Dark Red algae

[IanJ]

Over the past months my tank has become covered in a dark red algae, it has a short furry appearance. Seems to like high flow and light areas. It covers most of the live rock and bases of the sps. Since its appearance i have the as yet unexplained loss of a naso tang, powder blue tang and purple tang. In addition a few SPS have suddenly died.

The fish were in perfect condition one day, dead the next.

Water changes have no affect.

I have added additional snails but it is not clear if they help.

I think i read before that this algae comes with some of the Bali aquacultured species.

Does anyone else have the same problem and a solution?

[Dazza]

cyano?

[Lester]

pics ???

[IanJ]

Sorry, no pics as yet, but its not Cyno

[weileong]

That could be Asparagopsis taxiformis which is nicknamed "Algae from hell"

Reading from my Algae book by Julian Spring. He says to use manual removal and also bilological control like Diadema Urchin and Seaslug like Aplysia and Hermaea.

From RC they say it feeds on bromide. Go PR and look at their display tank, they have tons of it in there. Tangs and rabbit fishes don't touch it.

[IanJ]

Hmm, sounds like i am f--ked then.

Don't really want to strip the tank down again. It would be quite a job to remove any of it even with a stiff brush.

I guess i could just fill the tank with green acros for a colour contrast.

I was wondering if it was toxic to any of the fish, my blue tang seems to take the odd bite

[weileong]

maybe buy a few more blue tang

[IanJ]

Well i did a google search and did a bit of reading. The following link gives some info. Sounds like its real difficult to get rid of.

http://www.marineland.com/seascope/ss2003_issue3.pdf

[weileong]

I knew one guy here that battle it for 4 months and with ultra low PO4 (0.02 hanna) still could not get rid of it. In the end he tear down his tank and restart with fresh LR.

Good luck IanJ, keep us posted.

[lightningstrike]

Hi Ian,

I hv had the same problem as u do. but i do notice a considerable reduction in "the algae from hell" after using distilled water for 10% weekly water change for a few months. hopefully, things dun take a nose dive.

[Dazza]

Well i did a google search and did a bit of reading. The following link gives some info. Sounds like its real difficult to get rid of.

http://www.marineland.com/seascope/ss2003_issue3.pdf

Gd article.... Hey this Turbo sandwicensis

i hv collected frm local waters b4. If i m not wrong, its the one with a baseplate cover for protection. Theres another similar looking one that do not hv the baseplate.... Both are great algae eaters... plenty in easy to access areas here...

[weileong]

Dazza, do you have a photo?

I have one that hitchhike from LR in my tank and now grown to abt 1 - 1.5" size, got a lot of off-spring somemore.

The shape does look like Turbo sandwicensis but I cannot confirm without any clearer photo.

The shell has a lot of dark brown "dots" => more like short rectangular shapes on it.

[IanJ]

lighningstrike - now thats a lot of distilled water.

[Dazza]

http://www.gastropods.com/4/Shell_8874.html

top pix

[weileong]

bingo, that's the one.

[Dazza]

my 8 large hermits like to kill them for the shell but now prob solved... the large hermits live in sump now... only sml hermits in main tank now so prob solved ...

[zarkon]

Gd article.... Hey this Turbo sandwicensis

i hv collected frm local waters b4. If i m not wrong, its the one with a baseplate cover for protection. Theres another similar looking one that do not hv the baseplate.... Both are great algae eaters... plenty in easy to access areas here...

Hi Bro, care to share where exactly is the 'local waters' location to 'hunt' for....

[lightningstrike]

lighningstrike - now thats a lot of distilled water.

spot on Ian, then again, i'll hv to ask my distilled water agent if there is any bromide added to their water. no info on that was given on their MSDS equivalent.

[IanJ]

I always thought in older times that they added bromide to your drinks to reduce sexual urges.

[lightningstrike]

I always thought in older times that they added bromide to your drinks to reduce sexual urges.

[weileong]

Why worry when RO/DI would get rid of the bromide?

In fact I would worry abt bromide from the salt mix instead.

Now you'll see reefers hunting for Turbo snails at the seaside

[IanJ]

As i mentioned, since this algae took over i have a few as yet unexplained losses. This morning i saw the first signs of a downward spiral on what was my purple and blue tip milli , a strip of epoxy was quickly wrapped around the base to try to save it whilst i quickly got ready for work.

If the worse should happen, i may have to check out photo's of all you tanks to find who might be a suitable donor of a replacement frag ,once i am satisfied my tank is in order.

[weileong]

IanJ I do have something similar, purple/pink body with blue tips milepora but it is still 1" size but growing a lot of tips now so maybe in 6-8months time can spare you one frag if you don't mind it is not exactly the same chio one you looking for.

[IanJ]

Thanks and i am sure it will be very Chio in 6-8 months

[lightningstrike]

where to find pacific turbo snails locally?