Brown Wafer algae

[surge19us]

I've had some luck with kalk past on the Lobophora. You will need to reduce flow so the paste stays on for at least a few hours if not longer. Then just leave it, even if it doesn't blow off. In about 1-2 weeks you should see the difference. I had a 2" x 3" area of Lobo where I applied some paste to just the top half. I would say the Lobo is dying or the paste made it more edible to the colinista snails in my tank. There is a signifigant reduction down to the bare rock below the Lobo, even on areas where the kalk was not in contact. I just this week applied kalk to the other 3 areas where I have this algae. Just give it some time and maybe a couple applications. I think it gave the Colinista snails a way to get ahead of it. This also works on Valonia. The bubbles go clear and are easier to vacuum in about a week or so after application.

[Kellie in CA]

This is the only algea I have a problem with. I do very frequent water changes so my water is very clean. I don't mind it so much where it has the "wafer look", it's kinda attractive and pulls off easily. But it has started to spread to where it is just a mat over the live rock. I don't know what to do!!!

[fishgutz]

Naso tangs love the stuff.

[rigleautomotive]

i got it also.any updates.i am going to try a couple sallys and a naso this weekend if no one has a better plan

[coralnut99]

Keep an eye on the SLF. The buggers cost me a fortune in Astreas before I caught it in the act.

[pammy]

I had quite a bit of Lobo, and added a Sally Lightfoot in hopes that he would eat it. Well, great news is, the Sally ate EVERY spec of the Lobo !!! I knew the Sally was a thread once he got bigger, so I planned on keeping him till he wiped out the Lobo, and then trap him and give him away. I saw him lunge a couple times at fish, but never say him kill a fish. I did have a new fish that I added, that died, and the Sally could have easily grabbed the fish and ate him, as the fish was dying, but never went near him. I had to flush the fish when he died. I did however, see the Sally go after an Acan, so I decided I had to get him out. I had a heck of a time trapping him. My fish trap was worthless. I tried different tricks. I finally built my own crab trap for about $2, and caught him in 2 minutes. Found him a new home. My tank has been COMPLETELY algae free now for a few months. Don't see a spec of it. Pam

Originally posted by rigleautomotive
i got it also.any updates.i am going to try a couple sallys and a naso this weekend if no one has a better plan

[rigleautomotive]

thanks,thats encouraging.i ordered 3 and i will be picking them up this weekend

[serval]

I have Lobophora too. I have tried everything I could think of to get rid of including tons of CUC creatures (all snails), an emerald crab, scraping, an algae blenny and vodka dosing. The vodka dosing indeed brought down my N and P to undetectable levels and the sps corals loved it, but the Lobophora also loved it; it seems happier than ever and spreading.

So, today I gave up and bought a Sally lightfoot crab. Yikes! I am worried that it will try to eat my coral polyps or a small fish or snail. But, I want that Lobophora gone; it is ugly and takes up room that should be for coralline. I have discontinued vodka for now, but will take that up later, when things look better.

I have heard (Pam) that to trap a crab, you can lean a tall drinking glass against the live rock with some nice food at the bottom. Do this at night and supposedly, by morning, the crab may be in the glass, stuck, because it cannot crawl out. Is this what you did to catch yours? I hope you see this post; it's been awhile.
Thanks!

[rroselavy]

Serval-

Is the sally going to town on the stuff? I've only seen pics of your Lobophora in the early stages, so I was never absolutely certain you had Lobophora...

[pammy]

Hi Serval. The good news is, the Lobo never came back after the Sally wiped it out 5 months ago. Not a speck of it to be found. The only thing I ever saw the sally go after, is a single Acan head I had. I still think it was worth it to get rid of the Lobo. I did try the glass trick, and also a fish trap,
and a cut off nylon trick that I read about, and that Sally was just too darn smart to go in any of the traps. He would stick his claws in the glass, but seemed to know he'd be doomed if he entered, so never went in. I also got really frustrated at one point and just tried to catch him with a pair of tongs. I ended up making a homemade trap, sort of like a crab trap. Check out the following thread, where I go into detail about the trap I made that worked for me, with a couple of pictures. Let us know if he starts eating the Lobo. Pam
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...ostid=14192301

Originally Posted by serval

I have Lobophora too. I have tried everything I could think of to get rid of including tons of CUC creatures (all snails), an emerald crab, scraping, an algae blenny and vodka dosing. The vodka dosing indeed brought down my N and P to undetectable levels and the sps corals loved it, but the Lobophora also loved it; it seems happier than ever and spreading.

So, today I gave up and bought a Sally lightfoot crab. Yikes! I am worried that it will try to eat my coral polyps or a small fish or snail. But, I want that Lobophora gone; it is ugly and takes up room that should be for coralline. I have discontinued vodka for now, but will take that up later, when things look better.

I have heard (Pam) that to trap a crab, you can lean a tall drinking glass against the live rock with some nice food at the bottom. Do this at night and supposedly, by morning, the crab may be in the glass, stuck, because it cannot crawl out. Is this what you did to catch yours? I hope you see this post; it's been awhile.
Thanks!

[serval]

roselavy, Sally is too new; still in the bag as we speak. So, I will report when she has had a chance to work. I love my Acans, I hope she doesn't get a taste for them! Here is a "before" picture taken today:

Wetwebmedia thought it was Lobophora too. Some others weren't sure, but I don't know what else it could be. It never scrolled for me.

The Sally Lightfoot is a pretty crab, I give it that. I am worried though; it is super fast.

[rroselavy]

Too bad we cannot put leashes on those Sally's...LOL.

In related news, I had to recently banish a Emerald to the fuge for picking on my p. Damicornis. My Zebras were also stealing food from my fungia plates on a regular basis so they they are temporarily in the hold until I decide if I really need them in the display.

My scarlet is the only crab I've never seen bother anything, and thus the only one I'd consider getting more of...

[serval]

I agree; the scarlets may be the only reasonably safe crabs. I wasn't planning on any crabs until the algae struck. Hopefully, they are temporary. I am happy to hear Pammy's experience indicates (and yours?) that the dreaded Lobo doesn't return once licked.

[adtravels]

I have always had it in my reef tanks, I seems to really thrive in very clear, nutrient low water, unfortunately so does my sps. I peel it off from time to time and just live with it I have worried about it too much in the past.
I have noticed that peeling it, if you leave a speck it seems to grow back even quicker.

[serval]

Adtravels, I noticed that it grows fast(er) when you pick it off as well. Very frustrating. I don't want to live with it if I can help it because it's really the only algae I have. It's outcompeting the coralline right now, so the rocks just look dark brown, which is pretty uninteresting. I thought I might try that "Purple Up" product at the same time, to encourage the coralline on the rocks. I'm hoping the Lobophora will be nice food for the crab.

[rroselavy]

Serval-

Does your algae have a slippery rubbery feel to it?

My lobophora did not return. I have the same rocks in my QT right now.

I do have a infestation in my QT of another brown encrusting algae that came on a few frag plugs. I replaced the plugs too late (mistake). It is slower growing than the lobo, and is darker brown (my lobo was medium caramel-brown) is not rubbery and does not scroll.

[serval]

Yes, the brown algae in my tank is rubbery feeling and slippery. Why are your original rocks in your QT? Did you replace some in your DT?

[adtravels]

Dont use purple up, its snake oil, the coralline is usually still there under the algae. To truly rid yourself of it make take drastic steps.

[serval]

I just checked on the Sally lightfoot and it is picking and eating away; it's an eating machine relative to the emerald crab! The Emerald is a thoughtful, slower eater. This thing just chows down. I am excited about this now.

Interesting thing: Sally Lightfoot is a common name usually applied to Grapsus grapsus, from Baja and down to the Galapagos. That's not what this is. Fish stores sell this crab as a Sally Lightfoot and it's in the genus Percnon, often displayed as Percnon gibbesi, which is native to the Caribbean. (Note: the one I bought was labeled as Grapsus grapsus, but it isn't that for sure; I will take a picture sometime). I think the one I got is from the western Pacific and may be Percnon planissimum, http://www.poppe-images.com/images/s...mily=GRAPSIDAE because it has the blue dots on the carapace. I just viewed it with the Nightsea light and glasses and only the tips of the claws and feet fluoresce (yellow). Neat.

[rroselavy]

Originally Posted by serval

Yes, the brown algae in my tank is rubbery feeling and slippery. Why are your original rocks in your QT? Did you replace some in your DT?

The rocks now in my QT were from my original nano FOWLR tank, which has long been dismantled.

[serval]

Re: Purple up: I wondered about that (the snake oil possibility). So many people "swear by it" that I thought it couldn't hurt. But then, people like lots of things...
To be honest, I was never that happy with my live rock from the start (Tank is 5 mo's old). I got most of it from one store which has done well by me for the most part, but I think they got this rather base-looking rock from someone tearing down their tank and resold it to me. It was apparently devoid of life in the beginning. Then came the Lobophora. I did have 2 additional rocks from another store which did have coralline and other interesting things (protists, sponges, fan worms, snails, etc.) on it. I wanted life on the rocks and was prepared to wait out the "usual algae progression" which never happened. I got one alga, Lobophora; lucky me.

Next time, I am going to get fresh rock and cure it myself, not rock someone else had, maybe cooked, maybe had problems with, etc.

[stargazer=2]

get a naso tang if you have room.

[pammy]

My rock wasn't from anyones tank, and I still got Lobophora. It didn't come in on a frag or anything. It started on one of my larger rocks, about 5 months after I set up my tank. I hated that algae. It started with one tiny spot about the size of a pencil eraser. If I had known how much it would spread, I would have tried to nip the problem in the bud !! I would spend time trying to remove the Lobo with a wire brush, but as others said in here, it grew back extrememly quickly. That Sally must have really picked clean every speck of it for it not to come back again. I had this one small feather duster that just popped up one day, before I got the Sally. It wasn't the tiny ones you get tons of in your tank, but about the size of a nickel. The Sally ate that. Never saw him eat a fish, but he would take swipes. I don't know if it was more of a defensive move or not, but as soon as he completed his mission and decimated the lobo, I found him a new home. Gave him free to someone that wanted him. He just made me too nervous. Really cool but kind of creepy looking crab. Looks like a big spider in your tank ! That's awesome Serval that your new Sally is going to town !! I have a 53 gallon tank, so a Naso Tang was out of the question for me.
Pam

[serval]

My tank is also a 55 gallon and though a Naso tang (small one, to be captured later) is appealing, I didn't want to get a fish that would outgrow the tank. I agree that the look and movements of the Sally are spider-like, which frankly don't appeal to me either. Spiders are the one set of creatures I would prefer to not be in my general vicinity, but one does what is needed for the reef!

[rigleautomotive]

here is my experience with the SLF and lobo,
I put 2 crabs in my 180 with very little to no success.I talked to Eric Borneman,and he believes it is a algae that is seasonal in the wild and that it may burn itself out in our tanks eventually.He recommended urchins and did not like the SLF for this problem.My sallys have either went into the overflows or died.i havent seen them in a couple months.The algae has gotten better and falls of in large sheets leaving pristine rock behind and with no regrowth.If i try to remove it before it falls of the rock on its own it usually grows back.My tank has been doing great even with this algae and the only bad effect it has on my corals is it sometimes will shade the base of an acro temporarily causing some tissue loss.If it gets worse or does not improve i may try one of the urchins that eric recommended