Success Controlling Red Turf Algae

[sen5241b]

There are MANY red algaes and almost every discussion of red turf algae on the web confuses different types of algae. It is a dark red wine color, grows in low nitrate/phosphate environments, especially in high flow areas. You cannot scrub or pull it off --it is far to tough. It is short and velvety to the touch. It has little vine-like creepers (see photo) that grip the rock. It can overgrow and kill some corals --I've seen it happen. The best thing to do is to control it and forget about eliminating it. It doesn't look so bad. My Tuxedo urchin will not touch it although I've Diademas might eat it.

 

First, turn off flow. Take a needle-less syringe and then moving VERY slowly so as not to stir up anything, inject the algae with Chem Marin's "Stop Aptasia" like you are saturating carpet with syrup. Let the stuff sit for 20 minutes. Maybe cover it with the cut-off end of a plastic 1-liter coke bottle so that fish and critters don't stir it up. Then slowly suction out most of the "stop aptasia" with a turkey baster. I use carbon and floss to mop any excess. Turn flow back on. The red turf algae will turn bright red almost immediately and this means you killed it. A day or two later it will turn white. After a week or two it will either flake off or you can brush it off with a steel brush. You will probably need a series of treatments if its really bad.

 

Edited December 8, 2010 by sen5241b

[Der ABT]

most of the aiptasia stuff is just kalk paste, has a very high ph so it kills a ton...dont have this problem but i bet it would work the same

[sen5241b]

Stop Aptasia is a green liquid --I think it contains some type of hot-pepper extract but (like a lot of additive products) they really don't tell you the ingredients.

[Origami]

Cool. Thanks for the tip.

[Kingumar]

idk if this is a good idea or not. I had a problem with this.. some of the algae was on a small piece of rock. I took the rock out, put it under hot tap water and let it sit for 5-10 mins. I put it back in the tank, the next morning it was all white and then went away.