Weed from Hell!!!

[hiepatitis]

I finally got rid of my bryopsis a few months ago. I thought that stuff was bad. Next thing I know I have an outbreak of Dictyota. Anyone who has had it knows how bad it can be. My tank is very low nutrient, more like nutrient deficient. But it appears that this stuff grows even in low nutrient conditions.

I did some research and found that in the 80's there was a wipe out of long-spined urchins in Florida and was follow by an outbreak of dictyota. Which led some to believe that urchins kept it in check. The only other thing that will touch this stuff are scribbled rabbitfish and naso's. I picked up all three from Aquarium Showroom (I also spent another $700 there). So far the Naso has eatin some of it.

Be warned. This is some nasty stuff. I'd rather have herpes... maybe not.

 

[LeviT]

What no pics? .....please no herpes pics lol

 

[zepplock]

http://images.google.com/images?q=Dictyota&sourceid=navclient-ff&rlz=1B3GGGL_enUS282US282&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&resnum=1&ct=title

 

[GreshamH]

It pulls nutrients from the rocks so even though your water shows low nutrients the rocks say otherwise to the macro

 

[hiepatitis]

It's in my frag tank and growing on my crates. I've skimmed and upped the phosphate media to a point where my SPS have faded but the crap keeps coming. Good news is that the naso started munching the stuff.

 

[GreshamH]

Styrene eggcrate, right? PO4 is released from it as the mold agent is, or has, po4 in it.

 

[Euphyllia]

OMG! I looked at those pictures. That stuff is so pretty! (Not saying to not kill it. Do the best you can to get it gone!)
But for the nutrients problem, Add supplements as needed for your corals and put some phosphate absorbers in there in case of a phosphate spike. Also, try to feed the naso less (or not at all) so it will get really hungry and eat a lot of it. That is just a suggestion.

 

[tuberider]

[quote author=GreshamH link=topic=6093.msg77323#msg77323 date=1233163381]
It pulls nutrients from the rocks so even though your water shows low nutrients the rocks say otherwise to the macro
[/quote]

I have the same problem with Halimeda, it's taken at least 3 years for my rock to finally start "turning the corner" as our former great leader said. The "roots" gets under the surface of the rock and drinks up all of the bound up nutrients, which when is leeched out of the rock is negligible with GFO and such, but once something takes root, my god what a PITA.