29 gallon biocube
- Thread starter Kolkri
- Start date
I was waiting to see your thoughts since you're the nano algae problem solver.
I remember even my tank had like 0.25-0.5" of GHA looking crap growing on my rocks when it was cycling, but the minute I saw that I knew it was time for CUC. Within 36 hours or so, it was all gone. 6 Astrea snails and 6 blue-leg hermits.
soulpatch
New member
Cant say I worry too much about GHA. It is an easy algae to wrangle back under control. It is the bryopsis and culpera that scare me. Heck in my tank I have a bit of the crap coming back even after nuking it to high heaven. Seems more is needed and I will be doing so on the next water change on Sunday. I just need to get some more peroxide.
I believe this outbreak is from me winning the battle against the red cyano and there being more organics in the water feeding the algae.
I believe this outbreak is from me winning the battle against the red cyano and there being more organics in the water feeding the algae.
I've been pleasently surprised to not find any blue leg (also very docile) hermits with astrea shells in my tank yet, but I don't trust any crabs period. They're all just waiting for the right time to strike.
But yea, hopefully in 2-3 days, you should see that GHA starting to get shorter or gone. If not, cut back on feeding (your fishes won't starve, and just be very deliberate with only feeding pellets directly to the fishes; i.e. turn off flow, wait for fishes to want food, then feed only as much as they are eating, no more).
But yea, hopefully in 2-3 days, you should see that GHA starting to get shorter or gone. If not, cut back on feeding (your fishes won't starve, and just be very deliberate with only feeding pellets directly to the fishes; i.e. turn off flow, wait for fishes to want food, then feed only as much as they are eating, no more).
Kolkri
New member
That is all I feed right now. They eat it all up. It appeared the crabs were going to town on the rock but this morning I don't really see a difference. But there does not seem to be more so guess that is good. The snails never moved. I put them on different places on the rock and they pretty much stayed in that spot.
Can you share a pic?
Also, the larger the tank, the slower the development of issues, but also the slower the fixing of issues. Appropriate husbandry is the only way to prevent and solve issues in a sustainable manner.
Are you still running a refugium in the back? If so, what light are you using?
Are you also still running caulerpa (both of the pictures you showed earlier, the leafy and the ball-string ones)? Those should compete with algae on the rocks, but if your tank is still really only 30 days or so in, then you shouldn't be freaking out and giving up. Maturity doesn't happen until 6+ months, and the best way to prevent GHA/HA/derbasia/etc is to just out-compete them with algae in a different area.
I wasn't able to get chaeto to stand still in the back of my tank, it kept going into the pump. I ended up just leaving the light back there on, without any chaeto. What ended up growing instead was GHA. And I didn't care, because it wasn't growing in the front of my tank, only the back. I would just scrape the walls before any water changes and siphon the GHA out, then let it grow back on the walls again. And it kept any algae from growing in my display.
Also, the larger the tank, the slower the development of issues, but also the slower the fixing of issues. Appropriate husbandry is the only way to prevent and solve issues in a sustainable manner.
Are you still running a refugium in the back? If so, what light are you using?
Are you also still running caulerpa (both of the pictures you showed earlier, the leafy and the ball-string ones)? Those should compete with algae on the rocks, but if your tank is still really only 30 days or so in, then you shouldn't be freaking out and giving up. Maturity doesn't happen until 6+ months, and the best way to prevent GHA/HA/derbasia/etc is to just out-compete them with algae in a different area.
I wasn't able to get chaeto to stand still in the back of my tank, it kept going into the pump. I ended up just leaving the light back there on, without any chaeto. What ended up growing instead was GHA. And I didn't care, because it wasn't growing in the front of my tank, only the back. I would just scrape the walls before any water changes and siphon the GHA out, then let it grow back on the walls again. And it kept any algae from growing in my display.
soulpatch
New member
if you are mostly free then let it be. The tank is new so you are still going to be leaching some materials and the bacteria is not fully matured yet to handle everything. Without pics though it is hard to say if you are on par with the time or if you are worse then normal...
This is my confusion. Why would you pull out rocks and dip and scrub if you are algae free?
You don't need chaeto or caulerpa at all honestly, like I said, I just ran a light in the back on reverse light cycle (you could do 24/7) and as long as it's a generic yellow spotlight kind of deal, it'll grow algae, which will prevent it from growing in your display.
I'm glad you're algae free. I think the biggest thing at this point to do is just to back away, keep up with water changes on schedule, but generally let the tank do it's thing and mature. It takes time as soulpatch said.
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