Can anyone ID this Algae?

**DCisGnar** · 03-29-2010, 09:15 PM

Hello all!

I set up my tank about 3 or 4 weeks ago, and I'm startin' to get some algae growth. However, this algae isn't like any I've seen before. It almost looks more like a plant. It grows in the sand as well as on the walls of the tank.

Sorry for the crappy quality pic, but my camera is a piece of junk and it was really hard to focus on something so small =P

It's really small and green. It's not really stringy, more like little branches.

Thanks,
Blaine

**Amphibious** · 03-30-2010, 09:35 AM

I would guess, Bryopsis, a nuisance algae. Pull it out asap and try staying ahead of it, which is nearly impossible. Water changes and finding the source of nutrients that is feeding it’s growth is about all you can do. It produces a chemical defense that is toxic to most herbivores. Test your water for Phosphates.

What is your source of water?

Dick

**DCisGnar** · 03-30-2010, 03:30 PM

Thanks Dick,

I pulled all the pieces that I saw out of the tank. I'm kind of worried now my tank is gonna get taken over by this stuff! =( I just tested my phosphates and it's showing zero. I haven't seen it above zero yet, so I don't know if that's the problem. There's not much algae in the tank at all. The snails seemed to have eatin most of it off the live rocks. I've been topping off with RO water from the LFS, and I filled it with a mix of RO/ocean water. The tank has been kind of cloudy though, but that's because I can't get the return pumps aimed to where everything flows into the overflow. I think I'm going to get a nano sized powerhead and just aim it straight at the overflow.

Have you ever heard of the sea monster slug? My LFS said that's the only thing they've ever had any luck with defeating this algae. Maybe I should give it a try? Any other alternatives?

Thanks again for the help,

Blaine

**CarmieJo** · 04-01-2010, 02:05 AM

Could you have made a mistake about the name? A sea hare is a herbivore with a big appetite but they will starve without lots of algae.

**Amphibious** · 04-01-2010, 09:58 AM

In my experience with Sea Slugs of several varieties that were supposed to eat various species of algae, none did and all stared. If they started to eat it, some seemed to, they soon ignored it. I’ve never been successful with Sea Slugs. Didn’t matter whether it was the Atlantic Dwarf...

Or the larger “monster” Sea slugs. None have performed their algae diet only thing and, while neat in appearance and nature, they all died within weeks. WHY? In my opinion, they didn’t find a liking to our pest algae such as Bryopsis and hair algae.

Another case of, beware what the LFS guy tells you. As I stated above, "It produces a chemical defense that is toxic to most herbivores."

Save your money.

Dick

**DCisGnar** · 04-04-2010, 02:56 AM

Well, it appears most the algae has given up. I've only seen 1 or 2 little pieces the past few days, and today I couldn't find any. I think I might be in the clear! I'll keep an eye out as I don't want my tank to get plagued O_O That wouldn't be good! Thanks again for the info, Dick. I appreciate it!
Carmie - I'm not 100% sure that's the name, just what I understood over the phone. I'm pretty sure he said sea monster though, and I couldn't find anything when searching on google about sea monster slugs, maybe I misunderstood and he said monster sea slug. Hopefully I'll never have enough algae for one to thrive on, hehe.

Thanks,
Blaine

**CarmieJo** · 04-04-2010, 04:10 PM

Glad to hear that the algae is receding. It really is a part of a new tank. Here is a great article. http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic23945-9-1.aspx

**techguy** · 05-28-2010, 02:12 PM

Did your Bryopsis ever resurface or has your tank remained clear?

While i am still cycling my tank I had some of this and before I could ID it the tank has it all over the rock and sand bed. After reading about this stuff I am in a panic!

I am hoping you haven't had a return which will give me some hope to a happy ending for mine lest I have to nuke it and start over.

**ReefPeddler** · 07-06-2010, 08:44 AM

In my experience, only the larger Sea Hares (not dwarf) are effective cleaners. We do a "loaner" program with them. Basically you buy one from us, use it, and once you are on top of the problem bring it back in for a store credit. These are not a good option for everyone though. As mentioned above, they have a toxin that they can release. I've only had one release once (managed to knock off a pump screen and get stuck to the intake) and it caused 0 fatalities. However it was gross to get "inked" when I removed it from the intake... and man did that stink...

Lighting and water quality are more important when trying to win an algae problem. Old bulbs and sunlight can be great algae growers, as well as high nutrient levels. Keep your phosphates low, and your magnesium high. This will usually make it taper away naturally.

For small tanks (nano tanks especially) the lettuce nudibranch is effective but short lived. Also the lawnmower blenny, specifically the white algae blenny (starry blenny is less effective IME) but they will outgrow a small nano so they should be temporary. Lager tanks will benifit from a foxface rabbitfish. They are great consumers of algaes. Also turbo snails are a common grazer.