So Ive had my 37 gallon setup about 3-4 months now and I am getting some beautiful coralline buildup, but am battling this horrendous green algae that continues to cover the sand. I have a sand sifting star, 5 nassarius snails (just purchased thursday to help out), and a serpent star that doesnt seem to be helping out the situation, and instead being pretty lazy. In addition to this I have about 20 turbo snails and 7 or so blue legged hermits working the tank. I am really not into the whole sea cucumber deal, but this stuff is really bringing down the view of my tank. What can i do to rid this stuff of my tank. I was considering another sandsifting star but have been unable to make it to the lfs lately.
Green algae battle
- Thread starter titus164
- Start date
ninjamini
New member
This is probably hair algae and its the natural part of the cycle. Ok so here are the questions:
ammonium
nitrite
nitrate
phosphate
lights (type and wattage and age of bulbs)
Are you using RO/DI water exclusively?
Before you consider getting another sand sifting star, they dont eat hair algae anyway, consider taking the one you already have back to the store. Your tank is way-way too small to support one of these. Its also way too young and does not have what the star needs. O'yea it will live in your tank for 5-7 months but its a slow staring death.
If you want some thing that eats hair algae its an emerald or minthrax crab.
Here is something I wrote a while ago on this subject. But note with a tank as young as yours its natural. Now its time to lower nitrates and phosphates.
ammonium
nitrite
nitrate
phosphate
lights (type and wattage and age of bulbs)
Are you using RO/DI water exclusively?
Before you consider getting another sand sifting star, they dont eat hair algae anyway, consider taking the one you already have back to the store. Your tank is way-way too small to support one of these. Its also way too young and does not have what the star needs. O'yea it will live in your tank for 5-7 months but its a slow staring death.
If you want some thing that eats hair algae its an emerald or minthrax crab.
Here is something I wrote a while ago on this subject. But note with a tank as young as yours its natural. Now its time to lower nitrates and phosphates.
Thanks, I was considering buying another powerhead as I use a sea squirt to clean any excess detritus off rocks and although not very visible, it appears to build up quickly, especially in dead spots. I really dont have a problem with algae anywhere besides the sand bed and the filter box which i keep clean as necessary. My current flow is the return which is powered by a mag 5 and a maxi jet 900.
coralfragger101
Gone Postal
Ninjamini - Great Post and I agree for the most part.
You can also try adding a lawnmower blenny.
The only part about your post that I disagree with is that the algae blooms are a "natural part of the cycle" with new tanks.
I believe that most folks do go through this with a new tank to the point that what you say has become almost general knowledge and is believed. The same goes for the brown diatom bloom that "everyone" gets with a new tank.
I say - it doesn't have to be so. IMO, the main reason for new tank algae blooms are the use of inferior salts and or not using RO/DI water exclusively.
I filled my latest tank up six weeks ago. I have not had what most folks experience with brown diatoms. I must admit, I did see several very small, very light patches of brown diatoms that lasted for two days and was gone. Personally, I don't consider that a diatom bloom of any significance.
I have full confidence that I will not experience the green hair algae problems either.
This tank is already stocked with some soft corals and several fish. There were some xenia and paly's in the tank from day one since they happen to be grown onto rocks that I wanted to use in the scaping.
So what's the salt?
Aquacraft's Marine Environment
You can also try adding a lawnmower blenny.
The only part about your post that I disagree with is that the algae blooms are a "natural part of the cycle" with new tanks.
I believe that most folks do go through this with a new tank to the point that what you say has become almost general knowledge and is believed. The same goes for the brown diatom bloom that "everyone" gets with a new tank.
I say - it doesn't have to be so. IMO, the main reason for new tank algae blooms are the use of inferior salts and or not using RO/DI water exclusively.
I filled my latest tank up six weeks ago. I have not had what most folks experience with brown diatoms. I must admit, I did see several very small, very light patches of brown diatoms that lasted for two days and was gone. Personally, I don't consider that a diatom bloom of any significance.
I have full confidence that I will not experience the green hair algae problems either.
This tank is already stocked with some soft corals and several fish. There were some xenia and paly's in the tank from day one since they happen to be grown onto rocks that I wanted to use in the scaping.
So what's the salt?
Aquacraft's Marine Environment
coralfragger101
Gone Postal
LOL - guess I wasn't quite finished.
NO - I'm not saying that Aquacraft's salt is a cure all for anything.
You can use the best salt in the world and if you overfeed, don't have adequate filtration, etc - you will have a build up of nitrates/phosphates and create a great environment for aglae to grow in.
NO - I'm not saying that Aquacraft's salt is a cure all for anything.
You can use the best salt in the world and if you overfeed, don't have adequate filtration, etc - you will have a build up of nitrates/phosphates and create a great environment for aglae to grow in.
ninjamini
New member
Ooohh I love a good discussion.
Algae thrives (grows) because it can. Algae, like almost all plants, needs 2 things to thrive...food (aka nutrients) and light. If you provide lots of nutrients and good light it will grow. Algae needs nitrates and phosphates.
The importance of RO/DI water is that it has had these nutrients removed. Using tap water is very bad for the tank and if you do not have axcess to ro/di then I would say wait on getting a tank until you do. That is how important it is.
If you want to reduce the growth of algae in your tank take away its food...nitrates and phosphates. These come from fish and the food that you give them. You can also remove there light and it will wither.
Recently I added some cheto into my system and lit it with a 8 watt light. The algae shrank in size. Finally I upped it to a 50 watt light and its growing like a weed.
coralfragger101
Gone Postal
I agree again except for this part and I don't totally disagree with this part.
All I'm trying to say is that there are other sources of nitrates and phosphates and inferior salts happen to fall into that category. Even the majority of ones that say, "Nitrate/Phosphate Free".
Well i dont mix my own salt, I find it to be a pain in the *** and I leave a busy enough life as is. Soo, haha, I buy the pre-mix from big als typically. I do have bio balls in my sump (a 75 gallon proclear aquatics) and was considering removing them and putting chaeto there. My other option, which i much prefer, would be to drill two holes into a 5 gallon plastic container and into the sump, connecting the two with pvc, screening the pvc, and growing chaeto in the auxilary tank. Ive only been reefing for about 6 months, I know a DIY sump would have been critical but I cant go back now.
coralfragger101
Gone Postal
It's almost as if you take for granted that because you are buying the water from a fish store that it must be good.
I haven't used nor tested Big Al's water so I can't speak good or bad about it.
The water that we put in our tanks is one of the most important elements for a healthy system yet so many folks almost ignore this fact. They'll save a buck and buy the cheapest salt. They won't do a water change for a month or two at a time, etc, etc. But these same folks might drop $100 on a coral frag that they really want and then wonder why it ups and dies on them.
I don't get it.
coralfragger101
Gone Postal
Overfeeding is a very common problem. The more you feed, the more your inhabitants poop, the faster your nitrates build up.
I certainly don't recommend starving your fish to death but feeding once a day or even every other day should be fine unless you have fish that need a constant food supply. Only feed what they will eat in a minute or two. You don't need leftovers for your clean up crew. They will find food.
I'm just as guilty as the next person with overfeeding. You can compensate for this up to a point with having a kickass skimmer and fuge full of macro.
Salt Mixing: A lot of folks just use rubbermaid trash cans to mix and store their saltwater. (these really need to be cured before using). Other folks get plastic (food grade) drums and turn them into salt mixing stations.
You need to have a good RO/DI unit (or a source for water with 0 TDS).
Yes, you will need a powerhead to mix the salt and keep circulation going. I use a Mag 12 for this purpose. The mixture needs mixed and should be aged and aerated before use. Mixing it up a week in advance isn't a bad idea.
The only salt I would recommend is Aquacraft's Marine Environment or Bio-Sea.
Disclaimer: The above comments are merely the opinions of the writer from his personal experiences and are certainly not to be taken as "the best way" or "only way" to accomplish the mission.
I certainly don't recommend starving your fish to death but feeding once a day or even every other day should be fine unless you have fish that need a constant food supply. Only feed what they will eat in a minute or two. You don't need leftovers for your clean up crew. They will find food.
I'm just as guilty as the next person with overfeeding. You can compensate for this up to a point with having a kickass skimmer and fuge full of macro.
Salt Mixing: A lot of folks just use rubbermaid trash cans to mix and store their saltwater. (these really need to be cured before using). Other folks get plastic (food grade) drums and turn them into salt mixing stations.
You need to have a good RO/DI unit (or a source for water with 0 TDS).
Yes, you will need a powerhead to mix the salt and keep circulation going. I use a Mag 12 for this purpose. The mixture needs mixed and should be aged and aerated before use. Mixing it up a week in advance isn't a bad idea.
The only salt I would recommend is Aquacraft's Marine Environment or Bio-Sea.
Disclaimer: The above comments are merely the opinions of the writer from his personal experiences and are certainly not to be taken as "the best way" or "only way" to accomplish the mission.
