How To Clean Hair Algae/bryiopsis From Live Rock?

[stefday]

I currently have hair algae and bryiopsis repeatedly growing on certain parts of live rock. I am currently setting up a nitrate reactor and the levels are slowly reducing and are currently about 10.

I have good circulation and have reduced my lighting period.

At present I am trying to remove it manually but it just seems to keep growing and I wondered if anybody had any other suggestions?

I think in parts of the tank it can look more natural but it seems to want to take over my corals as well.


Current levels are nitrite 0, nitrate 10 and reducing,magnesium 1380,calcium 430 to 450,iodine 0.06,strontium 12 to 14,KH 8 to 10, pH 7.9 to 8.0,phosphate 0.0.25 (just added Rowaphos to cannister filter)and 0.026.

Thanks.

 

[seffieuk]

The briopsis feeds off nitrate, so if you are gtting a reading of 10 in reality it is much higher as the briopsis is using it to grow. I would:

• Use purigen or a nitrate reactor
• turn the rock over so that no light can get to it, as it is also Photosynthesises
• If you dont have an urchin, buy a tuxedo, some say they eat the stuff whilst trying to get to the coraline (don't worry, they are useful little creatures, helping rock to breath, it soon gets covered again)

Seffie x

 

[Rumpy Pumpy]

Get some herbivores.

Also. try an algae scrubber. I have, It works very well.

Details here http/www.algaescrubber.net/forums/viewforum.php?f=1

 

[seffieuk]

Some while ago there was suggestion that raising magnesium levels helps.

If you decide to pull the stuff out, make sure you do it out of the tank. It is like aiptasia, it will send spores out and instead of a small patch you will end up with a whole tank full

If you only have a small patch it might be worth either just getting rid of the rock or isolating in a qt tank, without light and nitrates - must be worth a try, before it spreads all over your tank

Seffie x