I Need To Control That Algae!

ExarKun

New member
Hey Guys,

I was looking for some help with my tank. I've had my tank up and running for about a year now and I've still got an algae problem.

I'll be honest it's mostly my fault. My friends and I have been trying to start up a snowboard company and most of my time has been devoted to that. However, this is a new year and I'm determined to get this tank looking nice! So here is what I am planning to vanquish the evil algae

First I'll start with the problems. I've got a severe case of red hair algae. It grows in clumps and is easily removed but it just keeps coming back. I can't get to the stuff that’s in the cracks so it just keeps growing. I have one spot of green hair algae that won't go away. And a spot of bryopsis on my skimmer prefilter.

For a CUC I have 1 Queen Conch, 1 Emerald, 4 Blue Legged Hermits, 2 Scarlet Hermits, 1 Skunk Cleaner, 3 Nassarius, 1 Turbo, 4 Trochus, and 3 Astrea. For fish I have 1 False Perc and a Bi-color Blenny.

About a week ago I removed all the rock and gave it a good scrubbing to remove as much red algae as possible. I also reduced the lighting period to Actinics for 12 hours and 10K's for 8 hours. For the bryopsis I plan to raise the Magnesium. I am also trying to do weekly 5 gallon water changes to remove some of those nitrates.

I also have a bad infestation of Red Flat worms. I have been trying to suck them out with the water changes but there are a lot of them. I would like to get more of them out before I dose with Flat Worm Exit.

My sand is pretty dirty as well. What should I be doing with it? Should I be stirring it with the water changes? Can I add a few more snails? Perhaps a serpent star?

I haven't tested the water in a while. I will test tonight and post the numbers up. All my equipment is listed in my sig.

Am I missing anything? I would like to hope I am on the road to recovery however long it might take.
 
Dont stir your sand!

First your lights are on awfully long, Id say 10ks like 8 hrs, and 10ks for 6 would be better.

You have to have high phosphates for all of that algae. Get a phosban reactor. It will help big time.

Feed less food

If you can run a refugium, maybe a hang on, or an aquaclear converted into one, that will help big time.
 
Is there anything I can do with the sand? It's about 2 inches deep and it is UGLY! It drives me nuts when I see other sandbeds on here that are nice and clean. Should I get more critters to shift it?

Oh wow I didn't know I should run the lights for that short a time. Ok thats an easy fix.

What exactly do I need for a phosban reactor? I plan on setting up a sump in the next month or so. It's going to be a 10 gal with a skimmer section and return. I'd like to set up another 10 gallon with a fuge. Will a reactor fit in half a 10 gallon sump?

A few weeks ago I was feeding half a mysis shrimp cube. I also had a six line wrasse at that point. I took him out and returned him because he just couldn't behave. I am now back down to a 1/4 cube a day. Should I be doing less for Nemo and Muddy?
 
I would have to say that you you are most likely experiencing this algae problem due to high nitrates and/or phosphates. I am having the same issue and I have been doing more frequent water changes and am waiting for my phosban reactor to come in to hopefully resolve my phosphates that are present in my tank
 
These are good suggestions but if your major prob is the red cottony hair algae you are lucky. Mexican Turbo snails love that stuff. My tank was overrun with it when I first set it up and 2 Mexican Turbos ate every spec in a week.
 
Seapug, that is a great description for my red algae. It looks like a bunch of red cotton balls all around my tank.

Which reminds me I also have green bubble algae all over the place.

As for water I have a RO-Di system that I use for all water changes and top off water.

dsn112 you may be on to something. Currently when I feed mysis I just thaw the 1/4 cube in some saltwater from the tank and dump it in. Should I be straining out the shrimp before feeding? What process do you use for feeding?
 
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