which plugs wont grow algae?

[demonclownfish]

so every plug and disk i have bought so far seems to just randomly grow red bubble algae. are there any out there that wont do this? i was told they need time to cure but i thought they were already cured. any recommendations would be glady appreciated. :stars:

[pjr]

Good question...I have the same problem, but I get bryopsys.

[MizTanks]

I've been getting frags on acrylic plugs-no algae growth on em at all!

[Myteemouse]

so every plug and disk i have bought so far seems to just randomly grow red bubble algae. are there any out there that wont do this? i was told they need time to cure but i thought they were already cured. any recommendations would be glady appreciated. :stars:


Good question...I have the same problem, but I get bryopsys.
Do you buy them new?!?
If soo then the problem is in your tank not the plugs!

[demonclownfish]

hmm, there was no red bubble algae ever before i had bought the new plugs. then all of the sudden about 6-7 days into being in theu would start growing a bubble or two. im 100% positive it came from the disks and plugs.

and about those plastic frag plugs, i like them but they are a PAIN! to chop off the end once you want to attack it to LR.

[MizTanks]

I use a drummel-it works great! No harder then the other type.

[schminksbro]

I use ceramic plugs from The Alternative Reef exclusively. Hands down the best plug out there.

[BriGuy31+]

I use ceramic plugs from The Alternative Reef exclusively. Hands down the best plug out there.

Do you use the Coral Frag Plugs or the Commercial Frag Plugs?

[schminksbro]

I have used both with success.

Do you use the Coral Frag Plugs or the Commercial Frag Plugs?

[demonclownfish]

hmmm, ill check out their plugs. i had seen Ocean Wonders plugs on ebay and they looked good but i was told they are algae growing factories.

[Sir Patrick]

I have grown almost every algea known to man on my plugs...and only the plugs. Ocean wonders seem to be a bit worse than most others.

This occurance leads me to beleive there is somthing in the plug fueling algea growth, and not nesasarily a tank issue, in some cases.

[Myteemouse]

I'm using home made, medium fire, non toxic clay, fired in my buddies kiln..
they are awesome and no algae growth at all.

[gooch]

The algae is present in your tank. Algae as you know grows much faster than coral. The plug is a clean surface. The algae finds the plug and colonizes it. It is just like a reef. If there is briopsis in your tank there is a good chance spores will settle on the plug.

A lot of people dose Kent Tech M. There is something in the additive that kills a lot of these nuisance algaes. I reccomended it to a buddy and he said it killed off all his bad algae. Also some egg crate is a major food bank for algae. It leaches stuff. The Blue Glow uses a good quality Made in USA acrylic that doesn't have this problem. My products are in thousands of systems. I can go to my LFS and you wont find a spot of hair or briopsis on my plugs. They keep the algae in check. It is often times not the PLUG but the egg crate or algae present in your system. Any clean surface will attract algae. Look at your tank glass. How long can you go between cleanings?

[rmalone]

I absolutely agree that the algae is NOT on the plug when it goes into the tank. Now particular plugs may be more prone to algae colonization, but the algae spores are supplied by the tank.

[demonclownfish]

the thing is wouldnt i have had RBA before i put in the plugs? i had never had it before i had bought some disks and they just started growing it.

[reefpoor]

Interesting list of ingredients in Kent Tech M

Contents:
Deionized water containing the following elements (as ions): magnesium, chlorine, sulfur, calcium, potassium, bromine, strontium, boron, fluorine, lithium, rubidium, iodine, iron, molybdenum, zinc, nickel, copper, manganese, vanadium, cesium, cobalt, tungsten, selenium, and chromium.

Chlorine, copper ???



The algae is present in your tank. Algae as you know grows much faster than coral. The plug is a clean surface. The algae finds the plug and colonizes it. It is just like a reef. If there is briopsis in your tank there is a good chance spores will settle on the plug.

A lot of people dose Kent Tech M. There is something in the additive that kills a lot of these nuisance algaes. I reccomended it to a buddy and he said it killed off all his bad algae. Also some egg crate is a major food bank for algae. It leaches stuff. The Blue Glow uses a good quality Made in USA acrylic that doesn't have this problem. My products are in thousands of systems. I can go to my LFS and you wont find a spot of hair or briopsis on my plugs. They keep the algae in check. It is often times not the PLUG but the egg crate or algae present in your system. Any clean surface will attract algae. Look at your tank glass. How long can you go between cleanings?

[demonclownfish]

Interesting list of ingredients in Kent Tech M

Contents:
Deionized water containing the following elements (as ions): magnesium, chlorine, sulfur, calcium, potassium, bromine, strontium, boron, fluorine, lithium, rubidium, iodine, iron, molybdenum, zinc, nickel, copper, manganese, vanadium, cesium, cobalt, tungsten, selenium, and chromium.

Chlorine, copper ???

COPPER!!!! and its labeled as reef safe...... ya.... right..... lol:stupidme:

[gooch]

I agree the list of ingredients sounds scary. But I know it has worked in more than one tank. There is a thread about it on R2R. Now does that mean it will work in every case. Does it scare you to wonder how come this product kills algae? I won't lie and tell you I wouldn't be aprehensive. But the guy I told to try it had it work perfectly. Part of me wonders if the higher magnesium rates kill off the algae. All I know is what I read.

As for the RBA in your tank. I do believe the spores were in your system. We've all had algae start growing in a system from time to time with no clue as to where it came from. I had this really cool bright red algae start growing out of my rocks in a tank that was two years old. It grew for about a year and died off.

I don't know how old your system is. It could be that algae had no place to colonize. I do not know the life cycle of marine algaes. I do know that algae is the first thing that colonizes a reef. If your worried about the plugs, just drop em in your sump until you need em. They will colonize with bacteria. I tell people that my ceramic does not need to be cured but it does go through a cycle. It will get greenish brown and then start to coralline up. If you have an algae problem in your tank there is a strong chance it will grow onto the ceramic. Bad algae grows faster than coralline. Unless you have a very strong coralline population. The beauty of this hobby is that no two tanks are the same. The frustrating thing about this hobby is that no two tanks are the same. What works for one system might not work for another.

[sandman111]

I've used the plastic ones but they fall over with big sps frags...I use ocean wonders I soak the frag plugs over night then towel dry them before use!

[Sir Patrick]

I gotta agree- the lagea spores are in the tank....but whats in the pluge to make them algea magnets? And which arent algea magnets??

I am under the belief that somthing is leaching from the frag plugs/plates that is causing algea growth, much like eggcrate. Are there some better than others? Are these other frag plugs leaching pro- algea nutrients?? I hear about it, and experiance it too much to wonder???

So far- I havent heard anything about algea growing exclusivly on the ceramic plugs or the acrylic.

[pjr]

It is strange.... I only get bryopsys on ceramic plaugs. Not on my rock, not in the tank, not on my acrylic plugs or racks. Go figure. Maybe the curing option is a good idea!

[jimsflies]

I gotta agree- the lagea spores are in the tank....but whats in the pluge to make them algea magnets? And which arent algea magnets??

I am under the belief that somthing is leaching from the frag plugs/plates that is causing algea growth, much like eggcrate. Are there some better than others? Are these other frag plugs leaching pro- algea nutrients?? I hear about it, and experiance it too much to wonder???

So far- I havent heard anything about algea growing exclusivly on the ceramic plugs or the acrylic.

I think what gooch is saying makes perfect sense. A new plug with nothing growing on it is a perfect place for algae to start (regardless of the material it is made from). If it were already covered with a coral or coralline you wouldn't have algae on it. I think the same thing is true for egg crate in general. Most types of "bad" algae are very prolific and can quickly over take an area that is is not already occupied with something else.

Algae doesn't require anything magical to grow....add water, light, nitrogen, phosphate and carbon and you have everything you need to create and algae farm. I agree it's a hassle to deal with, but the fact that algea is growing is an indicator that you have excessive nutrients. The key to winning the war is to go after the phosphate and nitrogen.

I have used the TechM and it does work to rid the tank of byropsis (for awhile) with minor side effects to other corals, etc. However, it is a band aid to the problem. Long term solutions need to focus on eliminating free phosphate and nitrogen in the system.

On a related note, no one seemed to have byropsis when I first got into the hobby eight years ago. I sure would like to know who we can thank for introducing us all to that evil spore? :strangle: