I'm sick of the never ending battle with my tank. In the last few months I've had to fight a diatom bloom, then a cyano bloom, then a dino bloom...and now some agressive algea is taking over. And I don't know what it is, why it is all a sudden taking over or what to do. I just give up. I don't know what to do and I'm half tempted to just tear it down and bleech the whole system...
about to just give up.
- Thread starter hardimanm
- Start date
How new is this tank ??? Because for the most part sounds like your tank is going through some normal events for a new tank..
When my tank finished cycling the first thing came the diatoms then the green hair algea. I bought a few turbo snells to kinda control it but in the long run the more mature your tank gets it will start to go away on its on..
I dont know what equipment you have or kind of clean up crew but if this is a fairly new tank then some of this stuff will happen and as long as you just keep on track w/th water changes and proper maintenance it will start to work its self out..
If this is a older tank then you need to look at things such as phosphates to see if this is your problem.
There are alot of helpfull people up your way who i'm sure would help you get this under control and if they want let me know and i'll give you my number and will see if we can't track your problem down..
Paul
When my tank finished cycling the first thing came the diatoms then the green hair algea. I bought a few turbo snells to kinda control it but in the long run the more mature your tank gets it will start to go away on its on..
I dont know what equipment you have or kind of clean up crew but if this is a fairly new tank then some of this stuff will happen and as long as you just keep on track w/th water changes and proper maintenance it will start to work its self out..
If this is a older tank then you need to look at things such as phosphates to see if this is your problem.
There are alot of helpfull people up your way who i'm sure would help you get this under control and if they want let me know and i'll give you my number and will see if we can't track your problem down..
Paul
The tank is a 75 gallon. I set it up about 3 months ago but everything in there was transferred from a 42 that was up and running for about 1 year.
I have a skimmer that is rated for 100 gallon tank. I dont have a sump yet but plan on it.
As for live stock...i have 2 p. clowns, a yellow tang(the only new fish in the tank), a 6 line wrasse, a firefish goby, and a royal grammas. My clean up crew may be a bit small. It was from the 42 gallon too. I have 2 mex turbo snails, about 10 hermit crabs(a mix of zebra, redl and blue legged), a few astrea snails, and 10 or so narsis snails. I have about 75 lbs of live rock. I had a koralia 1 for circulation but recently put in a koralia 3 and moved the 1 to the back of the tank to help fix flow to a dead zone of the tank. I use only RODI water and my levels are good. I dont have a phosphate test so maybe that is my problem.
If it is green hair algea what is the best way to get rid of the stuff. Lights out? Marine algea fix?
I have a skimmer that is rated for 100 gallon tank. I dont have a sump yet but plan on it.
As for live stock...i have 2 p. clowns, a yellow tang(the only new fish in the tank), a 6 line wrasse, a firefish goby, and a royal grammas. My clean up crew may be a bit small. It was from the 42 gallon too. I have 2 mex turbo snails, about 10 hermit crabs(a mix of zebra, redl and blue legged), a few astrea snails, and 10 or so narsis snails. I have about 75 lbs of live rock. I had a koralia 1 for circulation but recently put in a koralia 3 and moved the 1 to the back of the tank to help fix flow to a dead zone of the tank. I use only RODI water and my levels are good. I dont have a phosphate test so maybe that is my problem.
If it is green hair algea what is the best way to get rid of the stuff. Lights out? Marine algea fix?
Tomoko Schum
New member
Are you feeding a lot? Algae outbreak is often a sign of excess nutrient. I suspect that your bio load/nutrient load and the filtering capacity of your tank are not matched, and excess nutrients (mainly nitrate and phosphate) are accumulating.
Light out treatment will help some, but you need to eliminate the underlying source of your problem. Marine Algae Fix will work for some algae but not for all. For example it will work for some common hair algae but not for Bryopsis. Some people managed to eliminate Bryopsis by raising magnesium level to 1600 ppm or higher.
Since you don't have a lot of coral, you can try a rabbitfish. Some Rabbitfish (especially the spotted kind) are known to nibble on soft corals, but I hear that the majority of them are model citizens. I had one that did not touch any corals except for blue zoanthids. I had to oust him when he started eating my prized blue zoa. The fish left all the other corals including other zoanthids, but he had to go for my blue ones. If you are willing to try a rabbitfish, take some of your algae to an LFS and ask them to give it to a rabbitfish. If the rabbitfish eats them up immediately, you can get it to clean up your tank. When he is done with algae, you can give the fish away or feed them nori or macroalgae. Coral Reef Aquatics usually have a bunch of rabbitfish and they are willing to help you find one that eats your algae. If they happened to have what they call a Teacle snail, you should get it, too. It is a much better algae eater than other snails.
There are some products that bind nitrate or phosphate. Vodka can be used to reduce nitrate and phosphate, but it is tricky and not recommended for beginners.
Light out treatment will help some, but you need to eliminate the underlying source of your problem. Marine Algae Fix will work for some algae but not for all. For example it will work for some common hair algae but not for Bryopsis. Some people managed to eliminate Bryopsis by raising magnesium level to 1600 ppm or higher.
Since you don't have a lot of coral, you can try a rabbitfish. Some Rabbitfish (especially the spotted kind) are known to nibble on soft corals, but I hear that the majority of them are model citizens. I had one that did not touch any corals except for blue zoanthids. I had to oust him when he started eating my prized blue zoa. The fish left all the other corals including other zoanthids, but he had to go for my blue ones. If you are willing to try a rabbitfish, take some of your algae to an LFS and ask them to give it to a rabbitfish. If the rabbitfish eats them up immediately, you can get it to clean up your tank. When he is done with algae, you can give the fish away or feed them nori or macroalgae. Coral Reef Aquatics usually have a bunch of rabbitfish and they are willing to help you find one that eats your algae. If they happened to have what they call a Teacle snail, you should get it, too. It is a much better algae eater than other snails.
There are some products that bind nitrate or phosphate. Vodka can be used to reduce nitrate and phosphate, but it is tricky and not recommended for beginners.
Thanks all.
As for feeding. I feed small amount every other day with reef flakes and a small amount of dried algea for the tang. I have some phosguard in the filter. It probably needs to be changed.
What about my clean up crew. Do I need to add more?
I also will cut my photo period to 9 hours down from 11. Maybe that would help.
As for feeding. I feed small amount every other day with reef flakes and a small amount of dried algea for the tang. I have some phosguard in the filter. It probably needs to be changed.
What about my clean up crew. Do I need to add more?
I also will cut my photo period to 9 hours down from 11. Maybe that would help.
PaPa_Johnny
Premium Member
Something you might consider is what was mentioned earlier, lights out. Actually leave your lights off completely for 3 days. My son and I have actually put sheet over a tank to cut the light completely. This will starve the algae down, and let you get a handle on it. That and a major water change should have a huge impact on your tanks appearance 
. Just my 1 1/2 cents.
. Just my 1 1/2 cents.jasontammy
New member
All of these are great idea's.I would add to the clean up crew and water change,lights out.The first few mnths of any tank new or moved is a battle ground.Make an attack plan and stick to you guns(water changes).Water changes can be done often to help fight this maybe a small water change per week untill things settle down a bit.You will always have algea some where of some sort.They all compete to grow the trick is maintaining thegrowth of a desired algea.I think that made sense.
jasontammy
New member
I forgot to ask.What skimmer are you using?If it is a seaclone then I would consider the purchase of a good skimmer.
Thanks all.
As for the skimmer. It is a coaralife super skimmer w/ needle wheel. Rated for 125 gallons. It churms up some nasty coffee collored gunk.
Ill do the lights out for 3 days and up the water changes. I will get a po4 test kit asap and replace the phosguard if need be
As for the skimmer. It is a coaralife super skimmer w/ needle wheel. Rated for 125 gallons. It churms up some nasty coffee collored gunk.
Ill do the lights out for 3 days and up the water changes. I will get a po4 test kit asap and replace the phosguard if need be
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I agree with all said as well Michael. It is a slow process. My display has been running for years and been through it all. Once you get a handle on it things will settle down. My tank would never support sps untill 3 or 4 years ago and now they grow like weeds. Phosphate reduction played a big key in my system as well as macro algea in the sump. a great investment would be an overflow and a sump as well as a reactor of some sort with a phosban type phosphate reducer in it. Again time....balance is a slow process and a lot of what you have going on I think is from moving as well as the excess nutrients like Tomoko said.
I wonder if putting that powerhead back in that dead zone caused some of this by kicking up detritis. The sand all through the tank looks great now but right after I put the powerhead back there it kicked up all sort of stuff and the skimmer collected all sort of stuff.
I've got the lights off and when I get home ill cover with a sheet. I'm going to get a po4 test kit and do a large water change.
Hoping for the best.
I've got the lights off and when I get home ill cover with a sheet. I'm going to get a po4 test kit and do a large water change.
Hoping for the best.
PaPa_Johnny
Premium Member
Just patience I finally set up my 90 gallon, things were going great then bam. I have a large acrylic sump that I paid big $ for under my tank. I added 5 gallons of water on morning, went to bed to get a nap (work nights) got up and it's 4 gallons low.............. Long story short the sump is failing. Seams are coming apart. soooo drain sump, disconnect overflow, remove skimmer, sand etc. Now I have to completly break it down, take out the POS and put in another sump. Hmmm yeah soon I will have time and go again . Didn't mean to highjack your thread but the old saying "only bad things happen fast in this hobby" sure does apply ! keep plugging you will overcome.
I finally set up my 90 gallon, things were going great then bam. I have a large acrylic sump that I paid big $ for under my tank. I added 5 gallons of water on morning, went to bed to get a nap (work nights) got up and it's 4 gallons low.............. Long story short the sump is failing. Seams are coming apart. soooo drain sump, disconnect overflow, remove skimmer, sand etc. Now I have to completly break it down, take out the POS and put in another sump. Hmmm yeah soon I will have time and go again . Didn't mean to highjack your thread but the old saying "only bad things happen fast in this hobby" sure does apply ! keep plugging you will overcome.http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/deluxe-brs-gfo-and-carbon-reactor.htm
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/1-pound-453-grams-bulk-gfo-granular-ferric-oxide.html
This is by far the best money I have ever spent on my tank. I bought it about 4 months ago because I was having some algae problems that I couldn't get rid of. I had a 360gal tank and down sized to a 60. I used the some of the same rock and sand. My water was was perfect in my 360 and crap in my 60. I was using RODI, I changed the filters. I changed bubs, I tried cutting the lights back, feeding less the list gose on and on. After 2 days my water was clear and the algae was gone. If you have the extra money it is well worth it.
BTW don't buy a phosban it's a POS.
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/1-pound-453-grams-bulk-gfo-granular-ferric-oxide.html
This is by far the best money I have ever spent on my tank. I bought it about 4 months ago because I was having some algae problems that I couldn't get rid of. I had a 360gal tank and down sized to a 60. I used the some of the same rock and sand. My water was was perfect in my 360 and crap in my 60. I was using RODI, I changed the filters. I changed bubs, I tried cutting the lights back, feeding less the list gose on and on. After 2 days my water was clear and the algae was gone. If you have the extra money it is well worth it.
BTW don't buy a phosban it's a POS.
Update.
Update.
Well...good news. It appears the algae explosion has went away as quick as it came. It must have been due to upgrading the powerheads. When i got flow to the dead zones it kicked up all kind of crud. I thought this was good and in the long term it will be but wow, it really brought the latent algae to life.
I have also realized that i have been feeding my yellow tang too much. I noticed that he would not eat any algae in the tank. I have always heard that they do a wonderful job of eating the stuff. I have cut back the food for all and have noticed that the tang is picking algae from all over the tank now.
Im still going to work at getting the cash up to get a sump up and running. But i also need more live rock and a bigger cleanup crew. Not sure which i want or need more.
Thanks everyone from talking me down.
Update.
Well...good news. It appears the algae explosion has went away as quick as it came. It must have been due to upgrading the powerheads. When i got flow to the dead zones it kicked up all kind of crud. I thought this was good and in the long term it will be but wow, it really brought the latent algae to life.
I have also realized that i have been feeding my yellow tang too much. I noticed that he would not eat any algae in the tank. I have always heard that they do a wonderful job of eating the stuff. I have cut back the food for all and have noticed that the tang is picking algae from all over the tank now.
Im still going to work at getting the cash up to get a sump up and running. But i also need more live rock and a bigger cleanup crew. Not sure which i want or need more.
Thanks everyone from talking me down.
I dont guess i really have to have a sump. Just want one. I hate having the heater and skimmer hanging on the back. Takes away from the beauty of the tank IMO. I have a empty 30 gallon tank sitting in the garage that is just begging to be used. Just have to get some baffles put in and buy a return pump and overflow. Not a lot of money envolved just a bit of time converting the tank and getting the overflow and return set up the way i want
teamreefers
Moved On
snail
snail
a Teacle snail....
I have googled this and I cannot find it? any idea if I am the spelling it wrong? I have been down to John numerous times I have never seen it but I would like to get some... if you think they are that good? I value your opinion.
Thanks Kathy
snail
a Teacle snail....
I have googled this and I cannot find it? any idea if I am the spelling it wrong? I have been down to John numerous times I have never seen it but I would like to get some... if you think they are that good? I value your opinion.
Thanks Kathy
