Red turf algae

[myzislow]

Lately I've had an outbreak of red turf algae(Asparagopsis?) in my 29 gallon mixed(mainly SPS) reef. It hasn't reached plague like proportions, yet, and I'd like to prevent it before it does. I do weekly water changes with RO. My trates are in check but I'm not sure of the phosphate. I have a HOB refugium with chaeto that is maintained regularly.

I need to replenish my clean up crew as it is severely lacking and has been for awhile now. I currently only have an algae blenny, and 4 nassarius snails. I don't really want any hermits as they can sometimes crawl over and irritate my SPS corals, so snails would be my best bet. Though if there is a specific type of hermit that seems to like the turf algae I will definitely try them out and remove them when they become a problem to my corals.

I read in my research so far that mexican turbo snails have an appetite for red turf algae, is there any truth to this? Are there any other snails that like to dine on this problem algae? I can try some turbos, the only thing I don't like is that they are usually large and can knock things over in my reef.

My light is a 150w Sun pod HQI with a photo peroid of 10 hours a day.

Any suggestions and help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.


here is a pic i found when doing a search. This is the stuff:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v358/myzislow/redalgae.jpg

[Poisonus Yeti]

What are you using for flow, Myzislow?

[myzislow]

pretty good flow IMO.

I have:
Emperor 400 HOB modded refugium. -400 Gal./hr.
Tunzee nano stream 6025-645 Gal./hr.
Hydor korilia 2-600 Gal./hr.
Hydor korilia nano-265 Gal./hr.
CPR bak pak 2r W/Rio 600~50 Gal./hr.

total=1,960 Gal./hr. Turnover rate=67.5x

[Otogi]

following along.

I have a small patch of this growing on my LR and would like to get rid of it. What eats this stuff?

[2fishy]

They mow it like a John Deer lawn mower!!! Or at least the one that I have does! Just keep in mind that they can seriously move things around with their shells.

[myzislow]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12082879#post12082879 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 2fishy
They mow it like a John Deer lawn mower!!! Or at least the one that I have does! Just keep in mind that they can seriously move things around with their shells.

I assume you're talking about the mexican turbos? That's my main fear but I guess I'll have to take the good with the bad. Going to my LFS in a bit, hopefully they'll have some small one without the HUGE shells.

[kevin2000]

Turf algae is one of the tougher alga to control ... to the best of my knowledge none of the std CUC does much of a job consuming it. Perhaps removing and scrubbing in a bucket of SW will help. If the problem is confined to one or two rocks you might consider tossing them or doing some long term rock curing (in the dark).

[2fishy]

I know it irritates them usually when the customer is picky, but I took my chances and asked them to pick out a small one!:lol: I only added one because of only having 30 lbs of rock figured it would take one a while.

The morning after I added the snail, it had cleared an entire patch of it off of my rock, about a good 3" circle without leaving a speck of the stuff in its place.

I would get more if you have a lot of rock though.

edit: I think this one was sold as a turbo and not a mexican turbo though. It's shell is very bumby and it blends in with the rock. The shell isn't smooth like the margaritas. The one I have can get quite large.

[myzislow]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12082923#post12082923 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kevin2000
Turf algae is one of the tougher alga to control ... to the best of my knowledge none of the std CUC does much of a job consuming it. Perhaps removing and scrubbing in a bucket of SW will help. If the problem is confined to one or two rocks you might consider tossing them or doing some long term rock curing (in the dark).

Unfortunately that's not an option for me as my rock has many attached SPS colonies and I'd hate to disturb my aquascape.

[myzislow]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12082939#post12082939 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 2fishy
I know it irritates them usually when the customer is picky, but I took my chances and asked them to pick out a small one!:lol: I only added one because of only having 30 lbs of rock figured it would take one a while.

The morning after I added the snail, it had cleared an entire patch of it off of my rock, about a good 3" circle without leaving a speck of the stuff in its place.

I would get more if you have a lot of rock though.

edit: I think this one was sold as a turbo and not a mexican turbo though. It's shell is very bumby and it blends in with the rock. The shell isn't smooth like the margaritas. The one I have can get quite large.

Hopefully they will work for me as this algae is pretty ugly lol. Whats odd is ther eis no other nuisance algae in th etank and everything is thriving:mad:

[2fishy]

Mine started out on one rock and now covers every single rock that I have in the tank and even grew across the sand onto the top of my oyster and across the sand and connected with the stuff from another rock! I ended up leaving it because I have a mandarin and it seems it gives the pods extra places multiply. But I never really had to many corals. It's my undertanding that they will cover corals so I don't blame you for getting some.

[myzislow]

Bump it in hope some expert can give some advice on the subject before I dump a bunch of turbos in my tank

[C. Friesen]

I'm no expert, but from wht I have read your photoperiod at 10 hour is too long. With any increased nitrate or phosphate in your tank you will experience a lot of algae growth with a light cycle that long.

Chris

[Toddrtrex]

I also had some in my 29, got two smaller Mexican turbos. Took a couple of weeks, but it is all gone now. I didn't have that much of the algae, but enough to start to concern me.

[myzislow]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12088895#post12088895 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by C. Friesen
I'm no expert, but from wht I have read your photoperiod at 10 hour is too long. With any increased nitrate or phosphate in your tank you will experience a lot of algae growth with a light cycle that long.

Chris

10 hours is fine, especially for a SPS dominated tank that runs MH for it's only source of lighting, as I don't have any supplementation from PCs or T5. I've ran my tank for 10 hours for over 2 years now.

From more research it seems my best bet is some turbos mixed with some increased husbandry. I'm going to scrub the areas with a stiff bristle toothbrush and add some of the turbos, while keeping up with my weekly water changes. I figure If I mow the algae down a bit it will make it easier for the turbos to eat.

Thanks everyone, and if anybody has anymore suggestions don't hesitate to chime in:)