refugium

[Ralphp]

Hello
This is my first post.Im having a problem with dictoya algae,its taking over my tank.I was thinkiing of adding a refugium to my system.Do you think if I grow the dictoya in there it would out-compete the algea in the main tank?All my water paramaters are fine I change about 30 percent of my water every 2 weeks using ro for all makeup.Also when I first set up my tank it took 2 weeks for the sand storm to settle down .Would I hook up the refugium in a closed loop till the sand settled down?Any help would be great thanks

[Zack]

yes it should as long as you have that plants in there. Not completely but mostly of it IMO i have seen it happen. Good luck

[HoopsGuru]

Actually, if I am understanding your question, I don't think the refugium will help. You already have the algae in the main tank and you are considering also growing it in the refugium. If it's the same algae, one will not "outcompete" the other just by being in different locations. You would need to harvest a caulerpa or other marine plant in the refugium that is more effecient at using the nutrients the dictoya does to reduce it's presence in the main tank.

[Ralphp]

Hello
Thanks for the replys. I have to try something.I am at the point when I look at the tank I think of tearing it down and put guppys in,but all the money I spent my wife will kill me.

[phistio]

RalphP,

i've heard that once fauna is established in a fuge, and macro-algaes start flourishing, that dictyota or dictyopteris algaes will crash, once something utilizes the nutrients for growth...the problem is, dictyota use the same nutrients that beneficial macro's use, at an accellerated rate...

my reccommendation would be to rid the main tank of as much as you can, and see if you can get caulerpa growing in a fuge...also...boost up the skimmer if you can...

i've heard that some have eradicated dictyota populations by pulling the blades, and putting a bit of plumbers putty/epoxy over the roots...it gets crusty, and can be removed from the rocks...

also, some say that tangs will eat dictyota, but i've also heard it is an unpleasant taste for most algae eating species, so it's hit and miss...

[Ralphp]

I had a tang it sarted nibbling at it but nothing major.Im going to start a refugium to see if it helps one thing it cant hurt. Thanks