How do you keep out nuisance algae
- Thread starter rocksaus
- Start date
Cerith snails reproduce in your tank, giving you lots of tiny snails to keep your macros clean.
Is it mithrax crabs that eat bubble algae? For turf, tangs and the like should work, but they'll go after your macros as well.
I'm guessing most of the work will have to be done by you, with manual removal, water changes and excellent husbandry practices, until your macros take over and suck up excess nutrients before the yucky stuff can get to it.
I'm guessing most of the work will have to be done by you, with manual removal, water changes and excellent husbandry practices, until your macros take over and suck up excess nutrients before the yucky stuff can get to it.
One of the tricks fresh water planted tank people use is to plant heavily when setting up a new tank. The idea is to have plants in place before algae makes an appearance, sucking up excess nutrients, so that algae lacks food to grow. Sounds great doesn't it? In my experience, I've never been able to skip the "algae phase". You just have to fight with it for a while (manual removal, water changes), until something clicks and your macros kick in and take over. It just seems to be an inevitable phase of the maturation process of every aquarium. In the meantime, try out lots of snails, to see which ones work best in your tank. Also, you can acclimate Mollies to salt water pretty easily. Don't feed them at all, so you don't indirectly feed algae too, and the mollies will go after a variety of algae, even some cyanobacteria.
I've often wondered how much more popular our hobby would be, if someone figured out a surefire way to avoid the algae phase. At least with planted tanks, we are working WITH Mother Nature, rather than trying to conquer her, which never works. Good luck!
I've often wondered how much more popular our hobby would be, if someone figured out a surefire way to avoid the algae phase. At least with planted tanks, we are working WITH Mother Nature, rather than trying to conquer her, which never works. Good luck!
Thanks for all the advice. I was able to keep my water clean enough to nearly eradicate all algae, but my macros and softies wouldn't grow. So I've been heavily feeding to get good growth out of them. And a couple spots popped up. It's no where near a problem or unsightly. I'm just a perfectionist
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lifeoffaith
Member
I would not do an emerald if you have macros. Manual removal is your best bet. You can syphon bubble algae when they're small with an air hose. Put the hose right over the bubble, start the syphon and bump the base of the bubble so it pulls off of the rock. With the syphon going, you shouldn't release any more spores.
