Lobophora Algae - Eater

peaceinusa · 09/21/2009, 07:54 PM

I am starting this thread on fighting this crazy algae. It looks like a brown paper-like covering over the live rock.

http://www.saltcorner.com/sections/g...variegata1.htm

This algae started out as a small spot on a piece of live rock. I did not really think anything of it as I had never dealt with it. I just looked like a common brown algae at first. After about 3-4 months of fighting it by hand, much of my rock looked just like the photo in the link above. I started picking it off manually by hand (peeling it off the rock like paper) and tossing it in the trash, but this did little to no good.

I thought this to be a non-common brown algae that a yellow tang would not eat, so I bought a Kole Tang hoping it would eat this stuff. All the Kole does is peck at the glass...it helps keep the glass clean, but no help with the Lobophora.

After a few months of research on this algae, I find that it thrives in healthy, clean and chemistry stable water. This makes it very difficult to fight and I felt there was little I could do as all the water peramiters are near dead-on perfect.

Upon more reef thread searches I found that a Blonde Naso Tang is really the only reef safe fish that I feel I could add to my tank. I was able to order one from P3tC0 on NW Highway and let me say, this guy is completely devouring this algae. He came in super healthy, acclimated perfect and has about 1/2 of this stuff gone after 3 weeks. Keep in mind that about 80% of the live rock my 120ga tank was covered with this stuff and I have been picking it away from corals to keep them alive.

Here are a few pics of the junk in my tank before I got the Blonde Naso. I will add a few of the after-cleaning pics in a few days.

pwhitby · 09/21/2009, 08:09 PM

Nasos are murder on that stuff. Mine loved it.

GregC · 09/21/2009, 09:59 PM

Thats scary, glad you found a way to get it under control nice job.

Lightsluvr · 09/22/2009, 04:51 AM

I know you have been battling the stuff. Glad you found a natural way to keep it under control!

LL

09/21/2009, 07:54 PM	#1
peaceinusa Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Edmond, Oklahoma Posts: 478	Lobophora Algae - Eater I am starting this thread on fighting this crazy algae. It looks like a brown paper-like covering over the live rock. http://www.saltcorner.com/sections/g...variegata1.htm This algae started out as a small spot on a piece of live rock. I did not really think anything of it as I had never dealt with it. I just looked like a common brown algae at first. After about 3-4 months of fighting it by hand, much of my rock looked just like the photo in the link above. I started picking it off manually by hand (peeling it off the rock like paper) and tossing it in the trash, but this did little to no good. I thought this to be a non-common brown algae that a yellow tang would not eat, so I bought a Kole Tang hoping it would eat this stuff. All the Kole does is peck at the glass...it helps keep the glass clean, but no help with the Lobophora. After a few months of research on this algae, I find that it thrives in healthy, clean and chemistry stable water. This makes it very difficult to fight and I felt there was little I could do as all the water peramiters are near dead-on perfect. Upon more reef thread searches I found that a Blonde Naso Tang is really the only reef safe fish that I feel I could add to my tank. I was able to order one from P3tC0 on NW Highway and let me say, this guy is completely devouring this algae. He came in super healthy, acclimated perfect and has about 1/2 of this stuff gone after 3 weeks. Keep in mind that about 80% of the live rock my 120ga tank was covered with this stuff and I have been picking it away from corals to keep them alive. Here are a few pics of the junk in my tank before I got the Blonde Naso. I will add a few of the after-cleaning pics in a few days. __________________ REEFS ROCK! Current Tank Info: 120ga Reef, 12ga Mini Reef

09/21/2009, 08:09 PM	#2
pwhitby Team RC Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 9,137	Nasos are murder on that stuff. Mine loved it. __________________ Paul W Whitby Ph.D

09/21/2009, 09:59 PM	#3
GregC Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Del City, Oklahoma Posts: 1,373	Thats scary, glad you found a way to get it under control nice job. __________________ Just another fish in the pond.

09/22/2009, 04:51 AM	#4
Lightsluvr Tangaroa to 500 gallons Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Edmond, OK Posts: 5,855	Excellent I know you have been battling the stuff. Glad you found a natural way to keep it under control! LL __________________ Click on my username and select "Lightsluvr's Home Page" for a recap of our build thread - AGE Hybrid Tank in a 500G system with dedicated fish room. (Takes a few minutes for photos to load) Leave a note if you stop by... Current Tank Info: 350G AGE Hybrid reef tank. 500G+ total water volume. Three sumps for filtration. Barracuda Gold return and Hammerhead Gold closed loop pumps. DIY T5 light system on rails. MP40W x3 to supplement closed loop. 130G Water management system.