Botryocladia skottsbergii Infestation

sfarid123 · 09/12/2008, 08:18 PM

Hi,

Is there any way you can eradicate Botryocladia skottsbergii (red bubble algae) ?

I have been battling this algae for the past 8 months and can not get rid of it.
I have even tried red sea sailfin and emerald crabs and kole tang and none of them even touch this stuff.
I am currently siphoning it out every week and have setup a chaeto refugium as well. I have a 55g reef & My water parameters are zero phos, nitrates, nitrites and ammonia.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

sassafrass · 09/12/2008, 08:26 PM

What are you feeding and how much?

sfarid123 · 09/12/2008, 08:31 PM

I feed 2-3/week.
For my 2 fish, I feed small quantity of diced frozen shrimp ,formula 1, and for the BTA 1 week small diced silver side.

I wash food w/ RO/DI before feeding.

sassafrass · 09/12/2008, 08:39 PM

That sounds pretty good . The algea has to have nutrients to grow,so a couple of more questions.What kind of fish and how many? Also what kind of skimmer ? how much skimmate? what kind of flow do you have in the tank to keep nutrients in suspension?

sfarid123 · 09/12/2008, 08:44 PM

As of now, only a Perc and a yellow tail damsel.
Aqua C remora Skimmer /mag3, w/ decent skimmate.
2X Korallia 3

sassafrass · 09/12/2008, 08:53 PM

How much rock ? Are there spots where detritus can settle? (like if you have rock stacked against the glass) What kind of substrate? (crushed coral,sand...)So far it sounds like you are doing things right.
Lee

sfarid123 · 09/12/2008, 08:58 PM

I have enough rocks that fill up the tank almost 1/2 -3/4 way up the tank. I do a coupe tall pieces of rock stacked against the glass but I have directed flow towards it. Substrate is only sand about 3-4".

Thanks
shawn

abulgin · 09/12/2008, 09:02 PM

Interesting. From what I've read, this is a very desirable macroalgae. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/redalgfaqs.htm

sfarid123 · 09/12/2008, 09:08 PM

Oh no, not desirable at all! This is tear shaped, small clusters and is attached to the rock. It is a very invasive and aggressive, and grows out of control if they are popped. I have lost several of my corals because of this pest.

abulgin · 09/12/2008, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sfarid123
Oh no, not desirable at all! This is tear shaped, small clusters and is attached to the rock. It is a very invasive and aggressive, and grows out of control if they are popped. I have lost several of my corals because of this pest.

Hmm, are you sure it's Botryocladia sp.?

sfarid123 · 09/12/2008, 09:15 PM

I'm pretty positive , Its also known as red valonia

abulgin · 09/12/2008, 09:18 PM

Well Valonia and Botryocladia aren't one in the same.

See here: Valonia macrophysa, 1/2 way down

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/twainvalg1.htm

compared to the pic of Botryocladia in the link I posted above.

sfarid123 · 09/12/2008, 09:21 PM

The one that I have resembles the photo on the link

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...8/DSC02077.jpg

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-0...ture/index.php

sfarid123 · 09/12/2008, 09:25 PM

On the 2nd link 1/2 way down ,gives you the Botryocladia skottsbergii name and calls it red valonia.

abulgin · 09/12/2008, 09:30 PM

Interesting. Learn something new . . .

sfarid123 · 09/12/2008, 09:33 PM

That's what the hobby is all about.
Defiantly has its highs and lows ; )

sassafrass · 09/12/2008, 10:43 PM

So far so good as far as your animal husbandry goes. What kind of lighting and how old are your bulbs? I had a near tank crash from something getting in my premixed saltwater and ended up with an 8 month hair algea outbreak.I tried every possible solution to rid myself of this scourge. Finally I tried dosing vodka ,6 weeks later absolutely no HA and none since.
Lee

sfarid123 · 09/13/2008, 07:36 AM

T5 lights SLR , 5 months old. The problem w/ this algae is it can thrive with very low light and nutrient conditions and is very aggressive.

I'm curious to know if anyone has tried UV sterilizers to get rid of this type of algae and have succeeded?

09/12/2008, 08:18 PM	#1
sfarid123 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: maryland Posts: 456	Botryocladia skottsbergii Infestation Hi, Is there any way you can eradicate Botryocladia skottsbergii (red bubble algae) ? I have been battling this algae for the past 8 months and can not get rid of it. I have even tried red sea sailfin and emerald crabs and kole tang and none of them even touch this stuff. I am currently siphoning it out every week and have setup a chaeto refugium as well. I have a 55g reef & My water parameters are zero phos, nitrates, nitrites and ammonia. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

09/12/2008, 08:26 PM	#2
sassafrass Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: capitola ca Posts: 1,729	What are you feeding and how much?

09/12/2008, 08:31 PM	#3
sfarid123 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: maryland Posts: 456	I feed 2-3/week. For my 2 fish, I feed small quantity of diced frozen shrimp ,formula 1, and for the BTA 1 week small diced silver side. I wash food w/ RO/DI before feeding.

09/12/2008, 08:39 PM	#4
sassafrass Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: capitola ca Posts: 1,729	That sounds pretty good . The algea has to have nutrients to grow,so a couple of more questions.What kind of fish and how many? Also what kind of skimmer ? how much skimmate? what kind of flow do you have in the tank to keep nutrients in suspension?

09/12/2008, 08:44 PM	#5
sfarid123 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: maryland Posts: 456	As of now, only a Perc and a yellow tail damsel. Aqua C remora Skimmer /mag3, w/ decent skimmate. 2X Korallia 3

09/12/2008, 08:53 PM	#6
sassafrass Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: capitola ca Posts: 1,729	How much rock ? Are there spots where detritus can settle? (like if you have rock stacked against the glass) What kind of substrate? (crushed coral,sand...)So far it sounds like you are doing things right. Lee

09/12/2008, 08:58 PM	#7
sfarid123 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: maryland Posts: 456	I have enough rocks that fill up the tank almost 1/2 -3/4 way up the tank. I do a coupe tall pieces of rock stacked against the glass but I have directed flow towards it. Substrate is only sand about 3-4". Thanks shawn

09/12/2008, 09:02 PM	#8
abulgin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 2,664	Interesting. From what I've read, this is a very desirable macroalgae. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/redalgfaqs.htm

09/12/2008, 09:08 PM	#9
sfarid123 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: maryland Posts: 456	Oh no, not desirable at all! This is tear shaped, small clusters and is attached to the rock. It is a very invasive and aggressive, and grows out of control if they are popped. I have lost several of my corals because of this pest.

09/12/2008, 09:15 PM	#11
sfarid123 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: maryland Posts: 456	I'm pretty positive , Its also known as red valonia

09/12/2008, 09:18 PM	#12
abulgin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 2,664	Well Valonia and Botryocladia aren't one in the same. See here: Valonia macrophysa, 1/2 way down http://www.wetwebmedia.com/twainvalg1.htm compared to the pic of Botryocladia in the link I posted above.

09/12/2008, 09:21 PM	#13
sfarid123 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: maryland Posts: 456	The one that I have resembles the photo on the link http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...8/DSC02077.jpg http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-0...ture/index.php

09/12/2008, 09:25 PM	#14
sfarid123 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: maryland Posts: 456	On the 2nd link 1/2 way down ,gives you the Botryocladia skottsbergii name and calls it red valonia.

09/12/2008, 09:30 PM	#15
abulgin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 2,664	Interesting. Learn something new . . .

09/12/2008, 09:33 PM	#16
sfarid123 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: maryland Posts: 456	That's what the hobby is all about. Defiantly has its highs and lows ; )

09/12/2008, 10:43 PM	#17
sassafrass Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: capitola ca Posts: 1,729	So far so good as far as your animal husbandry goes. What kind of lighting and how old are your bulbs? I had a near tank crash from something getting in my premixed saltwater and ended up with an 8 month hair algea outbreak.I tried every possible solution to rid myself of this scourge. Finally I tried dosing vodka ,6 weeks later absolutely no HA and none since. Lee

09/13/2008, 07:36 AM	#18
sfarid123 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: maryland Posts: 456	T5 lights SLR , 5 months old. The problem w/ this algae is it can thrive with very low light and nutrient conditions and is very aggressive. I'm curious to know if anyone has tried UV sterilizers to get rid of this type of algae and have succeeded?