Algae Probs

[matty1551]

What kind of algae is this and what is best suited to consume it? Bought an emerald and lawnmower and the lawnmower hasn't touched the stuff. The emerald seems to be eating it though.

I think this bloom is due to my new light which provides 3x the wattage as my old.

Currently have 40G Breeder FOWLR

3" YT
2 Oce Clowns
Lawnmower Blenny
Engineer Goby
Cleaner Shrimp
Emerald Crab
RBTA

 

[msmith619]

That looks like hair algae. It is usually a product of too much phosphates and/or nitrates- fertilizer for the plant. Most people recommend decreasing your feedings, and bio-load as that is the most common source of high phosphates and nitrates and reducing your light cycle.

I went thru a similar bloom and did not have a huge bio-load, was not overfeeding, doing frequent water changes etc. I found I did have high phosphates....... the unlikely source? My R.O. water. Yep, I was buying Culligan water from the machine at Walmart.

My solution? I changed water vendors and added a Phosban reactor using Seachem phosban. I did have to take all of the rocks out and scrub the hair algae with a toothbrush to remove it which I had been doing almost monthly as well as removing handfulls of hair algae that I was plucking.

After changing water sources and adding the Phosban reactor, no return in the haair algae.

Believe be, I tried emerald crabs, hermit crabs and snails of every variety and se hares. Nothing kept up.

 

[iamarchitecture]

Make sure you are using RODI water.
Try decreasing your light period and keep up with your water changes.
Turbo snails do a heck of a job on hair algae.

 

[matty1551]

Make sure you are using RODI water.
Try decreasing your light period and keep up with your water changes.
Turbo snails do a heck of a job on hair algae.

I always use the lfs saltwater and haven't had any issues. I picked up 2 more emeralds and a lettuce nudi. Plan to retest for nitrates tomorrow and will report back.

 

[sn4265]

My Foxface loves all kinds of algae. I'm hoping to brave a tang somewhere down the line and these are supposed to be good guys for mowing down various algae types. Of course if you are in a 40B, I don't think you have room for any kind of tang or rabbit fish.

 

[wnppmy]

I actually went to an extended blue light Actinic for sometime. Since careful on feedings. And lowered light time. All back to normal now, for near a year. As mentioned lots of causes.

 

[Calappidae]

I always use the lfs saltwater and haven't had any issues. I picked up 2 more emeralds and a lettuce nudi. Plan to retest for nitrates tomorrow and will report back.

Is the LFS RO/DI water? Nutrients (phosphates, nitrates, etc) is in tap water most of the time helping the algae grow or spread faster... I'd ask them because they are just doing the same thing we do when mixing salt, only difference is the water source.

I used to buy bottles of distilled from the grocery store and I got algae blooms.. switched to RO and now its long gone... that and a toothbrush..

How old is the tank?