What can i get to eat this?

chris82079 · 11/03/2008, 05:01 PM

what will eat this.....i have some snails and they haven't touched it

Bonneville08 · 11/03/2008, 05:12 PM

Hi Chris,
IME snails are really good for slime algae, but don't do so well with hair algae. The algae in the first photo looks like Bryopsis. If its Bryopsis, there are not a lot of herbivores that prefer it. I guess its too tough (what I've read). Your best bet IMO, is to get your nutrient under control and some manual removal. If you mow it down some, then hermit crabs may finish it for you. I'm not an algaemesiter by any means, but that's my advice for what its worth.
Good luck

seapug · 11/03/2008, 05:52 PM

Very few things eat bryopsis. Remove it by hand and attack the stuff on the rocks with a toothbrush. Persistence (a lot of persistence) will pay off eventually. You really just want to keep it from getting out of control.

jubjub · 11/03/2008, 06:59 PM

well i might take a different approach here...but figure out whats causing the problem. figure out what they are feeding on. im not sure but prob phosphates, and think about fixing that. along with pulling them out definately help

SaltyDr · 11/03/2008, 07:08 PM

There has been a lot of talk lately about raising your mag levels to 1550 to help control bryopsis. Look in to it.

seapug · 11/03/2008, 07:27 PM

The magnesium trick and Phosban can help but for a couple of small clumps like that I'd start with manual removal.

11/03/2008, 05:01 PM	#1
chris82079 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: New London CT Posts: 270	What can i get to eat this? what will eat this.....i have some snails and they haven't touched it

11/03/2008, 05:12 PM	#2
Bonneville08 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Goodyear, AZ Posts: 513	Hi Chris, IME snails are really good for slime algae, but don't do so well with hair algae. The algae in the first photo looks like Bryopsis. If its Bryopsis, there are not a lot of herbivores that prefer it. I guess its too tough (what I've read). Your best bet IMO, is to get your nutrient under control and some manual removal. If you mow it down some, then hermit crabs may finish it for you. I'm not an algaemesiter by any means, but that's my advice for what its worth. Good luck __________________ Edge you mah cating myself Check out my gallery if you desire. Current Tank Info: 50 gallon mix of soft, LPS and SPS, two croceas, two maximas, a few fish, turf filter with skimmer, MH and PC lighting, chiller, Calcium Reactor and wave2k.

11/03/2008, 05:52 PM	#3
seapug Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: 4980 ft. Posts: 7,954 Blog Entries: 1	Very few things eat bryopsis. Remove it by hand and attack the stuff on the rocks with a toothbrush. Persistence (a lot of persistence) will pay off eventually. You really just want to keep it from getting out of control. __________________ insert clever saying here. Current Tank Info: 200 gallon custom Marineland DD peninsular tank. LPS dominated mixed reef. Previous 90 gallon mixed reef TOTM April 2009.

11/03/2008, 06:59 PM	#4
jubjub Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: vacaville, cali Posts: 2,698	well i might take a different approach here...but figure out whats causing the problem. figure out what they are feeding on. im not sure but prob phosphates, and think about fixing that. along with pulling them out definately help __________________ "The world holds two classes of men - intelligent men without religion, and religious men without intelligence." - Abu Ala Al-Maari

11/03/2008, 07:27 PM	#6
seapug Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: 4980 ft. Posts: 7,954 Blog Entries: 1	The magnesium trick and Phosban can help but for a couple of small clumps like that I'd start with manual removal. __________________ insert clever saying here. Current Tank Info: 200 gallon custom Marineland DD peninsular tank. LPS dominated mixed reef. Previous 90 gallon mixed reef TOTM April 2009.

11/03/2008, 07:08 PM	#5
SaltyDr Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Southwest Florida Posts: 1,191	There has been a lot of talk lately about raising your mag levels to 1550 to help control bryopsis. Look in to it.