Algae problem.

[kingtoad]

When my fish got Ich I moved my Tang and Bicolor Dwarf into a QT. They were great algae controllers. Now that they are no longer in my main tank I'm getting a bad case of brown algae and hair algae. I handpruned a little bit last night. I also bought turbo snails and nassarious snails to help out my crabs a bit with housecleaning. Turbos seem to be doing a good job so far, but the problem still remains. I have algae being created on my glass everyday and I'm having to clean it everyday. Also get a lot of algae being formed on top of my sand, although I siphoned most of it up during the weekend.

How can I get rid of this algae problem? I do not mind minor algae to feed my snails and crabs, but what I have right now is a bit out of hand. I'm only asking because I was told that buying snails and crabs just "mask" the problem, and I'll need to find the source of the problem to get rid of it, and I don't know how to find the source of the problem.

Info on my tank:
60 gallon
85 lbs of Live Rock
specific gravity: 1.023
ph: 8.3
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0

And yes, I use RO/DI water.

 

[juan jose]

Have you checked phosphates lately maybe they are high. I have just ordered phosban but havenÃ"šÃ‚´t tried it out yet.
Happy reefing.

 

[Mr James]

This is what I do. It may not be what you do and that is fine. I had no hair algae and only a dozen or two snails in my 75g, mostly SPS tank. Possible sources of algae IME, (just to clarify, IME = what I have actually experienced).

One possibility: I was using Oceanic brand salt and was getting huge amounts of hair algae, even when running an MR-1 Skimmer on a 75g tank. I stopped switched salt brands and the algae disappeared in three days. Also, be careful of the holding container that you use for mixing saltwater. Must be FDA approved, even if it means spending the extra $$ for a good container. I use Rubbermaid Brute containers. Also, mix salt 24 hours prior to using it (make sure to put a mixing pump and air stone (with air pump obviously) in the holding container).

Another possibility: Lights. How old are your lights?? Old bulbs can cause algae. Another: Have you tested your RO/DI water membranes recently?? DI should read 0 ppm and Ro should be around 12 ppm. Another: Did something in your tank die to cause the outbreak??

Beware, IMO if you have Ich in the main tank, you will always have Ich. It doesn't go away after you QT the fish. I know Ich needs a host, but what I am unsure of is for how long Ich can go without one. Also, what caused the Ich?? Stress?? How many fish do you have crammed into your tank?? Tangs in small tanks can have a dangerous result, mainly stressed out fish which leads to Ich.

edit: What skimmer are you using??

Just some observations from a fellow hobbyist, not an expert by any means.

 

[kingtoad]

James,
I buy pre-mixed salt and R/O from the LFS.

Nothing in my tank died.

Ich can live without a host for 6 weeks. If it doesn't have a host it will die.

Ich was caused by accidently pooring some water from the LFS into my fish tank.

Nothing was being "crammed" in my tank. It was a small tang. A black cap basslet, dwarf angel, and percula clown.

My skimmer is an AquaC Urchin Pro.

Juan, is there a test kit for phospates?

Just to reiterate, ich isn't my problem here, it's algae. Ich is being taken care of. Thanks.

 

[DitchPlains2]

kingtoad

kingtoad

I would personally suggest going from purchased Saltwater to buying yourself an RO unit just for the sake of topoffs, high salinty and temps can cause algae blooms. I have battled major hair algae and my solution was 5 fold.

1. scrub as many rocks as I could take out without damage to corals or livestock, this includes pulling with my fingers, by pinching off the hair algae to make it easier for your cleanup crew.

2. Upgrade your cleanup crew. Forget believing that snails are the key here, when you have major hair algae, nothing but a sea hare or an Urchin (namel Tuxedo or pinchusion) will do the trick. Then gte yourself red n blue legged hermits and astrae to cleanup the tiny patches.

3. Buy a phosban reacter. I run Seachem's Phosguard. It lasts a very long time and wont leach back into your system.

4. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT. In your sump, and in your sand, I dont care if its DSB or 2 inches, start sipohoning out some of the detrius. I find it accumulates in my sumps fuge area. Siphon out with a hose.

5. LAST AND DEFINATELY NOT LEAST!! DO MAJOR WATER CHANGES. Change out 10g per week on your 60g for a good month or 2.

One last thing, you may need to upgrade to a better skimmer, but thats the last thing to think about.

Best of luck
David

 

[kingtoad]

DitchPlains 2. Thanks, appreciate your input.

Yeah, I already hand prune a lot of my algae. The visible algae and easy to get algae anyhow.

I will get myself an urchin then. Are they reef safe? I do have an electric blue hermits, would those suffice? The one I have is fairly large too. 2" big.

I'll look into a phosban reactor.

Yeah, I regularly siphon out the algae inested sand. I just did that this weekend.

And, I do infact do 10 gallon changes every week for regular mantanance

I think I just need to upgrade my cleaning crew and get a Phosban reactor. I'll look into that. Thanks again.

 

[juan jose]

IÃ"šÃ‚´ve read salifert is the best. Here is the link to a place where you can buy it.
http://www.reefgeek.com/products/categories/testing_equipment/103483.html

 

[kingtoad]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6944665#post6944665 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by juan jose
IÃ"šÃ‚´ve read salifert is the best. Here is the link to a place where you can buy it.
http://www.reefgeek.com/products/categories/testing_equipment/103483.html

Definatly need one of those. How would I be able to get phosphates down? Water changes?

 

[DitchPlains2]

hey np

hey np

As far as

I do have an electric blue hermits

Their a no go! I know all crabs are ominvores and will eat anything, but those Marshall Island and other South Pacific large hermits will mostly eat meaty items not alage. Regular Atlantic blue hermits about 1' inch long will suffice perfectly

Get yourself either a pincushion or a Tuxedo to trim your hair algae down. Yea definately invest in a phosban, one of my best investments.



good luck