What will eat my plants?

NowasReef · 01/15/2019, 07:19 AM

My tank is a 70 gallon that has been up and running about 6 months.
I have about 100 lbs of live rock that I got from an established tank.
After about 2 months I started to see plant growth coming out of about half the rock. As it gets long I have been pruning it.
It's now to the point where I can't really keep up on it and it's starting to irritate my corals.
I don't necessarily want to eradicate it as it has been a haven for pod growth but is their anything that will eat it to more keep it in check?

Fish wise I have a royal gramma, 2 occ clowns, a black blenny, and a tomini tang along with various snails and crabs

trying to add a pic

Thanks

Dmorty217 · 01/15/2019, 07:40 AM

Look into a urchin

Daddi0 · 01/15/2019, 08:36 AM

I had Caulerpa growing in my reef. It was good looking for a bit, then its growth got to the point it was covering corals and out of control. Like you I tried to prune it but I could never get ahead. I ended up pulling the rocks out in stages and soaking for 24 hours in vinegar followed by 1 week in R/O followed by a week in the sun. Finally got rid of it. the pods will find other places to hang out.
Cheers! Mark

NowasReef · 01/15/2019, 08:56 AM

Thanks! The tank is doing well so I really don't want to pull everything apart. And I'm in Michigan so we won't see the sun for about 6 months from now so baking it isn't really an option.
Maybe I'll try the urchin route and see what happens. My hermits already knock everything over so it'll maybe force me to glue some things in place

lifeoffaith · 01/15/2019, 09:12 AM

Definitely go with an urchin. I'd recommend a pencil urchin. Mine has done a great job keeping things under control.

NowasReef · 01/15/2019, 09:27 AM

Here's a pic

D-Nak · 01/15/2019, 10:26 AM

Hard to tell in the photo but that might be bryopsis. If it is, look up Fluconazole as a removal option.

NowasReef · 01/15/2019, 10:53 AM

The photos I find of bryopsis look much more feathery. Are there different kinds?
Ive attatched maybe a little better pic of it

jlmawp · 01/15/2019, 11:19 AM

Is it red? Looks like a species of dictyota. I have this as well. It can take over relatively quickly if left unchecked, in my experience. It's possible to fight with effort, though. I've been able to localize it to a couple more secluded rocks in my tank. I don't have a refugium, so I keep it around to accomplish nutrient reduction.

NowasReef · 01/15/2019, 11:26 AM

Thanks. That sounds like its along the right track. I think i will relocate the candy cane that it seems to be bothering. It is "contained" on one side of the tank...other than the constant pieces I have to pick out of my pumps. It does seem to be very effective at nutrient reduction and the tank stays very stable

D-Nak · 01/15/2019, 11:55 AM

Yes, in the new photo I see dictyota as well as codium (green bush right behind the gramma).

I hear that AlgaeFix can get rid of it, but I try to stay away from chemicals. In my 60 gallon flat I had a purple and maculiceps tang -- one or both were eating all of the algae. Now that they're out I have all sorts of algae growing including bubble, dictyota, and codium.

jlmawp · 01/15/2019, 11:56 AM

That's good to hear. Every once in a while, I'll go through and just pull out as much as possible with tongs, and then do some turkey basting around the tank to knock free the loose piece during extraction, and just siphon them up. I'm pretty careful about let those pieces float around because they will grow wherever they land.

lifeoffaith · 01/15/2019, 12:08 PM

Would love to get my hands on some of that if you feel like shipping! I hear it can be invasive, but since one of my tanks is a macroalgae tank, I'd love to get some.

NowasReef · 01/15/2019, 12:11 PM

Yea I have codium in a few places as well but that isn't a problem.
Its amazing what "pops" out of the rock.
I think I will just stay with the manual removal route. I don't really want to try and treat chemically if I don't have to. And like i said the tank is really healthy.
My tomini tang and blenny seem to snack on it occasionally, but not enough to keep in in check

steallife904 · 01/15/2019, 02:16 PM

give an urchin a try, they will eat about anything so its a toss up but they are cool either way. I have a blue tux urchin I think its a super cool member of the tank regardless of what he does. So far I can say he keeps my rocks clean.

steallife904 · 01/15/2019, 02:18 PM

Also maybe a sea hare????

01/15/2019, 07:19 AM	#1
NowasReef Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 263	What will eat my plants? My tank is a 70 gallon that has been up and running about 6 months. I have about 100 lbs of live rock that I got from an established tank. After about 2 months I started to see plant growth coming out of about half the rock. As it gets long I have been pruning it. It's now to the point where I can't really keep up on it and it's starting to irritate my corals. I don't necessarily want to eradicate it as it has been a haven for pod growth but is their anything that will eat it to more keep it in check? Fish wise I have a royal gramma, 2 occ clowns, a black blenny, and a tomini tang along with various snails and crabs trying to add a pic Thanks __________________ :beachbum: Current Tank Info: 70 reef, 20 Reef, 65 African Cichlid, 25 FW Community

01/15/2019, 07:40 AM	#2
Dmorty217 Saltwater Addict Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Vandalia OHIO Posts: 11,624	Look into a urchin __________________ Fish are not disposable commodities, but a worthwhile investment that can be maintained and enjoyed for many years, providing one is willing to take the time to understand their requirements and needs Current Tank Info: 625g, 220g sump, RD3 230w, Vectra L1 on a closed loop, 3 MP60s, MP40. Several QTs

01/15/2019, 08:36 AM	#3
Daddi0 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Redwood City Posts: 1,354	I had Caulerpa growing in my reef. It was good looking for a bit, then its growth got to the point it was covering corals and out of control. Like you I tried to prune it but I could never get ahead. I ended up pulling the rocks out in stages and soaking for 24 hours in vinegar followed by 1 week in R/O followed by a week in the sun. Finally got rid of it. the pods will find other places to hang out. Cheers! Mark __________________ 2x 65g displays with a 30g cryptic refugium and 30g sump - 55g reef 30g Bio-cube reef - I.M. 30g reef - 45g freshwater

01/15/2019, 08:56 AM	#4
NowasReef Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 263	Thanks! The tank is doing well so I really don't want to pull everything apart. And I'm in Michigan so we won't see the sun for about 6 months from now so baking it isn't really an option. Maybe I'll try the urchin route and see what happens. My hermits already knock everything over so it'll maybe force me to glue some things in place __________________ :beachbum: Current Tank Info: 70 reef, 20 Reef, 65 African Cichlid, 25 FW Community

01/15/2019, 10:26 AM	#7
D-Nak Registered Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 5,797	Hard to tell in the photo but that might be bryopsis. If it is, look up Fluconazole as a removal option. __________________ Tank info: 120 gallon 48x30x20 high DT. Clownfish breeding rack in full swing: C-Quest Onyx, Bali Aquarich P1 Picasso + Rod's Onyx, wild percula + Rod's Onyx.

01/15/2019, 09:12 AM	#5
lifeoffaith Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Grand Rapids MI area Posts: 737	Definitely go with an urchin. I'd recommend a pencil urchin. Mine has done a great job keeping things under control.

01/15/2019, 11:19 AM	#9
jlmawp Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 595	Is it red? Looks like a species of dictyota. I have this as well. It can take over relatively quickly if left unchecked, in my experience. It's possible to fight with effort, though. I've been able to localize it to a couple more secluded rocks in my tank. I don't have a refugium, so I keep it around to accomplish nutrient reduction.

01/15/2019, 11:26 AM	#10
NowasReef Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 263	Thanks. That sounds like its along the right track. I think i will relocate the candy cane that it seems to be bothering. It is "contained" on one side of the tank...other than the constant pieces I have to pick out of my pumps. It does seem to be very effective at nutrient reduction and the tank stays very stable __________________ :beachbum: Current Tank Info: 70 reef, 20 Reef, 65 African Cichlid, 25 FW Community

01/15/2019, 11:55 AM	#11
D-Nak Registered Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 5,797	Yes, in the new photo I see dictyota as well as codium (green bush right behind the gramma). I hear that AlgaeFix can get rid of it, but I try to stay away from chemicals. In my 60 gallon flat I had a purple and maculiceps tang -- one or both were eating all of the algae. Now that they're out I have all sorts of algae growing including bubble, dictyota, and codium. __________________ Tank info: 120 gallon 48x30x20 high DT. Clownfish breeding rack in full swing: C-Quest Onyx, Bali Aquarich P1 Picasso + Rod's Onyx, wild percula + Rod's Onyx.

01/15/2019, 11:56 AM	#12
jlmawp Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 595	That's good to hear. Every once in a while, I'll go through and just pull out as much as possible with tongs, and then do some turkey basting around the tank to knock free the loose piece during extraction, and just siphon them up. I'm pretty careful about let those pieces float around because they will grow wherever they land.

01/15/2019, 12:08 PM	#13
lifeoffaith Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Grand Rapids MI area Posts: 737	Would love to get my hands on some of that if you feel like shipping! I hear it can be invasive, but since one of my tanks is a macroalgae tank, I'd love to get some.

01/15/2019, 12:11 PM	#14
NowasReef Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 263	Yea I have codium in a few places as well but that isn't a problem. Its amazing what "pops" out of the rock. I think I will just stay with the manual removal route. I don't really want to try and treat chemically if I don't have to. And like i said the tank is really healthy. My tomini tang and blenny seem to snack on it occasionally, but not enough to keep in in check __________________ :beachbum: Current Tank Info: 70 reef, 20 Reef, 65 African Cichlid, 25 FW Community

01/15/2019, 02:16 PM	#15
steallife904 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 944	give an urchin a try, they will eat about anything so its a toss up but they are cool either way. I have a blue tux urchin I think its a super cool member of the tank regardless of what he does. So far I can say he keeps my rocks clean.

01/15/2019, 02:18 PM	#16
steallife904 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 944	Also maybe a sea hare????