how to kill algae on your zoa's??

[scram2]

how do i get rid of algae that is growing around my zoa's its bugging them so they wont open..... i have tried RO dipping and it works for a little bit but then it happens agian. So if anyone can help me out im all ears thanks

 

[Skeptic_07]

So i guess your question is how do you prevent algae from growing ? What type of algae is it?

 

[goldmaniac]

mexican turbo snails work for me
make sure they can't knock over any frag plugs you have, though. they're bulldozers.

 

[grouper25]

I had the same problem on my zoas placed on sand bed and in my frag rack as lights are on alot. Short answer after trying many things(even removing and boiling the frag rack):::::::: purchased a small yellow tang. Poof------ no more algae anywhere.

 

[GreenReefer77]

a sailfin did the trick for me

 

[DurTBear]

I move any frags with algae on them off my rack and down in the sandbed where the CUC can get to them. Usually cleans them off within a day or two although it's not a 100% guarantee that it doesn't grow again. Guess that doesn't answer the question of how to prevent the algae from growing in the first place but I'm sure pristine water conditions help.

 

[Mikeeee]

what type of algae? how old is the tank? what type of lights and how old? circulation? are you using RO water? you shouldnt be getting that much algae.. if its really as bad as it sounds.. find the root of the problem first. As for the CUC my mexican turbo snails do a good job.. they can knock corals over which can be annoying though.. also nassarius for the sand bed.

 

[scram2]

sorry ive been at work all day so i couldnt respond... my frags are either on the sandbed or on my live rock.....it may be hair algae the algae isnt that bad its just on a few of my frags and thats it. i have mexican turbos in there already. lights its just aquapod lighting but i put better lights in it... so i think i have 72w. the tank has been running about 7 months i think.

 

[chillman]

try and add more snails. that worked for me.

 

[scram2]

ill try that thanks everyone for the help. if anyone else has any advice let me know thanks

 

[goldmaniac]

tangs tangs tangs

ones that work the best, in my opinion, are Kole, Convict, and Naso tangs. I haven't had Hippos but I hear they're good eaters, too

 

[scram2]

the only thing about a tang is that it would have to go in a 24g tank and i dont want to do that

 

[kiran523]

Rainfordi (aka Court Jester) gobies are algae eaters as well

Go to the source and reduce your nutrients, less feedings...

 

[GreenReefer77]

I tried hector's and court jester and neither one would touch the stuff between the polyps in my tank at least, but my sailfin went right to it. Not to say that one of those won't work, but I haven't seen it.

 

[scram2]

thanks everyone for giving me a lot of options im still dealing with the stupid algae im just reducing feeding and havent had my lights on as much will see what happens.

 

[Lytehouse]

Re: how to kill algae on your zoa's??

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12528388#post12528388 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by scram2
how do i get rid of algae that is growing around my zoa's its bugging them so they wont open..... i have tried RO dipping and it works for a little bit but then it happens agian. So if anyone can help me out im all ears thanks

Some of the suggestions listed won't work for you because these guys have big tanks and you have a small tank. Tangs and things like that won't work. While you could put in a small tang, they are awesome on algae, you'd have the same problem. When you have to take them out, it's back.

Snails and hermits can work great if you have the algae knocked down very short to begin with.

As others said, for some types algae, it may be opportunistic growing from too much nutrient and light.

The thing I didn't hear, which happened to me was just flow. I had a couple colonies in front corners of a cube where flow wasn't getting to the sandbed and the nutrients were collecting there and algae grew there.

So, as one guy said, find the source and attack that.

Good luck.

 

[Mikeeee]

Since its a pretty small tank why not just take out the rocks that you do have algae on? clean them and put them back in. If the sand has algae on it try some sand sifting gobies/nassarius snails. But only do this if you know youve solved the root of the problem..it may just be a flow problem - dead spots in some areas which are growing algae. If you are feeding to much and not enough WC this can easily be another reason especially on a nano which has a smaller water water volume.

GL!

 

[Peter Eichler]

I've found emerald crabs to be particularly useful for cleaning up rocks with zoanthids on them.

 

[Skeptic_07]

Another idea could be Elysia crispata or a similar sea slug. i have E. diodomidae and it LOVES hair algae and eats it non-stop. You just have to be careful of your powerheads. Mine can crawl on the koralia ones fine without getting sucked in but i'd imagine if you had a MJ or a different one with a small opening for the intake it would eventually get sucked into the pump and chopped to bits. Unlike most sea slugs, if that even does occur, only the slug itself would be harmed as these are not poisonous.