Dealing with lyngbya

[Darkxerox]

Did a search here and online but not everyone agrees on a clear treatment.

For those unfamiliar, Lyngbya sp. is a cyanobacterium that looks like hair algae. In fact I always thought it was hair algae that nothing liked to eat until I ran across it in an old post somewhere. It doesn't have a strong holdfast or "root" so it comes up easily, but can really tangle up certain corals, gorgonians, walls, and pumps:

Note the gunk in the vortech is about two days of lyngbya getting sucked in.

Note that reef flux slowed it but didn't stop it, Chemiclean last year didn't do anything but knocked out the red slime.

I know @derek_SR prior to his current tank has issues. But curious to see if anyone here successfully knocked theirs out without something crazy? Only things I see online that might work are erythromycin or introducing different film algae that can outcompete.

 

[Adauqua]

Is your current nutrient N/P*1.53 out of 50-100 range?
I have not faced Lyngbya; whenever the nutrient ratio is out of range, patches of red cyano appear here and there in my tank.

Someone on R2R dip frags/rocks in 4ml peroxide/gl solution to dislodge it or treat a whole tank with peroxide using 1-2ml/gl ratio

 

[Kronic Reefer]

I have used Hydrogen peroxide with success. I used the humble fish peroxide dipping guidelines (for corals). It was on a small system with maybe 10lbs of rock. Sooo lots of work ahead if you take that route, make sure to follow the guidelines if you do In relation to the corals on the Rock. Not sure maybe urchins munch on it. Mine found other food and avoided it. The rock also had some green/brown slimy bubbly dinoflagellants, sorry no scope, and wiped those out.

 

[Darkxerox]

Is your current nutrient N/P*1.53 out of 50-100 range?
I have not faced Lyngbya; whenever the nutrient ratio is out of range, patches of red cyano appear here and there in my tank.

Someone on R2R dip frags/rocks in 4ml peroxide/gl solution to dislodge it or treat a whole tank with peroxide using 1-2ml/gl ratio

I've been anywhere from 0ppm nitrate with 0.4ppm phosphate 4 months ago to 15 ppm nitrate and 0.09 phosphate currently, zero effect on the lyngbya. Dipping isn't an option since my rock structures are huge, plus these things grow on walls, sand, sump, etc. So I need something systemic. All herbivores I've tried avoid it (trochus, astrea, three species of hermits, three species of urchin, conchs, tangs, blenny, emeralds, turbos, sea hares, etc.), so I'm assuming it's noxious.

Manual removal helps but it always comes back. Anyone here successfully eradicate it systemically?

 

[tribbitt]

Can you describe your tank conditions? Temp, flow, other parameters, anything weird that you dose

 

[Darkxerox]

Can you describe your tank conditions? Temp, flow, other parameters, anything weird that you dose

77F, flow is pretty good after cleaning but of course they clog up with Lyngbya. Everything else is standard targets. Dosing traces in my 3 part and my last ICP showed traces and minor elements within normal ranges. Only other dosing is ammonium bicarb, which started after this has been a problem.

 

[SupraSaltyReefer]

Maybe try fluconazole? That might be too crazy since you have sps tho

 

[MichaelB]

Can you get a close up Pic of it? I tried zooming in but it doesn't focus enough to a get clear visual.

 

[BAYMAC]

I got rid of it using Justin Credible's Hydrogen peroxide treatment.

 

[Darkxerox]

Maybe try fluconazole? That might be too crazy since you have sps tho

Did that already (reef flux). Killed the bryopsis but not this.

 

[Darkxerox]

I got rid of it using Justin Credible's Hydrogen peroxide treatment.

I need to look this up and see! Definitely trust him more than a random on r2r

 

[Adauqua]

I've been anywhere from 0ppm nitrate with 0.4ppm phosphate 4 months ago to 15 ppm nitrate and 0.09 phosphate currently, zero effect on the lyngbya. Dipping isn't an option since my rock structures are huge, plus these things grow on walls, sand, sump, etc. So I need something systemic. All herbivores I've tried avoid it (trochus, astrea, three species of hermits, three species of urchin, conchs, tangs, blenny, emeralds, turbos, sea hares, etc.), so I'm assuming it's noxious.

Manual removal helps but it always comes back. Anyone here successfully eradicate it systemically?

I need to look this up and see! Definitely trust him more than a random on r2r

I'm curious if low dosage of peroxide to be safe + fine-tune your nutrient ratio to 50-100 range (instead of current 255) would help or not

 

[Kronic Reefer]

Do you have UV in the system? I didn't see it on the equipment list in your tank build.

 

[Kronic Reefer]

If i was in your shoes I would run UV at the higher end of the pass through rated for the bulb by the manufacturer. Pull out what ever rocks I could and dip according to humble fish guide lines. Throw carbon in a reactor preferably on its own loop. Manually scrub away the bacteria and let the systems in place do the dirty work. I would do this all slowly and in sections of the tank as not to disturb the biome severely and shock the livestock. Im not sure if this is the solution and you have much more experience with your tank this is just how I would address the bacteria.

 

[gmdcdvm]

Did kthat already (reef flux). Killed the bryopsis but not this.

Did you notice any side effects from this? I have bryopsis but so far manual removal has kept it in checked. Would be nice to get rid of it. I worry about fish or coral loss.

 

[MichaelB]

Did you notice any side effects from this? I have bryopsis but so far manual removal has kept it in checked. Would be nice to get rid of it. I worry about fish or coral loss.

I've used it twice in the past, and I'm currently using it now. I've never had a issue. The potential risk is having a massive algae die off. Not changing pads, floss or socks and allowing nutrients or a ammonia to spike.

I personally just make sure I change the mechanical filtration more often than when I don't run reef flux. (Not running reef flux I change socks every 3 days, while running it. I change them every other day or daily based on observation of water flowing through them)

Only my opinion here but the vast majority of people that have used this has not had any problems using this. (A few with sps dominated tanks reported effects on sps. but not enough that I would be concerned, I don't recall fish loss reports) Going by articles, and fourms I've read in addtion to YouTube vidoes.

For those with issues:

1.) it's likely they didn't ensure they removed the dead alage and allowed it to decay inside the tank.

2.) They could also be those people that don't do regular water changes, swap socks once a month, or don't run any mechanical filtration at all.

3.) They could also be inpatient and exceed recommended dose.
(Label says give it two full weeks to work)
Lol there are many who want it gone tomorrow and use a times 10 multiplier to speed things up. They just fail to mention the above things when they mentioned having issues.

Again only my opinion. All the research I did before considering using this showed it's a extremely small number of people that have had issues.

I take a few cups of tank water and mix ot well outside the tank and dosing it slowly into a power head for maximum spread. I'm ensuring I don't just dump it on top of corals directly.

 

[Kronic Reefer]

Did you notice any side effects from this? I have bryopsis but so far manual removal has kept it in checked. Would be nice to get rid of it. I worry about fish or coral loss.

I noticed an increase in po4. I did not observe any extreme adverse reaction from the livestock. The polyps may have been a bit more retracted than normal. The fish were not noticeably affected as far as I could see visibly. I dosed the recommended amount and ran it for 3 days. I then ran carbon for a day. Did a 20% w/c and re dosed per instructions. I ran the course in full per the directions. I was also dosing chemi clean at the same time. I had insane bryopsis gha and cyano, it vanished. I do get all of those things popping up here and there but manual removal has proven to be effective. I am NOT suggesting to follow my lead! I am only saying that even with the system being NUKED I had no issues with flucanozole.

 

[MichaelB]

I'm starting to wonder how common this stuff here is and if it's possibly what I have. It sticks to power heads like crazy and reef flux day so 8 seems to have not noticeable effect as of yet. Urchins were only added yesterday but thus far they haven't touched it in 30 hours.

I hope it's not this stuff. But the color seems pretty close. Very very dark green yet closer to brownish black. Only difference is it appears alot longer than the pictures here.

It comes off easy enough but grows back in a day or two looking like i never touched it.

 

[dangalang]

I might have this too, though not as widespread as @Darkxerox and @MichaelB Looks like hair algae but nothing is eating it (tang, blenny, astrea, turbo, trochus). Maybe something is in the air in the south bay lol.

 

[MichaelB]

I might have this too, though not as widespread as @Darkxerox and @MichaelB Looks like hair algae but nothing is eating it (tang, blenny, astrea, turbo, trochus). Maybe something is in the air in the south bay lol.

Yea I'm not certain yet to be fair but just thinking outloud that it seems similar. I've never had any issues with crazy amounts hair alage in previous tanks.
So my experience I admit is limited with hair alage and similar. .