!!!I Hate Algae!!!

TheCoralReef731

TheCoralReef731

New member
Algae is taking over my tank, and all the steps that I have been taking to prevent it aren't showing enough results. I have a slight nitrate problem, which is fueling the algae. It is mainly hair algae, slimey algae (on glass), and grape caulerpa. I just got chaeto in my sump, and it is helping with the nitrate problem (within 2 weeks I noticed a 5ppm drop). I am also in the process of getting a skimmer (a really good one) so that will also help. What else can I do?
My tank isn't fully stocked with fish yet, so I still have the opportunity to get a fish that could eat the algae. Any suggestions? Lawnmower blenny?

BTW - my tank is a 25 gallon, so nothing too large (so no tangs :p )
 
The best algea eaters are sea hares. The only thing is you will have to get rid of it when the algea is gone. They are not that expensive. Otherwise sally lightfoots and Turbo snails do the best to mow down algea. You could also look into running a phosphate remover in your sump like RowaPhos. Phosphates can also contribute to algea growth.
 
With a tank that small, you could do a great deal of nitrate and phosphate removal with water changes....RO/DI is a must with the water we have around here IMHO.....the best way to remove the hair algae is methodically pulling it out by hand. Tedious, yes, but to attempt to rely on something to eat it will not solve the problem.

Jeff
 
I used to use RO/DI water from Meijers, but after a phonecall to Culligan, I found out that the water is junk. They didn't even know that they had a RO/DI unit at Meijers. I asked for the TDS, and they didn't have it. Terrible.
 
I looked up sea hares on the internet, and they are "expert only". I don't want anything that is just going to die. It also said that they release toxins into the water when threatened that may kill fish.

Is there anything that is less deadly
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7097163#post7097163 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TheCoralReef731
I used to use RO/DI water from Meijers, but after a phonecall to Culligan, I found out that the water is junk. They didn't even know that they had a RO/DI unit at Meijers. I asked for the TDS, and they didn't have it. Terrible.
Click to expand...

The water at Meijers may very well be junk, but I wouldn't take culligan's word for anything. They have a large stake in making folks think that their overpriced systems are the only way to get clean water. Having said that, the water at Meijers probably isn't RO/DI...it's more than likely just RO but I don't know that for a fact.

Jeff
 
I would guess, without having used it, that the water at Meijer is junk for reefkeeping. There really is no value to most people in 0 TDS water for drinking. It is probably heavily filtered using RO, UV, Carbon etc.... When I first started my reef I was using filtered drinking water from Whole Foods and eventually I started having really bad macro algae growth. Once I bought an RODI it started going away. Never had a hair algae problem but the annoying macro was bad enough. Get a good RODI and it will be one of the best investments you can make in this hobby. Never having to go out and get water when you need it is well worth the price. Plus, at $0.50/gal it can get pretty expensive over time.
 
Dude, tell us more about your water parmt.CA, ALK.PH , PHOS., NITRATE, TEMP. ect.. We wanna find out whats fueling the nuesance algae. SO, WE START W/ THE WATER.Then whats left in your clening crew.
 
Okay, here are the parameters. It has been a while since I checked, cause I was on vacation, but they are very accurate. I will post two readings for each.

Tests from 1.5 months ago:
Nitrate: 15ppm
Nitrite: 0
Ammonia: 0
Phosphate: (don't have test kit)
pH: 8.3
Temp: 78-80 degrees
Alkalinity: 15dkh


Tests from 1 week ago:
Nitrate: 7ppm
Nitrite: 0
Ammonia: 0
Phosphate: (don't have test kit)
pH: 8.3
Temp: 78-80 degrees
Alkalinity: 15dkh
 
Cleaning Crew:
1 Coral Banded Shrimp
~11 blue legged hermits (most are lost in my sump)

Water Flow:
Mag 7 in sump
Small powerhead in tank

Lighting:
I just switched from 10k (unknown brand) to 20k XM.

Another thing to consider is the temperature lately. While I was away on vacation, the heater stopped working correctly, and the temperature got a little low (65 at the lowest). The RBTA freaked out and moved lower in the tank, either because of the new lightbulb or the temperature.
 
Here is the coral that is fighting the most hair algae. It has a lot more algae than any other coral in the tank, but didn't have much beforehand. Here are before and after pics.

FISH2006_0304AA.jpg


DSCF0362.jpg
 
you have had some bad luck
don't give up , learn as you go along
i learned recently to use Chemi-clean to get rid of red slime algae
It works well just follow directions carefully.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7097757#post7097757 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TheCoralReef731
My Current Water Problems:
Nitrates
Alkalinity
Click to expand...
Sure enough this is a problem. No calcium test either. IME if you balance the alk. and ca. neusance algae go away and coraline take over which is good. Try to aim around 8 to9dkh w/ a ca. of 430 mgl. Kalkwasser is handy when you do have an imbalance system. Start driping, 3 tsp./ gal. max. and 5% water change /wk. Good luck
 
You can also run some Rowaphos to reduce your phosphate to zero, which will cause the algae to die.
 
Sorry, I forgot to say that calcium is at 400ppm.

Why use kalkwasser? I thought that was used to boost the alkalinity when mine is way too high. Which is it?
 
Kalk is used to boost (more like maintain, not boost) both ALK and CA. It also may precipitate phosphate out of your makeup water. Here is an excellent article from Randy Holmes-Farley on Kalk, aka lime water:
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.php

No snails in the tank? RO/DI is a must IMO. What other animal's in the tank? Water changes? The skimmer will help a lot I am sure.

Patrick
 
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