

I understand the LR acting as the filter, I just have approx. 15lb in this tank 30 gal. would this still be enough for the rock to help maintain this tank.

 

[reefrunner69]

depending on the bioload...maybe. Keep in mind, that even though you are not allowing any fauna to colonize the sand bed, it is still alive. The upper layer will still preform some nitrification, you are just not getting the benifit of the denitrifying lower layer of the sand bed.

 

[EMS503]

I have 1 Kole Tang, 1 Gold Maroon Clown, 1 sailfin Blenny, 1 Golden coris Wrasse & 1 Pacific anenome. By the way I also put in some grape algae about 2 months ago it is growing well. But not helping reduce this junk. Are you suggesting to stop the deep siphon when I clean the tank?

 

[reefrunner69]

IMO, that tank is overstocked. Depending on the size of the fish, this is probably the root of your problem. What ever you do, do not remove those biofilters. As for the sand bed, depending on grain size and sand depth, maybe maybe not. I have what caribsea call their reefgrade sand, next size up from their aragamax. My bed is approx, 2 inches. I do not vacuum it, I am waiting to see if this causes me any probs. I don't think it will cause the nassarius and the ceriths, bury themselves in the sand bed all the time, keeping it moving...slowly.