success.....kinda

[fullkontact]

I been reading more than any human being should ever have to, and it paid off. I have been battleing dinoflagelattes, and diatoms for 2 months now. (no my system is not new). And I think I finally kicked it. So now it looks like green hair algae will be next, it's already covering a couple of rocks. My question is kinda general but I'll ask it anyway. I have no sump, refugium, or deep sand bed. My skimmer is.....ok (css 125). I do 20% water changes every week. Will I be able to ever be algae free?

 

[Pandora]

I don't think *any* tank is ever "algae free" Even the best of them need an occasional spiffing up. If you have very few fish in that system, I think you could be "algae low". But with an average fish load and only skimming, it will take a while until you are just doing occasional maintenance to keep it back. Don't be discouraged though; at the two month stage, almost every tank goes through occasional outbreaks.

 

[TekCat]

Check out this article

good luck

 

[Amphiprion]

Your tank will never be 100% algae free. It is impossible to do this and if somehow you do, it will be quite unnatural. Don't think nature is "pristine" in this regard, either, since the vast majority of biomass on a coral reef is actually algae--so, an "algae reef" would be a more appropriate term. What you actually want is a tank that has algae 'under control', not completely eliminated.

 

[fullkontact]

Yeah, I know. I don't want my tank to look sterile. I am more referring to diatoms, hair algae, and cyano. My tank is not new, I have only tried to make it better the last 2 months, it's been up and running for 2 years. I just saw a bunch of pics on here and made me wanna make mine nice. I just figured that living in an apartment (upstairs), limited my approaches. ie. no sump or refugium. Also I'm broke, so no fancy skimmer, not much live rock. etc.

 

[Amphiprion]

Even the nicest tanks will have these algae, just not in plague proportions or visible mats. That is why you use all of those export mechanisms to limit their growth, since you cannot stop it.
Many folks have refugia, sumps etc in upstairs apartments. Are you close to exceeding the weight limit? Check to see how much the floors can hold and try to stay well under that limit.

 

[fullkontact]

well, my landlord, aka satan, already knows I have a tank and does not approve due to me not being able to find renters insurance to cover it. I have already had one small flood, which I lied my way out of, (no damage anyway). I am just nervous about another flood. Anything that pumps water out of the tank. My skimmer makes me nervous enough. Maybe a hang on fuge will work. Also I am looking into more live rock. I have about 30 pounds now, which I know is not nearly enough. I just gotta save my pennies. What fish or clean up crew can I get for the green hair algae? I have heard of lawnmowers, and hare's, anything else?

 

[Amphiprion]

There are a number of things, but ethics often get involved here--especially with "lettuce nudibranchs" and sea hares, both of which need large, continuous supplies of algae to satisfy their insatiable appetites. Other options are hit or miss, including lawnmowers, yellow tangs, rabbitfish, sally lite foot crabs, certain snails like turbos and astrea (for cropped hair algae), and hermits. Each has pros and cons, so it makes it a difficult decision. I, on the other hand, always opt for the manual approach. BTW, can't help you with the landlord thing, sorry --actually you could beg and plead (sell your soul), but it will probably make him/her even more angry.

 

[fullkontact]

one more quick question. If I go with a hang on refugium on my 75g tank. what do I put in it? chaeto? deep and bed? will a hang on back even be worth it?

 

[Amphiprion]

I recommend Chaetomorpha algae as the best alternative. It is worth it if you get a reasonably sized container. I don't recommend a DSB, since I don't honestly think it will do its job (to the full potential) in that small of a container. Actually, a HOB may be more worth it, simply because of the direct gravity outflow, so the animals you work hard to grow aren't ground to bits by the pump.