algae and zoos

[collitchboy]

I have spent the last few months just picking macro algae out of my zoos as it has to grow SOME before I can even get at it. Aside from removing the rock and brushing it with a toothbrush, is there anything I can do to SEVERELY set the algae back?

I know I can change the hours of light on the tank but I only see that working so much and not eliminating the problem.

 

[Angela Short]

Eliminate the alages food source. What do your phoshates run? Do you run a fuge to out compeat the tank alage? Try a herbivore fish to munch on it. My lawn mower blenny keeps my tank squeaky clean.

 

[fishdoc11]

What Angela said except the fuge. Anything but eliminating the source is only putting a bandaid on the problem. A fuge will help some but IMO it takes such a large one(close to as big or bigger than the tank) to actually take significant amounts of nutrients out on a timely basis. One with a sandbed can cause more nutrient problems than it solves. A good skimmer on the other hand can significantly reduce P. Sounds like you have nutrients built up somewhere in you system in the form of detritus or have a significant amount of P in your topoff/water change water.
Chris

 

[collitchboy]

I will think about the lawn mower. I am not sure what my phospates run as I do not yet have a test kit for them. Test kits are expensive.

<-- poor and until recently unemployed college student

I'll get a kit when I can. I DO have a skimmer however I am not that impressed with it. The bubbles that form in the collection cup seem to be "normal" water while the bubbles that make it out of the skimmer back in to the tank form the brown, gross stuff that one would want to remove.

I use Culligan water from Wallie-world to do water changes and top offs, until I run out and then I use tap. I probably only use 1g of tap to top off per week before I do another water change.

 

[c_stowers]

I would personally recommend a fuge. I noticed a huge impact on my ~150 gallon system when I added a 30 gallon fuge. I agree with fishdoc in that it will take alot of fuge to eliminate all the nutrients produced by your tank, but my theory is that all you have to do is eliminate the amount that is not already being consumed by water changes, micro-organisms and other methods. In other words, every little bit helps to get your under that critical threshold that exist in our tanks. Fuges are generally fairly cheap and also provide some live food for your fish.

 

[DMBillies]

Collitchboy you are in good company when it comes to recently unemployed (and/or currently "unemployed") students. I agree that test kits are expensive and there are still a few of the less critical ones that I need acquire. That said, not testing and having a tank crash is much more expensive. Also, there is always LFS's. Most will test your water for you.

I have also been using the Culligan water from Walmart now for quite a while. It doesn't seem to have any serious problems, but I have heard some people say that at some places it is loaded with phosphates. If you're having problems with phosphates, this could potentially be a source of your problem (and therefore water changes aren't going to help you out). I'd get the source water tested. Once you know it's clean, just make sure that the maintenance schedule on the Culligan machine is being filled out. They are supposed to test for TDS and do maintenance on it once a month.

Your tap water is also another potential source of nitrates and phosphates. Although, in very small amounts (i.e., just topping off) they won't matter as much as some of the treatments that some municipalities put into their water (e.g., chlorine). Another thing you need to watch for if you use tap water and plan to keep any inverts is copper. Both apartments I've lived in since I've started into saltwater have had significant amounts of copper in the water. When I first started I was using tap because I had always used it for freshwater. My snails and hermits kept slowly dropping dead after a few weeks in the tank and with no other water parameter problems (even the tank tested fine for copper because I was running carbon that was pulling it out). However, it was present in my source water and so every time I did a water change I was dumping more of it back in.

I'd get the fuge if for nothing else than the food it will provide for your tank.

Just my opinion... hope it helps.

 

[Angela Short]

I personally tested wally worlds phophates and they were way above retards coral growth levels. I used tap for well over a year and had a beautifull alage free tank. Then I guess my corals just said enouph is enouph and started dyeing off slowly one by one for no apparent, testable reason. Other than P04. If you use tap I would guarentee they are sky high. Even as a top off, you have nothing to export what you dump in daily. I agree with fishdoc that a fuge is a band aid but can help but not like using 0 TDS water. A LMB is also a band aid. I can sympathize with the broke part, I always am, but I got the cheapo RO/DI off ebay for $99 and still get 0 TDS after tons of water. Hope all the info helps.

 

[fishdoc11]

Another thing to think about is some macro even does well in environments that really don't have a nutrient problem(excessive microalgae IME is usually a better indicator of a problem). Soem can be allmost impossible to get rid of completely(talk to Gary about razor caulerpa or me about valonia ). What type do you have? Will you be at graduation?
Chris

 

[collitchboy]

I see an RO/DI unti in my future before too long lol. I just need to save up some money

I appear to have a couple of types of algae. I will take a picture when my camera gets here. The best description I can offer right now is that one almost looks like clover though with a single leaf per stalk. The other looks like a vine that grows THROUGH zoos and whatever else. I also noticed recently stuff that looked like red hair and when you pull it it out it almost feels like straw :/ The red stuff was confined to a zoo colony, atleast that is the only place I have seen it.

Yes, I will be at graduation so long as I pass Immunology
You?

 

[fishdoc11]

Yes, I will be at graduation so long as I pass Immunology
You?

I'm done

I'll be there......good luck with immunology!

Chris

 

[rsteagall]

Is the algae problem all over or only on a few rocks? The reason I ask is that I have a rock with YSP on it. This rock however has a tendancy of growing hair algae on it like mad! I've fought it for about as long as I can stand. I'm about to the point of taking that rock out and throwing it away because I don't have many other places that hair algae likes to grow, although recently I noticed hair algae in my fuge growing on some of my cheato. I am using RO/DI water with measured 0 TDS. I've never tested, but this particular rock must be leaching P04 into the water. Its either that or these sponges I have that grow in dark areas of my tank.

 

[collitchboy]

There are two rocks that the algae likes to grow on. One is small enough to lift out and scrub with a toothbrush. The other is where it all started I believe. It is right next to a zoo colony I got from someone on nano-reef last summer.