grassy type macro- how to get rid of
- Thread starter SLOreefer
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piercho
New member
Would you describe the algae as soft and filamentous, like hair? Or is it more stiff and thick? Is it greenish, reddish, or brownish?
I'll re-direct you you to a page of pictures of typical algaes and potential grazers at http://www.saltcorner.com/sections/guest/algaepage/algaepage.htm. Look at the pictures under the grouping "hair" alga, and see if these look like your algae. Matching the number of the algae to the grazers listed at the bottom of the page may take you to a potential grazer.
I'll re-direct you you to a page of pictures of typical algaes and potential grazers at http://www.saltcorner.com/sections/guest/algaepage/algaepage.htm. Look at the pictures under the grouping "hair" alga, and see if these look like your algae. Matching the number of the algae to the grazers listed at the bottom of the page may take you to a potential grazer.
piercho
New member
If its removable by hand, I'd consider that in a small tank. Also, try removing the rock from the tank, scrubbing the algae off then rinsing the fragments away before putting it back in the tank. Micrograzers like Astrea or Turbo snails then have a chance to keep the remnants of the algae mowed away.
Adding grazers, especially fish, increases the bio-load of the tank, and may excacerbate your algae problem. Also, grazed algae is only partially digested/utilized by the grazer, and gets recycled as nutrients to grow more algae. So, if the algae is controllable by direct export (hand harvesting), that is the best method to control it, IMO.
As far as grazers:
Diadema urchins eat many types of alga. This includes coraline algae. It will also outgrow your nano tank. But if you have a real problem, this is a heavy-duty grazer.
Some Centropyge angels are alga grazers. Some indiviuals may nip stony corals, or eat some soft corals like Xenia. African flamebacks are often mentioned as effective alga grazers.
There are small damsels in the Pomcentrus genus that graze algae. These are sometimes fiercely territorial, and are usually hard to find at fish strores.
Emerald mithrax and Sally Lightfoot crabs will both graze some types of green hair and turf algaes, especially when they are short. These may, eventually, become a risk to very small or sleeping fish.
So, I don't know of any perfect answer.
Adding grazers, especially fish, increases the bio-load of the tank, and may excacerbate your algae problem. Also, grazed algae is only partially digested/utilized by the grazer, and gets recycled as nutrients to grow more algae. So, if the algae is controllable by direct export (hand harvesting), that is the best method to control it, IMO.
As far as grazers:
Diadema urchins eat many types of alga. This includes coraline algae. It will also outgrow your nano tank. But if you have a real problem, this is a heavy-duty grazer.
Some Centropyge angels are alga grazers. Some indiviuals may nip stony corals, or eat some soft corals like Xenia. African flamebacks are often mentioned as effective alga grazers.
There are small damsels in the Pomcentrus genus that graze algae. These are sometimes fiercely territorial, and are usually hard to find at fish strores.
Emerald mithrax and Sally Lightfoot crabs will both graze some types of green hair and turf algaes, especially when they are short. These may, eventually, become a risk to very small or sleeping fish.
So, I don't know of any perfect answer.
