What algae is this and how do I make it go away
- Thread starter curtcherry
- Start date
mcgyvr
New member
just green hair algae.. Maybe bryopsis or similar..
Algae is 100% NORMAL for a new "immature" tank..
Typically you will see diatoms, green hair algae, bubble algae, possibly some cyano bacteria,etc...
Maintaining low nitrate levels will cause the algae it die out..
More aggressive techniques are
-Manual removal (scrub with tooth brush) can also be performed..
-You can even do a dip/soak of the rock in 50% tank water/50% hydrogen peroxide along with manual scrubbing..
But thats very little and typically one incorporates a "clean up crew (CUC)" after cycling to eat any algae that is forming.. A clean up crew will typically be snails of different types/crabs,etc... turbo snails/cerith/nerite/trochus snails are great.. I tend to only use 1 or 2 crabs (if any) as they can be "annoying/bullies" in a tank and eat snails and other sorts of problems.. Emerald crabs do good with algae/bubble algae and don't seem to bother snails..
Once the tank gets more mature you can even add urchins,etc.. They mow down algae usually..
For a new tank I would just add the clean up crew and see how they do at taking care of it along with water changes,etc.. to keep nitrate levels low (sub 10ppm)
If its still a problem then move on to more aggressive techniques..
Algae is 100% NORMAL for a new "immature" tank..
Typically you will see diatoms, green hair algae, bubble algae, possibly some cyano bacteria,etc...
Maintaining low nitrate levels will cause the algae it die out..
More aggressive techniques are
-Manual removal (scrub with tooth brush) can also be performed..
-You can even do a dip/soak of the rock in 50% tank water/50% hydrogen peroxide along with manual scrubbing..
But thats very little and typically one incorporates a "clean up crew (CUC)" after cycling to eat any algae that is forming.. A clean up crew will typically be snails of different types/crabs,etc... turbo snails/cerith/nerite/trochus snails are great.. I tend to only use 1 or 2 crabs (if any) as they can be "annoying/bullies" in a tank and eat snails and other sorts of problems.. Emerald crabs do good with algae/bubble algae and don't seem to bother snails..
Once the tank gets more mature you can even add urchins,etc.. They mow down algae usually..
For a new tank I would just add the clean up crew and see how they do at taking care of it along with water changes,etc.. to keep nitrate levels low (sub 10ppm)
If its still a problem then move on to more aggressive techniques..
curtcherry
Member
I thought this was normal as this is my second tank. I already had the diatoms. Man they came and went quick. RO/DI did its job on that one. Had a few bubble algae that i sucked up with airline without breaking them. I have a pretty good CUC in there already. They are doing well, probably need to add more as I see it is growing a bit faster than what they can eat. I am at 0/0/0 and have been for several weeks. Thanks for the reply, just wanted to make sure I didn't have anything crazy.
scooter31707
New member
I agree, looks like the beginning of hair algae. Maybe run some GFO. Also fine the source of the phosphates. Did you cycle the rock before putting it into the tank? If the rock was dry rock, it can leach phosphates out into the water column.
xCry0x
Active member
I run a bunch of GFO in new tanks that use dry rock to try to preempt hair algae.
If the rock is leaching it my experience is you will have algae growth until the rock quits leaching.
Turbo snails do an awesome job at obliterating hair algae -- although in my experience they do not tend to live long.
Tronchus snails are my current favorite larger snail, they seem much better fit for tropical reefs. I have had 2 of them for a few years and just added 3 more to my new tank.
If the rock is leaching it my experience is you will have algae growth until the rock quits leaching.
Turbo snails do an awesome job at obliterating hair algae -- although in my experience they do not tend to live long.
Tronchus snails are my current favorite larger snail, they seem much better fit for tropical reefs. I have had 2 of them for a few years and just added 3 more to my new tank.
