Anyone have any idea of what type of algae this is?

MikeD

New member
Needing help from the crew here... Need some ideas on what will eat this stuff or if its all just a manual pull type of session due... Any help appreciated.

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We had that, don't know what it was, but we pulled as much as we could and added a sea hair. Did the job for us.
 
Nope.. None at the moment. It's my school tank so hopefully I can figure out what to do to make it looking good again.
 
I use a black plastic mesh cup full of chaeto against the back wall of the tank. Enough light hits it that it seems to do the trick for me. I don't run skimmers or reactors due to the size of my tank. You can take a mesh bag like onions come in full of it and let it float for a while as well just to get the fight on. Ugly at first, but so is hair algae. Check nitrates, then do a big RO/DI water change if you can which I imagine is a giant PITA since it's a school tank. Nitrates may be zero due to all the hair algae though anyway.

Pull out as much as you can.

Emerald crabs are cool, but they can be little jerks too picking at polyps. Some won't touch the algae. Still, I love the look of them, makes the reef seem more real.

I'd suggest getting a few big turbo snails and letting them get to work. Cheap solution and easy to find.

You can try to go lights off in the tank for a few days to help them get a head start.
 
... I'd call around. Reefwise sometimes has them, but are occasionally light. They could probably order, but you'll want to go in to place the order. Not sure about other places. Where in Naperville are you?
 
I've always wondering if sally lightfoots or emerald crabs would ever harm docile fish in the tank or the like. I thought emeralds only went after bubble algae? Also, I wonder if it's also cheaper to go mail order for cleanup crews vs shops especially when buying a lot (More than 10 or so...) I could refresh my main tank too. But I'm also contemplating selling that so on the fence.
 
Just paid a buck a piece for some nice Turbos @ Reef City Aquatics in Frankfort.
I know thats a little far for you.
The Dr.'s offer a "build your own clean up crew" & anything over $60.00 ships free. They ,along with a few other places I know offer sorta a rent a sea hare deal. I think you pay for the sea hare and when its done cleaning I believe you get 1/2 your money back.
 
Also, I wonder if it's also cheaper to go mail order for cleanup crews vs shops especially when buying a lot

I pretty much always go online for any livestock purchases that I need... the prices tend to be a bit less, and my luck is much higher when I go that route.
 
I've always wondering if sally lightfoots or emerald crabs would ever harm docile fish in the tank or the like. I thought emeralds only went after bubble algae? Also, I wonder if it's also cheaper to go mail order for cleanup crews vs shops especially when buying a lot (More than 10 or so...) I could refresh my main tank too. But I'm also contemplating selling that so on the fence.

Sally's are legit killers. Fish, inverts, snails.


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You gotta figure out what its feeding on in order to get it out...likely phosphates (source water?)and or old lights if its been sitting around a school with minimal care... manual removal and water changes..no amount of snails or fish will get rid of that.
 
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