Caulerpa problem

JJIM · 03/28/2010, 10:24 AM

Due to getting no traction over in the nano forum I figured I would post here for "hopefully" more input =).

I have recently been fighting some Caulerpa patches(firn like look) and a little hair algae in my 28 nano. In efforts to get this potiential problem remediated before it gets out of hand I am needing some guidance. My snails (turbos, nerites, cerith), crabs (scarlet red and blue leg), and tail spot blenny do not touch the stuff. My Phosphates and nitrates are at 0 from tests (Salifert). Lighting is on about 10-11 hrs using the stock 28nano LED from JBJ. I have tried pulling it out to no avail, and when pulling it out if some gets loose it re-attaches elsewhere (no fun). I have been running a media reactor with Seachem SeaGel, media basket with purigen and sponges, and a fuge with Cheato in there. I currently have my 9002 skimmer out of the tank and the media basket in there. I do weekly 4 gallon water changes with reef crystals keeping the tank PH between 7.85-8.2 and salinity at 1.025-.026. I feed my three fish every other day small amounts of food (Oce Clownfish, tailspot blenny, and two spot hogfish).

I have considered a small yellow tank or a small rabbitfish for a little while to keep the stuff in check, but I am reluctant to due to the small space, hence small and little while being noted. I have also considered getting a Coral Beauty, but not sure that it will touch the stuff either and it might take advantage of some of my SPS's/other small polyps?

Any other help and suggestions is greatly appreaciated. Is my above fish option a viable one for a temporary period?

jenglish · 03/28/2010, 10:39 AM

It is hard to get anything to eat that type of Caulerpa. It is VERY difficult to starve out. Is it on only a few rocks? If it is localized remove the rocks and do whatever it takes to get it off. I might look into an acid bath. Once it gets rooted into rock it is a real pain to get it completely removed.

Mirugai · 03/28/2010, 10:43 AM

you could have a bad RO water. Get PhosBan. Reduced your photo period to 8 hours.

Raceimage · 03/28/2010, 11:02 AM

I have the same problem. I have 3 tangs (yellow, regal, and kole) and none of them touch it. I have cheato in my sump which helped alot. I was using well water and am switching to RODI this week and adding a reactor filled with GFO. Members of my local marine aquarium society have had luck with GFO and you don't need a reactor for it. You can put it in a mesh bag like you would for carbon and place in a flow area. When you manually pull out the caulerpa try not to let pieces float throughout the tank because the will only find a new place to root. If you send me a PM in a few weeks, I can let you know if my situation improved with my changes.

JJIM · 03/28/2010, 12:38 PM

If I do decide to grab a tang (for a few months) would a Yellow or a Kole Yellow Eye Tang potientially do a better job at eating the algae?

lougotzz · 03/28/2010, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JJIM

If I do decide to grab a tang (for a few months) would a Yellow or a Kole Yellow Eye Tang potientially do a better job at eating the algae?

Err don't do that. Make sure your RODI TDS is running 0, get some macro algae, reduce photo period, remove rock that the stuf is localized on, ect. Like said above the tangs arn't even touching it so don't bother. I'd even try boosting mag alk and cal.

~reefchik~ · 03/28/2010, 01:03 PM

The ONLY fish I ever saw chow down on caulerpa is my one-spot foxface, and I'm not recommending that size fish for a 28 unless it's practically empty (meaning lots of swimming space and low bioload otherwise) and the fish is still small. I'm not even expert enough to know that mine's not a fluke.

I'd suggest pulling as much as you can by hand, and move some of it down to the sump perhaps, too.

Don't bother with getting a tang, I never saw any tang eat caulerpa.

kimber45 · 03/28/2010, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JJIM

I have recently been fighting some Caulerpa patches(firn like look) and a little hair algae in my 28 nano.

you sure your not dealing with bryopsis?

http://images.google.com/images?hl=e...ed=0CBEQsAQwAA

pics would help.

heres a pic from my tank when i had it.

NYCBOB · 03/28/2010, 01:55 PM

how did u get caulerpa in ur 28? it could be just hair algae or bryopsis.

JJIM · 03/28/2010, 02:04 PM

It might be bryopsis, it does have that kind of look you posted above kimber45. I thought caulerpa had that look also? If it is bryopsis like the pic above shows, does that change what has been said or is there a fish that munches this stuff?

jformani · 03/28/2010, 02:07 PM

I bet its bryopsis. I just went through that battle. Do a search on bryopsis and read about dosing Kent Tech M.

JJIM · 03/28/2010, 05:38 PM

Great info, I'll be raising the Mg much higher (1600+) and the CA (500+) a bit also. Thanks to all for your input...

jenglish · 03/28/2010, 06:03 PM

IIRC 1800 ppm was the magic number. There is a thread all about it somewhere but I don't remember where.

lougotzz · 03/28/2010, 06:34 PM

The thread is called an easy solution to bryopsis. Id the search engine is working ever again you can search it.

kimber45 · 03/28/2010, 06:50 PM

i bet it's bryopsis.

much more common to just appear without adding any to begin with.

as mentioned with increased mag levels and decreased lighting i knocked it out of my tank in 1 week and haven't seen any since. that's been over a year.

i raised mag 100ppm daily with brightwells mag untill i hit 1850-1900 and carried that for about a week. since i keep levels around 1360.

i also went without lights for 7 days. if this is possible for you i would try that also.

here's a link to my thread if it helps.

http://www.michiganreefers.com/forum...re-2911-a.html

JJIM · 03/28/2010, 08:02 PM

Is the Kent Tech M Mg preferrable over other Mg's? I currently have REEF PURE balanced Ion Mg from Warner Marine? I also have some B-Ionic Mg I believe somewhere...

jenglish · 03/28/2010, 08:03 PM

It is believed to be a function of some impurity in Tech M, other mag additives don't seem to work, or at least not as well.

JJIM · 03/28/2010, 09:29 PM

Forgot to ask, how much can I cut back on my lights w/out damaging my SPS, LPS, Leathers, and Zoo's?

jenglish · 03/28/2010, 10:51 PM

bryopsis will sruvive off less light than most corals so I think weakening the whole system is a bad idea IMO. The exact amount you can get away with depends on your lights, but I would think with LEDs on a nano, you could probably be running less than the 11-12 you run currently. 6-8 would be about the lower limit of what I would try.

kimber45 · 03/29/2010, 06:10 AM

yea if your full of corals the lights out isn't going to work. you may want to try a decreases lighting schedule however.

and yes the tech m seems to be the most popular but as i said the brightwells worked great for me also.

jformani · 03/29/2010, 04:49 PM

If its really bryopsis it wont matter about the lights. The tech m should take care of it. And yes its tech m that works the best.

If I were you I would try and post a pic before you waste money on tech m. Make sure its a positive id.

innate1 · 03/29/2010, 05:01 PM

I agree post a pic so we can be sure of what you are dealing with

03/28/2010, 10:24 AM	#1
JJIM Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: U.S Posts: 540	Caulerpa problem Due to getting no traction over in the nano forum I figured I would post here for "hopefully" more input =). I have recently been fighting some Caulerpa patches(firn like look) and a little hair algae in my 28 nano. In efforts to get this potiential problem remediated before it gets out of hand I am needing some guidance. My snails (turbos, nerites, cerith), crabs (scarlet red and blue leg), and tail spot blenny do not touch the stuff. My Phosphates and nitrates are at 0 from tests (Salifert). Lighting is on about 10-11 hrs using the stock 28nano LED from JBJ. I have tried pulling it out to no avail, and when pulling it out if some gets loose it re-attaches elsewhere (no fun). I have been running a media reactor with Seachem SeaGel, media basket with purigen and sponges, and a fuge with Cheato in there. I currently have my 9002 skimmer out of the tank and the media basket in there. I do weekly 4 gallon water changes with reef crystals keeping the tank PH between 7.85-8.2 and salinity at 1.025-.026. I feed my three fish every other day small amounts of food (Oce Clownfish, tailspot blenny, and two spot hogfish). I have considered a small yellow tank or a small rabbitfish for a little while to keep the stuff in check, but I am reluctant to due to the small space, hence small and little while being noted. I have also considered getting a Coral Beauty, but not sure that it will touch the stuff either and it might take advantage of some of my SPS's/other small polyps? Any other help and suggestions is greatly appreaciated. Is my above fish option a viable one for a temporary period? __________________ James

03/28/2010, 10:39 AM	#2
jenglish Marquis de Carabas Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 2,523	It is hard to get anything to eat that type of Caulerpa. It is VERY difficult to starve out. Is it on only a few rocks? If it is localized remove the rocks and do whatever it takes to get it off. I might look into an acid bath. Once it gets rooted into rock it is a real pain to get it completely removed. __________________ Jeremy Brown liquor never hurt anybody “Je n'ai pas besoin de cette hypothèse" Pierre-Simon Laplace I should want to cook him a simple meal, but I shouldn't want to cut into him, to tear the flesh, to wear the flesh, to be born unto new worlds where his flesh becomes my key. Current Tank Info: broken and dry

03/28/2010, 11:02 AM	#4
Raceimage Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Sarver, Pa Posts: 296	I have the same problem. I have 3 tangs (yellow, regal, and kole) and none of them touch it. I have cheato in my sump which helped alot. I was using well water and am switching to RODI this week and adding a reactor filled with GFO. Members of my local marine aquarium society have had luck with GFO and you don't need a reactor for it. You can put it in a mesh bag like you would for carbon and place in a flow area. When you manually pull out the caulerpa try not to let pieces float throughout the tank because the will only find a new place to root. If you send me a PM in a few weeks, I can let you know if my situation improved with my changes. __________________ Gary Current Tank Info: 120 gal reef with 50 gal breeder sump, Reeflow Wahoo pump, Sea Swirl for motion in the mini ocean, AGM G2 skimmer, 2 Ecotec Radions LED fixtures, and 2 Ecotech vortechs, 90 Gal discus tank with fluval 404 and 4 lamp T5 fixture

03/28/2010, 12:38 PM	#5
JJIM Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: U.S Posts: 540	If I do decide to grab a tang (for a few months) would a Yellow or a Kole Yellow Eye Tang potientially do a better job at eating the algae? __________________ James

03/28/2010, 01:03 PM	#7
~reefchik~ Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 155	The ONLY fish I ever saw chow down on caulerpa is my one-spot foxface, and I'm not recommending that size fish for a 28 unless it's practically empty (meaning lots of swimming space and low bioload otherwise) and the fish is still small. I'm not even expert enough to know that mine's not a fluke. I'd suggest pulling as much as you can by hand, and move some of it down to the sump perhaps, too. Don't bother with getting a tang, I never saw any tang eat caulerpa. __________________ ---------------------------------------- 90 gal. reef: soft corals, SPS frags, zoas & palys, chromis, cleaner wrasse, Kole tang, One Spot Foxface and Flame Angel. RM300 Sump/fuge, Vertex skimmer. 48" Current 2X150W Halide, 2X96W PC & 2 AquaRay LED strips.

03/28/2010, 10:43 AM	#3
Mirugai Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Alhambra, CA Posts: 305	you could have a bad RO water. Get PhosBan. Reduced your photo period to 8 hours.

03/28/2010, 01:55 PM	#9
NYCBOB Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NYC Posts: 1,768	how did u get caulerpa in ur 28? it could be just hair algae or bryopsis.

03/28/2010, 02:04 PM	#10
JJIM Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: U.S Posts: 540	It might be bryopsis, it does have that kind of look you posted above kimber45. I thought caulerpa had that look also? If it is bryopsis like the pic above shows, does that change what has been said or is there a fish that munches this stuff? __________________ James

03/28/2010, 02:07 PM	#11
jformani Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 730	I bet its bryopsis. I just went through that battle. Do a search on bryopsis and read about dosing Kent Tech M.

03/28/2010, 05:38 PM	#12
JJIM Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: U.S Posts: 540	Great info, I'll be raising the Mg much higher (1600+) and the CA (500+) a bit also. Thanks to all for your input... __________________ James

03/28/2010, 06:03 PM	#13
jenglish Marquis de Carabas Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 2,523	IIRC 1800 ppm was the magic number. There is a thread all about it somewhere but I don't remember where. __________________ Jeremy Brown liquor never hurt anybody “Je n'ai pas besoin de cette hypothèse" Pierre-Simon Laplace I should want to cook him a simple meal, but I shouldn't want to cut into him, to tear the flesh, to wear the flesh, to be born unto new worlds where his flesh becomes my key. Current Tank Info: broken and dry

03/28/2010, 06:34 PM	#14
lougotzz Moved On Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: PA Posts: 1,524	The thread is called an easy solution to bryopsis. Id the search engine is working ever again you can search it.

03/28/2010, 06:50 PM	#15
kimber45 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: michigan Posts: 455	i bet it's bryopsis. much more common to just appear without adding any to begin with. as mentioned with increased mag levels and decreased lighting i knocked it out of my tank in 1 week and haven't seen any since. that's been over a year. i raised mag 100ppm daily with brightwells mag untill i hit 1850-1900 and carried that for about a week. since i keep levels around 1360. i also went without lights for 7 days. if this is possible for you i would try that also. here's a link to my thread if it helps. http://www.michiganreefers.com/forum...re-2911-a.html

03/28/2010, 08:02 PM	#16
JJIM Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: U.S Posts: 540	Is the Kent Tech M Mg preferrable over other Mg's? I currently have REEF PURE balanced Ion Mg from Warner Marine? I also have some B-Ionic Mg I believe somewhere... __________________ James

03/28/2010, 08:03 PM	#17
jenglish Marquis de Carabas Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 2,523	It is believed to be a function of some impurity in Tech M, other mag additives don't seem to work, or at least not as well. __________________ Jeremy Brown liquor never hurt anybody “Je n'ai pas besoin de cette hypothèse" Pierre-Simon Laplace I should want to cook him a simple meal, but I shouldn't want to cut into him, to tear the flesh, to wear the flesh, to be born unto new worlds where his flesh becomes my key. Current Tank Info: broken and dry

03/28/2010, 09:29 PM	#18
JJIM Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: U.S Posts: 540	Forgot to ask, how much can I cut back on my lights w/out damaging my SPS, LPS, Leathers, and Zoo's? __________________ James

03/28/2010, 10:51 PM	#19
jenglish Marquis de Carabas Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 2,523	bryopsis will sruvive off less light than most corals so I think weakening the whole system is a bad idea IMO. The exact amount you can get away with depends on your lights, but I would think with LEDs on a nano, you could probably be running less than the 11-12 you run currently. 6-8 would be about the lower limit of what I would try. __________________ Jeremy Brown liquor never hurt anybody “Je n'ai pas besoin de cette hypothèse" Pierre-Simon Laplace I should want to cook him a simple meal, but I shouldn't want to cut into him, to tear the flesh, to wear the flesh, to be born unto new worlds where his flesh becomes my key. Current Tank Info: broken and dry

03/29/2010, 06:10 AM	#20
kimber45 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: michigan Posts: 455	yea if your full of corals the lights out isn't going to work. you may want to try a decreases lighting schedule however. and yes the tech m seems to be the most popular but as i said the brightwells worked great for me also.

03/29/2010, 04:49 PM	#21
jformani Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 730	If its really bryopsis it wont matter about the lights. The tech m should take care of it. And yes its tech m that works the best. If I were you I would try and post a pic before you waste money on tech m. Make sure its a positive id.

03/29/2010, 05:01 PM	#22
innate1 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Austin Texas Posts: 102	I agree post a pic so we can be sure of what you are dealing with __________________ Whatever you love set yourself on fire for it and people will come just to watch you burn Current Tank Info: 75 gal reef