Need help with algae
- Thread starter firerock
- Start date
firerock
New member
Paul B,
Thank you for your inputs, so what do you recommend that I do now? More frequent water changes? I usually do about 20% at a time. Do you think WC alone will solve the problem slowly? I do have a refugium with cheto growing in it. It seems like the nuisance algae has been winning the battle over cheto lately.
My tank has been running for a little more than a year now, and I have never experienced an algae bloom like this until lately, not even during the initial set-up.
Thank you for your inputs, so what do you recommend that I do now? More frequent water changes? I usually do about 20% at a time. Do you think WC alone will solve the problem slowly? I do have a refugium with cheto growing in it. It seems like the nuisance algae has been winning the battle over cheto lately.
My tank has been running for a little more than a year now, and I have never experienced an algae bloom like this until lately, not even during the initial set-up.
Paul B
Premium Member
Your tank seems very new. It is normal in a new tank. Don't get too crazy it is not the end of the world and it will level off eventually, especially as you say, you haven't fed in a while. You need a way to export the nutrients. Water changes may help (but not always, they may hurt) Do you skim? I see you have a refugium, can you harvest the algae there? As was said, you read no nitrates because it is all in the algae, if you could remove the algae mechanically your problem would be solved.
Paul
Paul
firerock
New member
Sorry for not understanding this, but why would water changes hurt?
Yes, I do skim. I have AquaC Remora HOB skimmer that runs 24/7, it has not been skimming out much lately. I also run carbon and phosban 24/7. I have cheto in refugium, it has not been able to out compete the nuisance algae.
I really can't remove the algae on the rocks, I tried pulling, scrubbing (outside of tank), and it just doesn't come off. :mad2:
Paul B
Premium Member
Firerock, (wierd name for a penguin) water changes can hurt sometimes if the make up water you are using is contributing to the nutrients in the tank. For instance, my tap water here in NY is high in nitrate. If I were to use that for water changes I would be adding more nitrate than I would be removing.
Your algae cycle should level off soon and then start to die.
Algae needs nutrients and it can't live long without them. But you must remove the nutrients to kill the algae and the best way to do that is to let the algae grow, then pull it out.
Here is a trick. Get some plastic window screen at a hardware store. Sandpaper it a little to roughen it up. Mix a little "Sakrete Mortar Mix" you can get it for a couple of bucks in a hardware store and smear it on the screen. Only a little of it will stick.
After two days soak the screen in some saltwater (not your tank) for maybe three or four days then put it in your refugium under the lights. The screen will start to be covered in your hair algae and you can remove it to clean. Hair algae love cement and will grow there faster than in your tank.
I always have a cement covered screen in my reef.
You will not read about that anywhere else because I invented it but try it and let me know how it works. Of course it is not an overnight thing but remember, algae is not toxic waste and it will not hurt the fish, as a matter of fact, it makes the water healthier, just ugly and it will bury corals and kill them by blocking the light.
Good luck.
Paul
Your algae cycle should level off soon and then start to die.
Algae needs nutrients and it can't live long without them. But you must remove the nutrients to kill the algae and the best way to do that is to let the algae grow, then pull it out.
Here is a trick. Get some plastic window screen at a hardware store. Sandpaper it a little to roughen it up. Mix a little "Sakrete Mortar Mix" you can get it for a couple of bucks in a hardware store and smear it on the screen. Only a little of it will stick.
After two days soak the screen in some saltwater (not your tank) for maybe three or four days then put it in your refugium under the lights. The screen will start to be covered in your hair algae and you can remove it to clean. Hair algae love cement and will grow there faster than in your tank.
I always have a cement covered screen in my reef.
You will not read about that anywhere else because I invented it but try it and let me know how it works. Of course it is not an overnight thing but remember, algae is not toxic waste and it will not hurt the fish, as a matter of fact, it makes the water healthier, just ugly and it will bury corals and kill them by blocking the light.
Good luck.
Paul
Hey Paul. Glad to see you chime in.
Firerock, Paul's been doing this a lot longer than me. I agree with everything he's stated here. Good luck on your quest. I haven't tried the sakrete method though but my main place for alage growth now is in my overflow. I have to clean it out every few days.
Paul, the 400 is plumbed and should be filling up this weekend I hope. Then it's my turn to start a new cycle and enjoy the alage problems.
Firerock, Paul's been doing this a lot longer than me. I agree with everything he's stated here. Good luck on your quest. I haven't tried the sakrete method though but my main place for alage growth now is in my overflow. I have to clean it out every few days.
Paul, the 400 is plumbed and should be filling up this weekend I hope. Then it's my turn to start a new cycle and enjoy the alage problems.
Frankysreef
Active member
I get that wonderful red slime in all my overflows... I need to clean them weekly
Paul B
Premium Member
Ahh the joys of red slime. I still also get it. It's a nice shade of mauve. You won't get any algae, we're Veterans and algae knows better.
Chevy now it's time to get a moorish Idol. I should give you mine, he eats too much and I can't keep up with him messing up my water.
I have been working on a beach out on the east end of Long Island and have been collecting buckets full of codium. I can't fit any more in my tank so I give it to the store. They sell it for $10.00 a bunch.
Have a great day.
Paul
Chevy now it's time to get a moorish Idol. I should give you mine, he eats too much and I can't keep up with him messing up my water.
I have been working on a beach out on the east end of Long Island and have been collecting buckets full of codium. I can't fit any more in my tank so I give it to the store. They sell it for $10.00 a bunch.
Have a great day.
Paul
Frankysreef
Active member
The only place that red slime grows is in my overflows where all the nutrients are. Clogs em too, I just set up a new frag tank, and put a mag 7 to pump water from my sump...
Red slime clogged the overflow when I wasnt home... drip drip drip...Wife ****ed.
I break some teeth off the overflow.. works better...pump still a little too powerful... power goes out... slight flood when power goes back on..
Stepped the pump down to a mag 5.. that seems to work better..
Gotta love this hobby! Now to get rid of the other flood power outage problem that I have
We having fun yet!
F
Red slime clogged the overflow when I wasnt home... drip drip drip...Wife ****ed.
I break some teeth off the overflow.. works better...pump still a little too powerful... power goes out... slight flood when power goes back on..
Stepped the pump down to a mag 5.. that seems to work better..
Gotta love this hobby! Now to get rid of the other flood power outage problem that I have
We having fun yet!
F
firerock
New member
Paul, that's an innovative idea, and you are right, I have not seen it anywhere else. Will give it a try as soon as possible. Thanks for the great tip.
P.S.: firerock penguin is wifey's idea. She liked the penguin, so it becomes my avatar. Why Superpenguin? Well, thanks to the movie. Got to listen to the boss.
P.S.: firerock penguin is wifey's idea. She liked the penguin, so it becomes my avatar. Why Superpenguin? Well, thanks to the movie. Got to listen to the boss.
Sorry, forgot to ask, where do I find these threads. I rarely read other forums on RC. Thanks
If your a Paul B fan like me you use the search tool to find any of his threads. Then you click on the search button above that particular post and you can see what paul has been up to.
If your a Paul B fan like me you use the search tool to find any of his threads. Then you click on the search button above that particular post and you can see what paul has been up to.
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