Help!

[garingff23]

brown algae is slowly making its way accross my new tanke and refugem. i jumped the gun and bought 3 clowns and 2 cleaner shrimp 5 snails and 5 hermits. what can i do to assure thier survival until the algae takes its course....what else would u suggest to add or do to correct the problem...THANKS



PLEASE HELP!

 

[Tava176]

Wht are our water peramiters?
PH
Nitrate
Nitite
Ammonia
Phosphate.

I see you mentioned "new tank". As long as your Ammonia, Nitite, Nitrate is 0 adn your PH is 8.0-8.4, your fish will be fine. The algae itself will not hurt them.

Algae cycles is a normal accurance of a new tank.

 

[Amphiprion]

What are the wate parameters? Give as many as you can test for. Also, give tank description, setup, etc. Most likely, it is part of the initial sets of algal blooms that result from the changing levels of wastes, etc. Your best bet is to keep the skimmer, refugium and water changes up (while resisting the urge to add more fish) while things level out.

 

[Mariner]

The brown algae will not hurt anything in your tank. It actually sounds like diatoms (technically animal, not plant). Anyway, the snails and hermits will eat it. If you haven't yet, you'll want to get a cleaning magnet to keep it wiped off the glass. As long as your ammonia and nitrite are zero, and your nitrate is fairly low, your animals will do fine (assuming you're keeping temp, salinity, aeration, flow, etc. at good consistent levels).
HTH,
Mariner

 

[garingff23]

i dont have a good test kit.just one that tells me if it is too high or too low. hae any suggestions on one i should buy?

i wasnt goign to add more fish but i wanted to know if i should buy an algae bustin crew or not?

how often should i do the water changes i have heard so many different answers?

 

[Tava176]

I would suggest Salfert test kits.

I change 20% of my water every 2 weeks adn have done so sinse I first set up my system.

 

[Mariner]

If it were me, I'd get the tests first. If ammo, nitrite and nitrate are zero, then I'd add a few more cleaners (possibly double your snails and crabs).
Aquarium Pharmaceuticals makes a good set of tests that are very reasonably priced and fairly accurate for measuring ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH -- I think it's called the Master Test kit. Salifert makes excellent tests but they are somewhat more expensive. I use the AP tests for the basics, and Salifert for things that require more precise measurements (calcium, etc.).

You do hear a lot of different opinions on water changes. But I've found that a 10% to 20% water change every week or two is a commonly recommended practice, and that's what I do.

HTH,
Mariner

 

[Petstorejunkie]

for beginners i reccomend hagen or tetra brand just for their ease of use and clear dummy proof directions.
seachen and fastest are probably the most accurate, but for some of the seachem tests you need to sit down and go over the directions several times (i had to go through an 8 hour course to learn how to use all of their tests! crazy huh?!_)
tetras is probably the easiest 14 drops big bottle 7 drope small bottle, regardless of whick one of the tests you are doing.

 

[garingff23]

what about a goby of some sort to mix up the algae on the sand???? any other suggestions??

 

[Tava176]

I would not add anymore livestock for a monthor 2. You want to make sure your tank is totally cycled.

The most important thing (and the hardest thing) is to take it really slow. My tank is a year old and I only have 5 fish and I just started to put corals in it. I have no issues with my tank (except for a little diatom problem on my glass).

Take it slow my friend...slow.