Help Me - I Screwed Up

[rich19020]

Today I was trimming my Fuge and forgot to put back the sponge and I had Grape Algae go through my sump and then into my display tanks. I sure a lot of the algae got chopped up in my return pump not to mention all the small pumps in my sump.

I actually changed my Carbon and GFO yesterday. I also dose vodka.

I am going to make saltwater tonight and do a water change tomorrow.

My question is for a display tank which was fortunate never to have an algae problem will this become a disaster? I understand my three tangs won't eat grape algae.

Any suggestions?

 

[Allmost]

your tangs might eat it, might not.

but you have basically spread its seed everywhere now, so need to catch and clean them up, and also at the same time have a competitor for them !

Id siphon out any detritus from display, with a water change, and add some algae in the fuge again, and maybe even up the light hours, so those would grow faster than the seeds in display.

maybe filter socks would help, maybe not, I am not too sure, but you will have to wait and see. either way, not too bad as its an easy to remove algae, just dont let it take over, if you see any growing in main tank, remove and scrape it ASAP.

 

[Slystone]

Here is a good thread.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=761651

 

[rich19020]

Everything looks like it is back as it was before the accident. Now I guess it's a waiting game to see if it will grow in the display tank. Water is mixing for tomorrows water change and I think I'll change the carbon every three days for a week or two.

I still have algae in the fuge so that should help. I am also hoping that having three tangs in the display will help if any algae decides to grow.

I am assuming that the algae released something because the corals shedding when it occurred. They are back to normal now.

Luckily I have a lot of filteration for a 72 gallon. I have a 40 gallon sump and another 20 gallon fuge.

 

[Browndawg80]

I notice in your profile you've got a six line wrasse and a Xmas wrasse together in 72 gallon. I've got a 90 gallon with a six line in it now and have been thinking about adding another wrasse but have been hesitant cause I heard six lines can be aggressive towards other members of the wrasse family. Any advice for me? Sorry I can't help on your algae problem.

 

[rich19020]

I was fortunate that both of my wrasses got along. I didn't know that you were not to put in two wrasses in a tank until I try to buy my third and was told not to do it. I think I got lucky because my sixline is really small when I got it and it is still a year later really small. My Xmas wrasses is the biggest fish in the tank and nobody bugs it and luckily the Xmas wrasses is really calm.

 

[tektite]

Just keep an eye out for any cropping up. If you get them right as they start to grow before they can get their roots into the liverock it won't be an issue. The tangs may take a liking to it if that happens anyway. My sailfin eats caulerpa readily, and when I was training one of my achilles onto prepared food in my sump it started eating caulerpa on its own too.

 

[Saltydog2]

I have some friends that let a small piece of green grape caulerpa get started in there tank and now all the rocks are covered and no room for any corals to grow. They have just bought a foxface to try and combat what they couldn't remove by hand. It will be interesting to see if the foxface can tackle this big job.

 

[Palting]

Grape algae? Are you talking about grape caulerpa, AKA Caulerpa racemosa?

If you are, and you have tangs in your tank, then there's no need to worry. Your tangs will eat them all up, roots and stringers, IF it will even take root. The caulerpa won't stand a chance. No need for extra water changes nor changing carbon, etc. I regularly trim the caulerpa in my refugium and dump a handful in the DT for the tangs.

 

[rich19020]

Thank you everybody for your responses. So far tank is in great shape.