wanareef Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 OK, I've had problems with my DIY skimmer, the DC5500S to be exact. Too small for the skimmer and it's stopped working and have been back and forth with CoralVue on repair and exchanges, for the last 3 months. So the tank looks like this with no skimmer and several fish. Is this stuff "turf algae" for sure it's not "hair algae" cause it'snot long and stringy - short, thick and wiry. Been thinking of cooking the LR with muratic acid or peroxide, not sure which way to go. Ideas?? And no the yellow tang , purple tang and tomei won't touch the stuff - let alone the clean up crew I dumped 2 weeks ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheClark Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 Man, I went through this same thing. People have different reasons, but for me it was old sand leaching phosphate. I siphoned most of it out. A little here and there a few days apart until it stopped growing. After removing probably 80% of my sand, the algae started turning white and dying off. Now I have a thin 1/8" coat of it on the rocks making them appear fuzzy, but it is dead (white/grey, not green). A halloween urchin is slowly but surely clearing that fuzz off, I should be fuzz free in another month. Tough stuff, good luck in your battles! I have a skimmer you can borrow if coralvue does not get back soon. It is a SWC-200 with jebao dc12000 pump, just say the word. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wanareef Posted September 1, 2015 Author Share Posted September 1, 2015 Thanks for the offer, I'll let you know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badxgillen Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 If it is the turf algae then it is the Devil! I have been trying to win a battle with a green turf algae in a tank for a long time now and I can't seem to gain any ground and if I let up Any it creeps further along...Halloween urchin huh? I guess it is worth a shot, now if I could find one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wanareef Posted September 1, 2015 Author Share Posted September 1, 2015 I'll try an experiment and see if peroxide or muratic acid will kill it or not - I'm sure a lot of elbow grease will be needed as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jorge Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 A uv sterilizer will keep it from coming back or getting worse. I happen to have an aqua 80w available 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exodus Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 I'll try an experiment and see if peroxide or muratic acid will kill it or not - I'm sure a lot of elbow grease will be needed as well I would start with Peroxide, remember it's safe bet for 1Ml per 10Gallons, be sure to inject in a high flow area (Next to power head) Best time is when the lights are off and only do this assuming you don't have any anemone's in the tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheClark Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 If it is the turf algae then it is the Devil! I have been trying to win a battle with a green turf algae in a tank for a long time now and I can't seem to gain any ground and if I let up Any it creeps further along...Halloween urchin huh? I guess it is worth a shot, now if I could find one. Roy has a few in his tank and they scrub the rocks down good, his tank is so clean. I think the blue tuxedo is just as good but that is just me guessing. All frag toting, sticky urchin caveats apply I couldn't get rid of it until ditching my dirty old sand. That was what did it for me. I also stopped dosing phytoplankton but that alone was not enough. Heck I think it is different for all of us, just sharing. I love not seeing it in the tank anymore, serious downer at times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wanareef Posted September 1, 2015 Author Share Posted September 1, 2015 (edited) I'm bare bottom at the moment. For cooking the LR, I will be taking a couple pcs out and soaking in 50/50 peroxide to water or acid to water - that's the idea Jorge I do run UV but that's not helping Edited September 1, 2015 by wanareef Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheClark Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 Peroxide is nice because you can dip, rinse and put it back in the tank (at least I do for zoa colonies). Acid is more devastating but probably more effective as it would eat off that layer of calcium and phosphate. Have to be careful I suppose with the biological filter as you eluded to doing a piece or two now and then. That turf stuff is strong, even after acid and bleach some of it stayed on my rocks even though it was dead and white, had to pull it off (needle nose worked well) I followed this article for my son's rock: Rock Reincarnation - Beyond Cooking http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1914426 Well for what its worth, that is one opinion anyways. Good luck!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheClark Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 Ran across an rc post using urchins http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=23968053 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wanareef Posted September 4, 2015 Author Share Posted September 4, 2015 Thanks for the links, I like the way the rock looks after the acid bath, more open and porous. I'm sure my rock is showing "old tank syndrome" this time after the peroxide and bleach I'll use the acid soak as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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