Low Nutrient Tanks and Red Turf Algae

[stingnyc]

I have had my BB tank setup for about 3 months now and noticed some red turf algae growing. Its been growing steadily for the past few month and want to stop it.

Is this algae caused from low nutrients? Does anyone know how to get rid of it? LMK

-Steve

 

[herman]

Mexican Turbo Snails is what you need. Follow this link nto get to a small article on RC. Tangs hermits etc will not touch the stuff. Good Luck!!

 

[stingnyc]

Mexican Turbo Snails is what you need. Follow this link nto get to a small article on RC. Tangs hermits etc will not touch the stuff. Good Luck!!

thanks herman.... is anyone else having this problem? i never had this type of algae growing in my dsb.


also does anyone know a cheap place to get mexican turbos? thanks

 

[Chris5]

Red Algae

thanks herman.... is anyone else having this problem? i never had this type of algae growing in my dsb.


also does anyone know a cheap place to get mexican turbos? thanks

Turbos did an ok job at cleaning the rocks....I had the same problem in the early stages of my old 30g it was caked on everywhere, and if i am not mistaken it was like red slime.....you could literally just peel it off....it got worse before it got better did alot of water changes, stuff like that and than one day WOW it was gone.....slowly but surely it will go away ...could be lack of elements....not enough cal etc.....

 

[herman]

red slime is different from red turf. Red slime algae is actually cyanobacteria. Red turf is not that easy to rip out. Just about any LFS should carry the mexican turbos. Just get an image of it so that the dumbasses at some LFS's dont give you something else.

 

[romain]

also does anyone know a cheap place to get mexican turbos? thanks

Fishtown should have them, 3 / $7.

 

[stingnyc]

Fishtown should have them, 3 / $7.

Thanks, I'll stop by FT today.

 

[Dmitry]

Steve, I got a bunch of turbos in my sump. I ordered 100 from Reeftopia, but really didn't need that many. They've been crawling around in there for a little over a week.

 

[stingnyc]

Steve, I got a bunch of turbos in my sump. I ordered 100 from Reeftopia, but really didn't need that many. They've been crawling around in there for a little over a week.

thanks dimitry, but i'm looking for the larger mexican turbos...

 

[Dace]

Steve, I got a bunch of turbos in my sump. I ordered 100 from Reeftopia, but really didn't need that many. They've been crawling around in there for a little over a week.

how big are the snails

 

[Dmitry]

They're kind of medium sized. How would one measure a snail?? Not large, but not tiny either.

 

[jackson6745]

mex turbos help but i don't know of anyone who has totally gotten rid of the red turf algae.

 

[stingnyc]

rich,

i forgot to tell you the hoeki looks great! thanks

-steve

 

[romain]

Steve, what's the level of phosphate? I was heard high level of phosphate could lead to red algae as well.

 

[nyfireman3097]

my PO4 is at .02 wit my hanna test kit and i have it and it came from no where i have been noticing it alot in others tanks lately i dont know y .........how muuch for some of those turbos in ur sump ????
Nick

 

[cali_reef]

JB NY have it in his tank, alot of it. He think they are introduced by Bali AC acros. He tried a lot of things and still can't get rid of it.

 

[stingnyc]

JB NY have it in his tank, alot of it. He think they are introduced by Bali AC acros. He tried a lot of things and still can't get rid of it.

thats not good...

 

[pecan2phat]

Steve,

I have this same red turf like nussiance algae growing all over my beautiful Marshall Island live rock.
I run a BB SPS dominated tank like you do & it's not a low nutrient problem. I also do not have high nutrients based on my last test with the following Salifert test kits. Ammonia, Nitrite were zero, Phosphates were undetectable, Nitrate was .02 ppm (less then a tenth), Calcium was at 440 ppm, Alkalinity was 9.3 DKH and PH ran 8.4 at peak and 8.1 at night. Those numbers are pretty good but the red turf algae started to take a foothold in June-July '05. My tank was setup in Feb '05. I did bi-monthly 20% water changes, tried Micro-Lift Special Blend Bacteria supplement, added 6 Mexican Turbos in August to the many Astrea & Ceriths that have been in the tank since day one. I really didn't see a difference. The red turf algae actually started to spread more. Two weeks ago, I added another 6 Mexican Turbos from FishTown (the first 6 were from Aquarium Adventure and looked a tiny bit different in shell pattern) and there seems to be a start of some progress or mowing now. I don't know if it has to do with the recent additions of the new turbos, or if it was also the 20 Trochus snails that I got from NEA at the frag swap, or the Special Blend Bacteria supplement kicking in or a combo of all.
Either way, it looks like it might be a slow process, but at least something or someone is starting to work.

cali_reef thinks it's from my use of Oceanic Salt, I tend to think it was off of some frag plugs when i bought a frag pack from Oceanrealm. I remember trying to scrub the plugs back then but it was difficult to get off without destroying the actual frags. Also remember some Carribean Astrea snails coming in covered with them also.

I spoke to JBNY about it & he didn't think that the Special Blend or Mexican turbos helped. He felt that the regular Astreas ate some of it but very slowly. I still say, try the authentic Mexican turbos.

 

[stingnyc]

Hi Warren,

Not sure what causing it but it has been very fusturating.... I tried the Trochus snails from NEA and they didn't seem to work. I'm going to try Mexican Turbos from FT, I'll keep you posted on the progress.

Does the red turg algae grow bushy in your tank? Mine seems to be tapered to the rocks. My sailfin seems to like it and keeps it trimed. Hes really strange he even eats bubble algae. =/

 

[pecan2phat]

It grows tapered to the rocks. When it is new, you see the network like in your pics but as it gets denser, then it looks turf like. I had a Powder Blue that kept it in check for a while. He grazed on it day & night & didn't eat much prepared foods. Unfortunately he got infected with Ick fatally! I also have a Chevron that doesn't touch the stuff.