Macroalgae taking over my tank

marietrg · 09/20/2012, 06:15 PM

Got big clumps of green bushy macroalgae taking over my 190 gallon reef tank. Just scooped out 2 cups of it.

In some ways it is great because it is eating all the bad nutrients but it is an eye sore and interfering with the corals.

Is there a chemical treatment for this stuff? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Dr Colliebreath · 09/20/2012, 06:32 PM

It requires light and nutrients. Many cover the tank completely for 3 days, but you really need to address the excess nutrient problem. You are doing the right thing by removing it by hand as much as possible. You need to do some major water changes and cut back on feeding the tank.

You need a really good protein skimmer if you don't have one.

The next steps involve attempting to remove nutrients with biopellets, carbon dosing (vodka, vinegar), etc.

Chemical treatments typically are masking the problem and you need to address the underlying issues with nutrient management.

Lionfish666 · 09/20/2012, 07:14 PM

Mi Marie, If I were you I would get some tangs, cut down on feeding, chuck in some activated carbon and add a remote sand bed.
I don't think there are any chemicals that will kill it and not your corals, and lights out will also kill your corals too, as the Dr mentioned the quick fix will only solve the problem short term.
I tried carbon dosing but found it was hard to get the right amount and my corals started to starve as they do need some phosphate and nitrate to grow, but others have ad success with it. For me it's easier to ad a remote sand bed for the nitrates and some carbon/phosguard for the the phosphates and not worry about maintenance and stuffing anything up.
Or you could just leave it and have a macro algae tank.

brandon429 · 09/20/2012, 08:17 PM

Id like to recommend a valid treatment...tons of pics to prove it too. I wiped macro of all genera out of large and small tanks changing nothing about nutrients in this thread

Nanos forum, page 1 on bottom, pico reef pest algae problem challenge thread

Here's how you know if nutrients matter: post nitrate and phosphate levels and a tank pic and we'll cure it right here then I'll link this to our huge thread

If you have pockets of microalgae or hair algae and cyano nutrients could be an issue, but macro algae signals a hitch hiker problem before it signifies a nutrient issue.

Imagine killing off the entire biomass of macro, leaving nutrients the same. How can it grow back?

If you take two hours to read the thread

the conclusion will be we can cure it in about three days, no more macro

You can certainly starve it out, that's the common way no prob. But its not the only way, you can easily deftly kill it. You will be surprised how well h2o2 is a targeting solution, its rather amazing

All doses and checklists before spot injecting are in the thread. Our best macro kill was from three reef where we wiped dictyota out of a 300 g changing no nutrients.

Post pics, we'll cure a test clump in 24 hours

marietrg · 10/06/2012, 08:28 AM

Brandon, here is a pic. Big bushy macroalgae. Every time I scoop some out it spreads a little. I want to nuke it. Had an issue where my RO/DI went bad and I was polluting my tank. That was fixed a couple months ago. Phosphates is 0.01 and on the decline.

marietrg · 10/06/2012, 08:30 AM

brandon429 · 10/06/2012, 09:38 AM

it does look to be in decline, you can either continue waiting or speed it up with some submerged spot treatments. I don't see any sensitive species in the tank...did you ever get a chance to read the thread with all the details and pics in it? It would clear up in about a week from what I can see off the pics, maybe two weeks. That also doesn't look like macroalgae to me it looks like a gha/bryopsis variant. Who knows what genus/species Im just making a guess ID, it doesn't look thick bodied enough to compare to the macros we are used to seeing. I don't see the creeping runners etc...

At least its on the decline though nice job in getting a natural recession to start

the thread has all the details about sensitive species we may not be seeing in the pics

brandon429 · 10/06/2012, 09:43 AM

really all you need to do after seeing the whole thread, to make sure we aren't missing details, is start a series of underwater slow spot injections from the base up. Any of the rocks you can lift out and treat straight undiluted will become free of the growth very fast, as in two days if you use a new bottle. it may take a few more days to fall off the rock considering the level of infestation/penetration of the holdfasts into the rock network. There is a given amount of peroxide per 10 gallons for your tank based on whats in it, and you inject that amount 3-4x per week really slowly into a given area and that area will start to recede shortly after. external treatments are 10x faster though, so start lifting out the rocks you can and keep the pics coming. after you wipe it clean your new focus on phosphate management will help. this just speeds up the kill process.

Beandawg · 10/06/2012, 09:43 AM

Looks like bryopsis to me.

SushiGirl · 10/06/2012, 10:54 AM

Looks like Bryopsis to me, too.

marietrg · 10/06/2012, 11:27 AM

I agree its bryopsis. Wow. So Magnesium is the best option??

Beandawg · 10/06/2012, 11:35 AM

I'm pretty sure Kent Tech M is the only one that works for bryopsis. I could be wrong though.

marietrg · 10/07/2012, 09:14 AM

My LFS gave me a 1 lb back of a magnesium compound. I dissolved in in a 2 gallon jug and I'm going to start adding it every day until the levels go up. If that doesn't work I'll try the Kent stuff.

09/20/2012, 06:15 PM	#1
marietrg Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Chesapeake, VA Posts: 444	Macroalgae taking over my tank Got big clumps of green bushy macroalgae taking over my 190 gallon reef tank. Just scooped out 2 cups of it. In some ways it is great because it is eating all the bad nutrients but it is an eye sore and interfering with the corals. Is there a chemical treatment for this stuff? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

09/20/2012, 06:32 PM	#2
Dr Colliebreath Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: DC Vicinity Posts: 1,813	It requires light and nutrients. Many cover the tank completely for 3 days, but you really need to address the excess nutrient problem. You are doing the right thing by removing it by hand as much as possible. You need to do some major water changes and cut back on feeding the tank. You need a really good protein skimmer if you don't have one. The next steps involve attempting to remove nutrients with biopellets, carbon dosing (vodka, vinegar), etc. Chemical treatments typically are masking the problem and you need to address the underlying issues with nutrient management. __________________ Frank Current Tank Info: 110 Oceanic RR w/35 gal sump and SRO XP2000 int

10/06/2012, 10:54 AM	#10
SushiGirl Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Fort Worth, TX USA Posts: 8,267	Looks like Bryopsis to me, too. __________________ Visit my Homepage or "My Albums" (via Profile) for hitchhiker pics. Current Tank Info: 55g softy/LPS tank & 20L reef tank

09/20/2012, 07:14 PM	#3
Lionfish666 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 166	Mi Marie, If I were you I would get some tangs, cut down on feeding, chuck in some activated carbon and add a remote sand bed. I don't think there are any chemicals that will kill it and not your corals, and lights out will also kill your corals too, as the Dr mentioned the quick fix will only solve the problem short term. I tried carbon dosing but found it was hard to get the right amount and my corals started to starve as they do need some phosphate and nitrate to grow, but others have ad success with it. For me it's easier to ad a remote sand bed for the nitrates and some carbon/phosguard for the the phosphates and not worry about maintenance and stuffing anything up. Or you could just leave it and have a macro algae tank.

09/20/2012, 08:17 PM	#4
brandon429 Registered Member. Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 3,460	Id like to recommend a valid treatment...tons of pics to prove it too. I wiped macro of all genera out of large and small tanks changing nothing about nutrients in this thread Nanos forum, page 1 on bottom, pico reef pest algae problem challenge thread Here's how you know if nutrients matter: post nitrate and phosphate levels and a tank pic and we'll cure it right here then I'll link this to our huge thread If you have pockets of microalgae or hair algae and cyano nutrients could be an issue, but macro algae signals a hitch hiker problem before it signifies a nutrient issue. Imagine killing off the entire biomass of macro, leaving nutrients the same. How can it grow back? If you take two hours to read the thread the conclusion will be we can cure it in about three days, no more macro You can certainly starve it out, that's the common way no prob. But its not the only way, you can easily deftly kill it. You will be surprised how well h2o2 is a targeting solution, its rather amazing All doses and checklists before spot injecting are in the thread. Our best macro kill was from three reef where we wiped dictyota out of a 300 g changing no nutrients. Post pics, we'll cure a test clump in 24 hours

10/06/2012, 09:38 AM	#7
brandon429 Registered Member. Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 3,460	it does look to be in decline, you can either continue waiting or speed it up with some submerged spot treatments. I don't see any sensitive species in the tank...did you ever get a chance to read the thread with all the details and pics in it? It would clear up in about a week from what I can see off the pics, maybe two weeks. That also doesn't look like macroalgae to me it looks like a gha/bryopsis variant. Who knows what genus/species Im just making a guess ID, it doesn't look thick bodied enough to compare to the macros we are used to seeing. I don't see the creeping runners etc... At least its on the decline though nice job in getting a natural recession to start the thread has all the details about sensitive species we may not be seeing in the pics

10/06/2012, 09:43 AM	#8
brandon429 Registered Member. Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 3,460	really all you need to do after seeing the whole thread, to make sure we aren't missing details, is start a series of underwater slow spot injections from the base up. Any of the rocks you can lift out and treat straight undiluted will become free of the growth very fast, as in two days if you use a new bottle. it may take a few more days to fall off the rock considering the level of infestation/penetration of the holdfasts into the rock network. There is a given amount of peroxide per 10 gallons for your tank based on whats in it, and you inject that amount 3-4x per week really slowly into a given area and that area will start to recede shortly after. external treatments are 10x faster though, so start lifting out the rocks you can and keep the pics coming. after you wipe it clean your new focus on phosphate management will help. this just speeds up the kill process.

10/06/2012, 09:43 AM	#9
Beandawg I see whatchu did there. Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Central CT Posts: 666	Looks like bryopsis to me.

10/06/2012, 11:27 AM	#11
marietrg Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Chesapeake, VA Posts: 444	I agree its bryopsis. Wow. So Magnesium is the best option??

10/06/2012, 11:35 AM	#12
Beandawg I see whatchu did there. Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Central CT Posts: 666	I'm pretty sure Kent Tech M is the only one that works for bryopsis. I could be wrong though.

10/07/2012, 09:14 AM	#13
marietrg Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Chesapeake, VA Posts: 444	My LFS gave me a 1 lb back of a magnesium compound. I dissolved in in a 2 gallon jug and I'm going to start adding it every day until the levels go up. If that doesn't work I'll try the Kent stuff.