Bryopsis! It's Killing Me!

[Steve H.]

Hello all!

I have a huge Bryopsis algae problem that I can't get over.

Twice now I've upped my Mg to 1600ppm using Kent Tech M. It helps kill it off to an almost gone state, but it never goes away completely. Then when it comes back it comes back twice as fast and triple the size.

I still do a 25% weekly water change. I have multiple nitrate/phosphate removal systems in place. Skimmer, algae scrubber, gfo reactor, Purigen, and Chemipure Eliete.

I can't go through another Mg treatment...it's $200 every time. So, I think I'm at the point to where I have to breakdown and start over.

Unless...there is something I haven't tried?

Also, a best method for trying to save my CUC, inverts, nem's, and fish stock if I break down the tank to start over.

Thanks!

 

[Donya]

How long has the algae problem been going on and what herbivores do you have in the tank right now? Also, have you tried growing any macro species grow in your system as a competing species - specifically, if you have, they thrive or die? 

 

[Steve H.]

I have had chaeto in the sump on a couple of occasions but dies off rather quickly 2 to 3 weeks.

I only have a law mower Blenny right now, but he doesn't seem to touch it on the rocks. Only goes for smaller patches of algae in the corners.
Oh...tank has been running 2 years, and I've been battling this for the past 3-4 months.

 

[Donya]

If chaeto dies off but the Bryopsis doesn't, that sounds like there is something a bit strange is going on. If it was a nitrate or phosphate issue, the chaeto should at least hang in there; it's a very good nutrient competitor. So, I would guess that either you are somehow overcleaning the water and removing trace things that other competing species need in order to compete or there is something bad in there killing off competing species. What are the Mg levels like now? Have you dosed anything else regularly?
 
Also, should have asked before: how is the scrubber doing? Lots of growth or has it been struggling like the chaeto?
 
Lawnmower blennies don't necessarily eat Bryopsis, but they will eat other species that might otherwise compete with it. What grazing inverts do you have? Some sea urchin species eat Bryopsis unless you have an unusual strain (which is possible). About a year back I had a tank that got to be a bit of a mess with Bryopsis and hair algae, and I used to pull clumps of both out to feed to my pincushion urchins (Lytechinus variegatus and Tripneustes gratilla) in other tanks. The downside to control by grazers is that you MUST feed them supplementally when the algae starts to dwindle or they will starve rather rapidly, and, particularly in the case of sea urchins, they can take to chewing on things they wouldn't otherwise (plastic, snails, coral...). 
 
Algae problems can be very slow to correct, and quick solutions that create a sudden die-off rarely work long-term. It's pretty common to have near-success only to have the algae come right back because the root of the problem wasn't dealt with. However, that doesn't mean breaking down and starting over is a good idea either. If you reuse the rock or possibly even if you just repeat what you did the first time and get Bryopsis in there from water contamination, you could end up with the same issue. The culprit really should be found before considering starting over.

 

[Steve H.]

My Mg is down to 1280ppm. I don't dose anything else at the moment. I have no corals so I don't dose anything extra. Regular w/c keep parameters in check.

I also have Miracle Mud in the fuge to help keep trace elements up.

The algae scrubber is producing, however it is hard to tell wether it is hair algae, or just Bryopsis.
My pod population has been crazy since the outbreak.

It's funny. Besides coraline algae Bryopsis is all I have. At w/c glass rarely needs cleaning, and nothing but coraline in the sump.
It just looks like my rock is wearing a green fuzzy sweater.

I don't have any urchins, but I have a couple of Emerald crabs, and 100s of snails. Turbo's, Florida Cerith, dwarf cerith, and Nassarius.

I don't measure any phosphate or nitrates, but I am guessing tests are inaccurate due to the Bryopsis consuming what is present.

Things went south when I didn't change my DI resin soon enough. First, I got Cyano, and then the Bryopsis.
I've since added a TDS meter so that won't happen again.
Also, gfo reactor was recently added in hopes it would help with my issue.

The tank ran a year with just the scrubber and skimmer.

I am thinking it might be the rock. I've used 100% dry rock. I've read it may leach phosphates, but I never found that to be the case...but since it is only the rock it might be.

I do turkey base the rock regularly...

 

[Donya]

Things went south when I didn't change my DI resin soon enough. First, I got Cyano, and then the Bryopsis.
I've since added a TDS meter so that won't happen again.
Also, gfo reactor was recently added in hopes it would help with my issue.

 
That sounds to me like it's the root of things. The progression you saw (cyano then pest algae of some sort) is pretty normal when tanks get hit with excess nutrients. It's really common with hair algae and has happened to me more than once with nutrient bombs from things crawling off and dying in the rocks unexpectedly and also from excess nutrients in the new water added at water changes. The bad news is that it takes months to ride it out sometimes and there are rarely quick solutions that are stable. 
 
The herbivores you have at the moment won't really eat Bryopsis for the most part (including the Emeralds - might nibble but won't eradicate it). Large Turbos will sometimes eat it, but it sounds like yours aren't doing much - but if you have lots of them, they'll be making sure there's nothing else to compete with the things they don't eat. Cerith only deal with film algaes really and Nassarius are carnivores so they won't do much against pest algae except avoiding excess nutrients from rotting food tucked away in crevices. You're also right that you can't trust phosphate or nitrate tests with algal blooms like this, since unless the problem is totally out of control it'll just tell you the water's perfect for whatever it's using up. 
 
If it was my tank, I'd try an urchin, just one for starters and see whether it leaves a munched-clean path in the pest algae. If it won't touch the stuff, then take it back since it could starve otherwise and also would just turn to your coralline - and that would sort of be the end of algae-eater options really. Since you don't have corals to worry about, I'd suggest either L. variegatus or T. gratilla, which are sold as pincushion urchins usually. Tuxedo urchins (Mespilia globulus) are good hair algae eaters but are also really picky eaters by comparison, so they would not be my first choice against algae that snails won't also eat. In case you run into it elsewhere, hobby lore frequently says that all of those urchins need a steady diet of coralline, which is basically bogus. They will eat coralline, but what they really need is a steady diet of soft algaes or they starve. All of my grazing urchins of various species have always eliminated soft algae first with a coralline nibble here and there and then only become more seriously interested in the coralline after the soft algae is gone. 

 

[Steve H.]

Thanks!

I'll pick up a couple and just keep battling.