lobophora algae (Brown Wafer Algae)

[jpkboca]

Any clues on this algae?
I, like all the stuff I read on google, pluck it off as much as possible, but its took over many rocks and the rocks are completly brown without the flakes. It's not easy [at all] to take some of the big rocks out] and scrub them and bleach them like recommended. But over the months it has spread alot [as it says any rocks touchign usually become affected]. It even grows on my koralias.
The only thing I see about control is, excess nutrients, and carbon? Is this right? If so, what excess nutrients? I have also read that it likes really clean water, and not excess nutrients, so that conflicts I have a 90 gallon, Octo 160 extreme, phosban reactor [no carbon as of now].
I have read Naso tangs and [some urchins] help [but a naso is not a option in this tank size]. Is a urchin a valid control for this, if so which ones .
Any help is appreciated, this algae sure is a pain, and has been there for several months and just keeps spreading.
I have 2 250 w MH [reeflux 12k], that are run from about 12 - 7 [is that too long??]
Thanks,
Jeff

 

[jstdv8]

is it a diatom, like brown hair aglae? Or something else?

 

[jpkboca]

Not diatoms, it is brown, and flakes off like wafers if you pull it off, otherwise on the rocks its kind of slick and slimy.
If you google for it you can see what I mean, it's not a fun algae
Originally Posted by Jstdv8
http:///forum/post/3177583
is it a diatom, like brown hair aglae? Or something else?

 

[spanko]

I would venture a guess that your best bet with this will be a Siganus unimaculatus, one spot foxface. They are voracious algae eaters. I would take some to a local fish store that has a foxface and see if the owner or worker will see if it eats it. Then buy it. In my experience with the foxface and algae it is an amazing fish.

 

[fretfreak13]

Get an urchin. Personally I don't think it would hurt, I have one in my reef and love the little guy. He's black with a somewhat red center that seems to glow under the atinics. Looks like a creature straight outta hell, but I think he's cool in that way. lol I don't have any algea problems either (except stupid diatoms)

 

[katsafados]

Originally Posted by Fretfreak13
http:///forum/post/3177677
Get an urchin. Personally I don't think it would hurt, I have one in my reef and love the little guy. He's black with a somewhat red center that seems to glow under the atinics. Looks like a creature straight outta hell, but I think he's cool in that way. lol I don't have any algea problems either (except stupid diatoms)
That red center is its eye lol..

 

[spanko]

Originally Posted by Katsafados
http:///forum/post/3177681
That red center is its eye lol..
Just a clarification here from Dr. Ron Shimek;
"In long spined sea urchins, the anus is found on a small bulbous stalk in the middle of the top of the animal. It is often ringed with a colored band, and looks rather like an eye, if you ignore what is coming out of it, that is. I have been told by many folks that the structure they see has to be an eye, and the animal looks around with it…. Nope…"

 

[wangotango]

Lobophora Variagata, I remeber this stuff... (It was a P I T A too).
If your tank is big enough then a Naso tang is your best bet. Long-spine (diadema) are pretty much hit or miss, mine helped somewhat but in no way cleaned the entire tank alone. All of my rock was covered. The leafy stuff is easy to get off, but the stuff that's really stuck on there is almost impossible to get off by hand.
Good luck! Mine seemed to all vanish after a while.
-Justin

 

[jpkboca]

Thanks all. I hope mine goes away too. The leafy stuff is fine, the other stuff is ugly and impossible