Bit of an algae problem

Well see, this is why I ask

 

those lights off ?..lol

 

They are off at night anyway - gunna turn the timer off for now though ><

 

I dunno what creature will eat it, but for 20 bucks ill pretty much eat anything.... but seriously, I had that too at one time . It overran my tank in like 2 days...

 

Where'd you get the live rock from? A bryopsis outbreak like that doesnt just popup in 2 weeks... My thoughts are that wherever the rock came from, it was improperly cured/nuked/etc/all of the above.

 

I got it from my LFS - not sure besides that, but I do know it was uncured rock.

 

I think Mission6 hit it on the head.

This is like a car that's brand new still on the assembly line, but the wrong color. Repainting it will be problematic, but not nearly as much had you driven it off the lot first. It's still clean, and cost will be minimal. If you owned the car for a year and then change the paint color, you'll have to bring it in, it will have to be deep cleaned, taped, painted, baked, etc. You'll be without it for longer, it will cost more to do, and an aftermarket paint job is never as good as had the factory done it.

Bad analogy--OK. I'd repaint this car by pouring about 2 cups of bleach into the water and giving it 24 hours to marinate. That will kill absolutely everything, good and bad. Of course, if you have any life in there, remove it to a fish bowl with a bubbler for this time. As far as the hitchhiker coral, sacraficing it now will be the least of your problems in the long run.

This will set you back exactly two weeks. You'll have to reseed the tank with beneficial bacteria to make your rock LR again, and the sand too. You'll have to change the bleach/water a few times and hit it with baking soda to neutralize any traces of bleach and get the tank ready for life again.

It seems drastic, but in the scope of things, it gets you out of a tight bryopsis jam. This algae is nearly impossible to eradicate, and since the tank is new, your loss potential is at the lowest point you'll ever experience in the continuum of time/cost/effort/established loss, etc.

I know it sucks, but it's the only way I know to guarantee you'll be rid of this pest.

Good luck! :-/

 

Eek, I'd really rather not put bleach in my tank at all. Any alternatives?

 

yup, wait it out.. theres no fish in there right? just the coral? since you don't wanna kill the lights{you should} and don't want to bleach it i'd just wait it out.. tell your dad when all that algae is gone is when the first fish goes in..
read this... Bryopsis: A Common Pest in Aquaria: An unsightly, green alga that herbivores dislike to eat.