The algae won.....need some advice

[dg13]

My rock work has been taken over by red macro algae that I can't get rid of. I have been unable to find out if anything will eat it, but even if there is something it is not likely that I will be able to have it because of the seahorses. So.......I bought new rock (wonderful Marco rock) that I am going to start cycling this weekend. My plan is to remove all the old rock and start new. My question is - is there any way to salvage any of the critters in the live rock? Once the new rock is cycled I tought I would turn the lights on the old tank after they had been off for a while and get some of the collinista and stomatella snails and move them to the tank with the cycled rock. Any other ideas on how to save some of the other critters like the mini bristle stars, etc? Antoher problem I have is that the algae is on some of my corals. My plan is to remove the coral, where possible, and attach to the new rock. If this is not possible I will remove the algae by hand and keep in a separate tank until I am sure that I got it all and none will grow back. Is there any kind of dip that will kill algae and not the coral? I have primarily softies - zoas, rics, leathers and a couple of candy canes. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[TomD]

I would try and keep some of that cycled rock. Even if you broke some into smaller pieces it would be all you need to seed the Marcos. There is really no other way to repopulate the new rock unless you seed it with some of yours. Of course stuff in the sand will help too.
Do you have a sump to put some in?

I would take the rock out and scrub it with a strong brush. Scrub it really well to remove all the macro algae.

 

[ReeferMedic]

Chances are, they algae will grow back on the new rock. The algae will take hold on the places where coralline is not growing. You're probably better off keeping some of like Tom said, and scrubbing it with a brush.

 

[dg13]

I'm really afraid to keep any of the old rock. This algae is nasty! Little pieces break lose and attach somewhere else and it takes off. I am going to start with the new rock and I was hoping to find a way to get some of the critters out of the rock without actually having to use the rock

 

[delta]

Is it leafy or like a brillo pad?

 

[Brad S]

I had a similar issue... I've been running a uv and increased the size of my cleaning crew and it's nearly gone... The algae I had was green and hair like, but also covered everything like a carpet...

 

[dg13]

Is it leafy or like a brillo pad?

It's sort of both - it's like a brillo pad in that it stays close to the rock - doesn't grow tall like some of the other macros, but it's kind of leafy too.

I've given up on the rock, but would like to save some of the living things in it and am looking for ideas.

 

[TomD]

It's sort of both - it's like a brillo pad in that it stays close to the rock - doesn't grow tall like some of the other macros, but it's kind of leafy too.

I've given up on the rock, but would like to save some of the living things in it and am looking for ideas.

Well if you really dont care for the rock you "could" save a lot of brittles and worms, maybe even pods.

Simply do a brief freshwater dip in a bucket. As stars and worms crawl out, quickly reintroduce to saltwater

 

[dg13]

OK - I changed the rock out a month or so ago and have another question. I moved most of the old rock and my corals (mostly zoas, shrooms, leathers) into another tank and would now like to start getting the corals back in the main tank. Is there anything I can use that will kill the macro algae on the coral without hurting the coral itself? Any dips, etc.?

Thanks.

 

[ReeferDude]

is it cyno bacteria?

 

[dg13]

No, it's not cyano - it's red dictyota.

 

[~Flighty~]

Could you house a rabbit fish in the coral holding tank or in the seahorse display? They grow large eventually, but you can buy one at 2-3" and sell it once your problem is under control. Our seahorses have never been bothered by our rabbits. In fact the large rabbit that we just sold would inadvertaintly help the seahorses eat. After feeding time he would go to the sand and fan it with his fin to stir up any settled food. The horses would always snick some of the pieces he stirred up.

 

[addam4208283]

i hear you with the macro alg. i have been having a huge problems with it in my tank too. i have both the red brillo pad stuff, as well as the little green leaves. i have also noticed an increase in bubble alg too.

i have tried a couple different things and nothing has worked, its frustrating.
ADAM

 

[ptoole]

The best controls I've used are shaving brush plants (create competition), reducing feedings (lower phosphates), and larger water changes (lower nitrates).

 

[addam4208283]

the only thing that i haven't done was do a larger then 50% water change. i ran phosguard for something like 4 months and it didn't help, as well as removed the macro by hand.

how often would be recommended to do large water changes, every week?
ADAM
sorry for hijacking the thread.

 

[delta]

the only thing that i haven't done was do a larger then 50% water change. i ran phosguard for something like 4 months and it didn't help, as well as removed the macro by hand.

how often would be recommended to do large water changes, every week?
ADAM
sorry for hijacking the thread.

With this particular algea(dictoyota) you could change the water until the cows come home and it won't make a difference. But a Naso tang or rabbitfish will keep it in check.

 

[dg13]

With this particular algea(dictoyota) you could change the water until the cows come home and it won't make a difference. But a Naso tang or rabbitfish will keep it in check.

Greg and Cindy - do you think a Naso tang or rabbitfish would be better for eating the dictyota? When I changed the rock I lost my last seahorse and wanted to get everything under control before getting new ones so the horses are not an issue at the moment. I do have a mandarin and a Banghaii. Will the Naso or rabbitfish eat hair algae?

Thanks for the help.

 

[delta]

I had better luck with a Naso, but I know few people who had good luck with Rabbitfish. These are your two best canidates for it, but you may get one that might not take to it.

 

[~Flighty~]

The spotted rabbitfish worked great for dictoyota and bryopsis and several other tough algaes in my tank. The reason I would pick a rabbit over a tang is just the activity and agressiveness level especially if you might want it in the tank with the horses for some time.

The foxfaces seem to be a bit more pickey about algae choice than the other rabbits, so I would avoid them, but otherwise, there isn't too much good info about which rabbit is better than others and there are a lot of species to pick from. Aqua Addicts had a nice smaller goldspot rabbit recently, but I'm not sure if it sold or not.

 

[addam4208283]

With this particular algea(dictoyota) you could change the water until the cows come home and it won't make a difference. But a Naso tang or rabbitfish will keep it in check.

thanks for the reply.
i was thinking about getting a LM blenny to see if it would take care of the problem for me. the thing is that i have a 12gal nano tank so my options are limited in the fish department.

ADAM