Algal genus Spotlight: Bryopsis "hair algae" - Page 2

Angel*Fish · 08/02/2003, 03:00 PM

My 55g is over run with it - the hair algae can't even compete. My 100g gallon should be ready next week, I'm seriously considering dumping all my LR for new...
Uh - anybody want to buy a bunch of bryopsis covered LR?

My refugium is packed with grape, feather and regular caulerpa, dictyota, gracilaria & some huge masses of tangly green wiry stuff ( a valonia?) Zero bryopsis - I think I'm gonna start putting tons of it in the main tank & see what happens...

I like algae and I thought the first bryopsis clumps were attractive - if only I had known then what I know now

Jamesurq · 08/02/2003, 10:10 PM

To all - This method worked for me:

I tore out clumps and put them in the refugium. With the 24 hour light in there, it thrived. The remaining clumps in the display starved and died (presumably because the nutrients were being used up by the rapidly spreading bryopsis in the fuge.)

I then purchased a lettuce nudi who now inhabits my refugium and keeps the bryopsis controlled.

I originally had him in the main tank - but man, those things LOVE powerheads.

MountainReef · 08/06/2003, 02:24 PM

Help what started as a beautiful blue-green fernlike macro algae is now full blown out of control. I have emerald crabs, scarlet and blue hermits, a purple tang, a sailfin blenny, flame and coral beauty angels. Nothing will eat this stuff. I have tried scrubbing the rock to no avail. I am using lots a phosphate remover in my canister and I am using UV sterilization. I am losing!!

This algae adheres to everything including glass and has infected my fiji moonstone coral.

HELP!!!!

I feel I may lose my tank.

mmgm · 08/06/2003, 04:23 PM

I noticed you are running a wet/dry with bioballs. Your Nitrate levels are probably high contributing to the problem. I would suggest you SLOWLY get rid of your bioballs and rely on skimmer and LR only to filter your tank. Also, if you can start a refugium with DSB and macro algae to reduce nutrients your problem algae are relying on.

Looks like you are in a real bind. Have you seen this thread?

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...hreadid=219002

Note: If you take the advise of the thread AZNO3 did not work for me when I was running my wet/dry with bioballs. It only started working when bioballs were removed.

Good Luck

MountainReef · 08/30/2003, 01:00 PM

Does anyone know where this voracious consumer of Bryopsis might be purchased or traded? Elysia Ornata is reported to feed soley upon Bryopsis.

Thanks for any help you may be able to provide.

"Can't see the forest for the Bryopsis"

pyranha · 09/07/2003, 06:57 AM

This is also a good article about bryopsis. I had it, and it just seemed to go away. I have no doubt that it will come back someday.

http://www.globaldialog.com/~jrice/a...e/bryopsis.htm

ez1ez · 10/16/2003, 08:17 AM

http://www.reefscapes.net/articles/b...alkwasser.html
I went to this site and used this kalkwasser/vinegar mix. I was told to just pour the whole thing into my sump before it settles. 3 days later I did it again and one week later no hair algae. I myself had no problems after I did this process and best thing is I still am algae free.

ez1ez · 10/16/2003, 08:18 AM

http://www.reefscapes.net/articles/b...alkwasser.html
I went to this site and used this kalkwasser/vinegar mix. I was told to just pour the whole thing into my sump before it settles. 3 days later I did it again and one week later no hair algae. I myself had no problems after I did this process and best thing is I still am algae free.

ez1ez · 10/16/2003, 08:19 AM

http://www.reefscapes.net/articles/b...alkwasser.html
I went to this site and used this kalkwasser/vinegar mix. I was told to just pour the whole thing into my sump before it settles. 3 days later I did it again and one week later no hair algae. I myself had no problems after I did this process and best thing is I still am algae free.

tatuvaaj · 10/16/2003, 08:38 AM

horge,

I know I'm a "bit" late but here are some of my Bryopsis (?) pictures

Boomer · 10/16/2003, 09:24 AM

Great Pics Tatu

tatuvaaj · 10/22/2003, 12:28 AM

Boomer,

Thanks

It's a beautiful algae!

MountainReef · 10/22/2003, 01:05 PM

Beautiful This!

You can have all you want

Paul B · 10/23/2003, 03:05 PM

I believe I know why so many people have so many ways to get rid of hair algae. My reef is over thirty years old and for the first few years there was no hair algae. Then I started to get it in cycles for a few weeks at a time. Eventually, the cycles became longer until now I never am without it. My point is that for some reason it would disappear on it's own without doing anything and the tank would be free of it for many months.
I used to have an urchin collecting business here in New York where I would collect local purple urchins to ship to aquariums and hobbiests to control algae. The northern urchins would eat very fast in a tropical reef because they were not tropical animals. Each urchin would clean an area about an inch wide and about a foot long a night. When I had a dozen of them in the tank it looked like it was sandblasted. They would live about a year. Unfortunately my boat is away for the year and I am not collecting this year anymore. Hopefully next year I will get some.

pubily · 10/23/2003, 04:37 PM

Horge...congratulations. I enjoyed your article...it helped me...and I thoroughly enjoyed your style. I hope to read many more articles by you...thanks from a gentle reader.

dc · 11/08/2003, 07:38 PM

I think I'm winning! All Lettuce Nudis are not created equal. I got 2 and one is a eating machine and the other is usually on the glass.

reiple · 11/11/2003, 07:39 AM

nice looking tank dc. no green algae!

Recce · 11/16/2003, 10:11 PM

I have heard reports of people using boiling RO water, applied to the problem area with a syringe. I have been told that this has a two fold effect of killing the majority of the algae due to both the heat and the fresh water, and the fact that it becomes more palatable to herbivorous fish in this state. Has anyone heard of this method being successfull?

At various stages, I have had my whole tank virtually full of bryopsis, and through a process of manual removal and addition of a rabbit fish, I have it down to 2 smallish patches. I have no problem at at with any other algae, my Acantharus mata takes care of everything else, but the bryopsis persists, which is why I am considering using the boiling water method.

MountainReef · 11/17/2003, 11:17 AM

Would you remove the rock and then treat the Bryopsis or treat it in the tank? I do not think dosing the algea in the tank could produce enough heat to do any good.

How about manually removing and scrubing the rock then treating the growth areas with boiling water? How about mixing some amount of bleach with the water and then soaking rock in a bucket treated with chlorine remover?

My tank is about 75% inundated. I am ready to throw all my rock away and start over.

Recce · 11/17/2003, 03:12 PM

I got to the point where I was going to take my entire tank apart and start again as well, but I removed the pieces of affected rock, and scrubbed them with a scrubbing brush in a bucket and replaced them, which seemed to do the trick. The only reason I dont want to take the remaining pieces out and clean them, is that they are pivotal pieces of the reef structure, and cant be taken out without taking the whole structure apart.

Gerard the fish · 01/02/2004, 10:17 PM

Quote:

get an algae / lawnmower blenny... mine is obese. I'm not kidding. I think I am abusing the poor fish; he has a huuuuge gut.

You cant type this and not show us pics of your overweight lawnmower blenny!!!

- g

mcanavan69 · 01/13/2004, 06:21 PM

This came on a rock that I got at my LFS that had lots of zo's on it. Since then it has spread like crazy.

Gerard the fish · 01/13/2004, 06:39 PM

You might wanna post this in another section (New to Hobby)

You will also need a picture showing the rock up close.

- g

Paul B · 01/14/2004, 06:27 AM

A few weeks ago I dismantled my entire reef for the first cleaning in 25 years. I put the rock in the dark for a week and cleaned the gravel with 12 cleanings with a large diatom filter. All is well now and everything is back. The details are on the post
"just cleaned thirty year old tank" in the reef section.

pisces 12 · 01/14/2004, 06:51 PM

I bought two algae blennys and they d'ont seem to be picking on the stuff only the algae on the glass so i what i did is took some of my rock that had been covered with Bryopsis and frist scrubed it off with a hard brush and then i mixed up a batch of kalkwasser and brushed it all over the infected area i soaked it real good then i dunked it in old or fresh sea water and back in to the tank so far the spots that i treated no sign of Bryopsis its been four days now the only draw back to this plan is i have some rocks that are on the the bottom and to remove them would mean to take the whole tank apart so for those i am still looking for help if there is any i would gladly wellcome some.

08/02/2003, 03:00 PM	#26
Angel*Fish cats and large squashes Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Houston Posts: 5,951 Blog Entries: 1	My 55g is over run with it - the hair algae can't even compete. My 100g gallon should be ready next week, I'm seriously considering dumping all my LR for new... Uh - anybody want to buy a bunch of bryopsis covered LR? My refugium is packed with grape, feather and regular caulerpa, dictyota, gracilaria & some huge masses of tangly green wiry stuff ( a valonia?) Zero bryopsis - I think I'm gonna start putting tons of it in the main tank & see what happens... I like algae and I thought the first bryopsis clumps were attractive - if only I had known then what I know now __________________ Marie So long, & thanks for all the fish! __________________________ Current Tank Info: Pairs: flame angels, cherub angels, Red Sea mimic blennies, yellow fin fairy wrasses, clowns, mandarins, blackcap basslets, shrimp gobies, damsels, dispar anthias, yellow clown gobies, threadfin cardinals --- Tanks: 100g reef, 2 x 30g refugiums

08/06/2003, 02:24 PM	#28
MountainReef Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Vail, Colorado Posts: 252	Is this Bryopsis? Help what started as a beautiful blue-green fernlike macro algae is now full blown out of control. I have emerald crabs, scarlet and blue hermits, a purple tang, a sailfin blenny, flame and coral beauty angels. Nothing will eat this stuff. I have tried scrubbing the rock to no avail. I am using lots a phosphate remover in my canister and I am using UV sterilization. I am losing!! This algae adheres to everything including glass and has infected my fiji moonstone coral. HELP!!!! I feel I may lose my tank. __________________ Danny 90 gal, Dual 250 MH Ushio 10k Dual VHO actinic URI 4" DSB 55 Gallon Sump w/ Refugium Euro Reef CS6-1 skimmer Reef Tek Calcium Reactor 5 Years reefing Current Tank Info: 90 Gallon reef

08/30/2003, 01:00 PM	#30
MountainReef Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Vail, Colorado Posts: 252	In Search of Elysia Ornata Does anyone know where this voracious consumer of Bryopsis might be purchased or traded? Elysia Ornata is reported to feed soley upon Bryopsis. Thanks for any help you may be able to provide. "Can't see the forest for the Bryopsis" __________________ Danny 90 gal, Dual 250 MH Ushio 10k Dual VHO actinic URI 4" DSB 55 Gallon Sump w/ Refugium Euro Reef CS6-1 skimmer Reef Tek Calcium Reactor 5 Years reefing Current Tank Info: 90 Gallon reef

10/16/2003, 08:17 AM	#32
ez1ez Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Poconos, PA Posts: 721	http://www.reefscapes.net/articles/b...alkwasser.html I went to this site and used this kalkwasser/vinegar mix. I was told to just pour the whole thing into my sump before it settles. 3 days later I did it again and one week later no hair algae. I myself had no problems after I did this process and best thing is I still am algae free. __________________ Even if your on the right track, You'll get run over if you just stand there. Current Tank Info: Reeftanks, Halides,7' 150g, 6' 150g tanks

10/16/2003, 08:18 AM	#33
ez1ez Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Poconos, PA Posts: 721	http://www.reefscapes.net/articles/b...alkwasser.html I went to this site and used this kalkwasser/vinegar mix. I was told to just pour the whole thing into my sump before it settles. 3 days later I did it again and one week later no hair algae. I myself had no problems after I did this process and best thing is I still am algae free. __________________ Even if your on the right track, You'll get run over if you just stand there. Current Tank Info: Reeftanks, Halides,7' 150g, 6' 150g tanks

08/02/2003, 10:10 PM	#27
Jamesurq Moved On Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 5,470	To all - This method worked for me: I tore out clumps and put them in the refugium. With the 24 hour light in there, it thrived. The remaining clumps in the display starved and died (presumably because the nutrients were being used up by the rapidly spreading bryopsis in the fuge.) I then purchased a lettuce nudi who now inhabits my refugium and keeps the bryopsis controlled. I originally had him in the main tank - but man, those things LOVE powerheads.

08/06/2003, 04:23 PM	#29
mmgm Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: New Jersey Posts: 1,032	I noticed you are running a wet/dry with bioballs. Your Nitrate levels are probably high contributing to the problem. I would suggest you SLOWLY get rid of your bioballs and rely on skimmer and LR only to filter your tank. Also, if you can start a refugium with DSB and macro algae to reduce nutrients your problem algae are relying on. Looks like you are in a real bind. Have you seen this thread? http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...hreadid=219002 Note: If you take the advise of the thread AZNO3 did not work for me when I was running my wet/dry with bioballs. It only started working when bioballs were removed. Good Luck

09/07/2003, 06:57 AM	#31
pyranha Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 374	This is also a good article about bryopsis. I had it, and it just seemed to go away. I have no doubt that it will come back someday. http://www.globaldialog.com/~jrice/a...e/bryopsis.htm

10/16/2003, 08:19 AM	#34
ez1ez Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Poconos, PA Posts: 721	http://www.reefscapes.net/articles/b...alkwasser.html I went to this site and used this kalkwasser/vinegar mix. I was told to just pour the whole thing into my sump before it settles. 3 days later I did it again and one week later no hair algae. I myself had no problems after I did this process and best thing is I still am algae free. __________________ Even if your on the right track, You'll get run over if you just stand there. Current Tank Info: Reeftanks, Halides,7' 150g, 6' 150g tanks

10/16/2003, 08:38 AM	#35
tatuvaaj Pro-Protozoa Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Tampere, Finland Posts: 1,228	horge, I know I'm a "bit" late but here are some of my Bryopsis (?) pictures __________________ Tatu Vaajalahti Tampere, Finland Current Tank Info: 240 gal + 50 gal sump,SDSB,LR,ATB Medium, 2x250W HQI + actinic,Balling

10/16/2003, 09:24 AM	#36
Boomer Bomb Technician (EOD) Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Duluth, Minnesota Posts: 11,842	Great Pics Tatu __________________ If you See Me Running You Better Catch-Up Seawater Chemistry, Geology, ID Marine Life, Collecting Science Books, Explosives Technology, Audiophile An explosion can be defined as a loud noise, accompanied by the sudden going away of things, from a place where they use to be.

10/22/2003, 12:28 AM	#37
tatuvaaj Pro-Protozoa Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Tampere, Finland Posts: 1,228	Boomer, Thanks It's a beautiful algae! __________________ Tatu Vaajalahti Tampere, Finland Current Tank Info: 240 gal + 50 gal sump,SDSB,LR,ATB Medium, 2x250W HQI + actinic,Balling

10/22/2003, 01:05 PM	#38
MountainReef Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Vail, Colorado Posts: 252	Beautiful This! You can have all you want __________________ Danny 90 gal, Dual 250 MH Ushio 10k Dual VHO actinic URI 4" DSB 55 Gallon Sump w/ Refugium Euro Reef CS6-1 skimmer Reef Tek Calcium Reactor 5 Years reefing Current Tank Info: 90 Gallon reef

10/23/2003, 03:05 PM	#39
Paul B Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 15,549	I believe I know why so many people have so many ways to get rid of hair algae. My reef is over thirty years old and for the first few years there was no hair algae. Then I started to get it in cycles for a few weeks at a time. Eventually, the cycles became longer until now I never am without it. My point is that for some reason it would disappear on it's own without doing anything and the tank would be free of it for many months. I used to have an urchin collecting business here in New York where I would collect local purple urchins to ship to aquariums and hobbiests to control algae. The northern urchins would eat very fast in a tropical reef because they were not tropical animals. Each urchin would clean an area about an inch wide and about a foot long a night. When I had a dozen of them in the tank it looked like it was sandblasted. They would live about a year. Unfortunately my boat is away for the year and I am not collecting this year anymore. Hopefully next year I will get some. __________________ I used to get shocked when I put my hand in my tank. Then the electric eel went dead. Current Tank Info: 100 gal reef set up in 1971

10/23/2003, 04:37 PM	#40
pubily Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: rural Pekin, central Illinois Posts: 305	Horge...congratulations. I enjoyed your article...it helped me...and I thoroughly enjoyed your style. I hope to read many more articles by you...thanks from a gentle reader. __________________ I'm beginning to think the world is run by 'C' students! Current Tank Info: new aggressive fish tank and second reef tank with 120 gal., sump, 250w. metal halides, 65w. actinics, skimmer. 160 lbs. live rock. 200 lbs. sand. RO/DI. Barebottom 20 gal. long quarantine tank. Also soon to be installed 50 gal. reef tank

11/08/2003, 07:38 PM	#41
dc Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Wyoming Posts: 44,684	I think I'm winning! All Lettuce Nudis are not created equal. I got 2 and one is a eating machine and the other is usually on the glass. __________________ Debi ~60 Cube~ Why? Because I said so of course. -Sent via Tapatalk Smoke Signals-

11/11/2003, 07:39 AM	#42
reiple Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Quezon City, Philippines Posts: 126	nice looking tank dc. no green algae! __________________ "If history teaches us anything at all, it is simply this - every revolution carries within it the seeds of it's destruction. And empires that rise will one day fall" -- Princess Irulan Current Tank Info: 1-reef, 1-FOWLR, 1-piranha tank

11/16/2003, 10:11 PM	#43
Recce Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Australia Posts: 132	I have heard reports of people using boiling RO water, applied to the problem area with a syringe. I have been told that this has a two fold effect of killing the majority of the algae due to both the heat and the fresh water, and the fact that it becomes more palatable to herbivorous fish in this state. Has anyone heard of this method being successfull? At various stages, I have had my whole tank virtually full of bryopsis, and through a process of manual removal and addition of a rabbit fish, I have it down to 2 smallish patches. I have no problem at at with any other algae, my Acantharus mata takes care of everything else, but the bryopsis persists, which is why I am considering using the boiling water method.

11/17/2003, 11:17 AM	#44
MountainReef Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Vail, Colorado Posts: 252	Boiled Bryopsis Would you remove the rock and then treat the Bryopsis or treat it in the tank? I do not think dosing the algea in the tank could produce enough heat to do any good. How about manually removing and scrubing the rock then treating the growth areas with boiling water? How about mixing some amount of bleach with the water and then soaking rock in a bucket treated with chlorine remover? My tank is about 75% inundated. I am ready to throw all my rock away and start over. __________________ Danny 90 gal, Dual 250 MH Ushio 10k Dual VHO actinic URI 4" DSB 55 Gallon Sump w/ Refugium Euro Reef CS6-1 skimmer Reef Tek Calcium Reactor 5 Years reefing Current Tank Info: 90 Gallon reef

11/17/2003, 03:12 PM	#45
Recce Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Australia Posts: 132	I got to the point where I was going to take my entire tank apart and start again as well, but I removed the pieces of affected rock, and scrubbed them with a scrubbing brush in a bucket and replaced them, which seemed to do the trick. The only reason I dont want to take the remaining pieces out and clean them, is that they are pivotal pieces of the reef structure, and cant be taken out without taking the whole structure apart.

01/13/2004, 06:21 PM	#47
mcanavan69 Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Razorback Country Posts: 360	can anyone tell me what this is? This came on a rock that I got at my LFS that had lots of zo's on it. Since then it has spread like crazy.

01/13/2004, 06:39 PM	#48
Gerard the fish Moved On Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 390	You might wanna post this in another section (New to Hobby) You will also need a picture showing the rock up close. - g

01/14/2004, 06:27 AM	#49
Paul B Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 15,549	A few weeks ago I dismantled my entire reef for the first cleaning in 25 years. I put the rock in the dark for a week and cleaned the gravel with 12 cleanings with a large diatom filter. All is well now and everything is back. The details are on the post "just cleaned thirty year old tank" in the reef section. __________________ I used to get shocked when I put my hand in my tank. Then the electric eel went dead. Current Tank Info: 100 gal reef set up in 1971

01/14/2004, 06:51 PM	#50
pisces 12 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: mineola , L ,I N.Y Posts: 94	I bought two algae blennys and they d'ont seem to be picking on the stuff only the algae on the glass so i what i did is took some of my rock that had been covered with Bryopsis and frist scrubed it off with a hard brush and then i mixed up a batch of kalkwasser and brushed it all over the infected area i soaked it real good then i dunked it in old or fresh sea water and back in to the tank so far the spots that i treated no sign of Bryopsis its been four days now the only draw back to this plan is i have some rocks that are on the the bottom and to remove them would mean to take the whole tank apart so for those i am still looking for help if there is any i would gladly wellcome some.