Alright, I've been fighting this algea for a lil bit now and I'm giving up. I do weekly water changes with RO water, I only have 1 fish in the tank now, its a 15g with mixed corals and 2 clams. I have a top off hooked up with a DIY kalk reactor, an Aqua C remora and pleanty of flow. I have about 25 hermits and 15 snails give or take a few but they dont seem to touch it. Prolly last month I took a ot of the corals and rock out and pulled crap load of this stuff out of the tank and now its returning. Is there anything that I can add to the tank to help rid of this? Phosphate - under .05 and I feed every other day. Any suggestions?
algea help please.
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Emerald crabs are great for hair algae. But this is not hair algae. I think it is worth a try with the Emeralds but if no luck with that than try Sally lightfoot crabs. However I would use caution if you get an emerald because they will eat clams. I don't know what kind of clams you have but they tried to eat my maxima.
thats the only thing that I'm worried about, tho i've known some people who havnt had any issues with them and their clams. I have two croceas and they are my pride and joy. For sure I'll invite people over for some emerald crab legs if I catch it chompin on my clams.
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LOL Glxtrix, I love crab legs..
I do not know what type of algae that is. My guess would be Derbesia </em>or Bryopsis plumosa</em> looking at the picture. If it is, a Sally lightfoot crab and a emerald crab might eat it. Blennies, Zebrasoma and Ctenochaetus Tangs may eat your type as well but then you are tlaking about fish and I do not believe in getting a fish just to solve a "small" problem. I suggest you send the picture here: <span style="color: #0000ff;">mailto:Crew@WetWebMedia.com">[B]Crew@WetWebMedia.com[/B]</a> </span><span style="color: black;">with a discription of your tank (skimmer, size, how much LR, etc.), water test results, and bioload and see if they can ID it for you and give you a way to beat it. Do remember, Phosphates will test low if the plant has already taken them up, that is what most people to not understand about a PO4 test. The plant has gotten its fill and you are just registering the "left overs". </span>
Hope all this helps.
I do not know what type of algae that is. My guess would be Derbesia </em>or Bryopsis plumosa</em> looking at the picture. If it is, a Sally lightfoot crab and a emerald crab might eat it. Blennies, Zebrasoma and Ctenochaetus Tangs may eat your type as well but then you are tlaking about fish and I do not believe in getting a fish just to solve a "small" problem. I suggest you send the picture here: <span style="color: #0000ff;">mailto:Crew@WetWebMedia.com">[B]Crew@WetWebMedia.com[/B]</a> </span><span style="color: black;">with a discription of your tank (skimmer, size, how much LR, etc.), water test results, and bioload and see if they can ID it for you and give you a way to beat it. Do remember, Phosphates will test low if the plant has already taken them up, that is what most people to not understand about a PO4 test. The plant has gotten its fill and you are just registering the "left overs". </span>
Hope all this helps.
Lee,
I would just keep up with the manual removal and water changes. Are you running any kind of phosphate remover? If not, pick up a phosphate reactor as well. The only way I've ever beaten this stuff is to run a refugium to help get the phosphates out.
Good luck!
I would just keep up with the manual removal and water changes. Are you running any kind of phosphate remover? If not, pick up a phosphate reactor as well. The only way I've ever beaten this stuff is to run a refugium to help get the phosphates out.
Good luck!
see the only thing is isnt a phos reactor kinda over kill for a 15g tank? i could be wrong. Keep in mind also that its a BB tank, forgot to mention that, oops. My skimmer is set to wet, tho for some reason it hasnt been skimming the best, I have tho set it to as wet as it can go. The mollies that I had in the tank mysteriously vanished, I wonder if that has anything to do with it, then again, I had the algea problem prior to adding them, hence why I added them in the first place. There has to be something I',m missing, I mean hand pulling this is a huge pita, I've broke a lot of coral last time and not too sure if I want to go thu that again. I think a simple frag like tank with no LR might be in line.
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YA the tang would be a bit cramped in the 15G tank. LOL
Like I said, either hand pick what you can and deal or get a crab to help you out. I would first make sure what you are up against. You might also consider running some sort of Phosphate remover and maybe after you hand pick it, there will not be anything for food for it to grow back. You could also try a HOB fuge, but again that is a costly solution for a mild problem.
Like I said, either hand pick what you can and deal or get a crab to help you out. I would first make sure what you are up against. You might also consider running some sort of Phosphate remover and maybe after you hand pick it, there will not be anything for food for it to grow back. You could also try a HOB fuge, but again that is a costly solution for a mild problem.
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I wish my tank has more life on the rocks... it's so plain with just white and purple.
I have a fuge on it, its a modded AC500 but the thing is seeing that the tank is BB, its pointless to have any kind of sand and or macro algea in there. Ya know one thing I havnt checked inna while is my Mg, I'm a firm believer that its directly related to algea growth.....lemme check that and get back to ya'll.
Mexican Turbo Snail... pound for pound one of the best hair algae eaters around. Snail might die after it wipes out the algae though. It needs a larger tank and lots of food to keep going. Throw a little PhosPure (cheap from DrsFosterSmith) in a bag and drop it somewhere in your tank for a few days perferably somewhere with water movement.
Does the rock that have the algea on it have any coral on it also?
If there are corals on the rock and if you can move the corals elsewherethen I would do that first. Then try 1 or 2 thing.
1) remove the rock form the tank and pick out all the algea that you can see and it the rock sit out of the water for a few days. Wash the rock good then put it back into the tank.
2) Take the rock back to te LFS that you brought it from and ask for a different rock. Wost come to worst resell the rock to the LFS.
If there are corals on the rock and if you can move the corals elsewherethen I would do that first. Then try 1 or 2 thing.
1) remove the rock form the tank and pick out all the algea that you can see and it the rock sit out of the water for a few days. Wash the rock good then put it back into the tank.
2) Take the rock back to te LFS that you brought it from and ask for a different rock. Wost come to worst resell the rock to the LFS.
You say you have a refugium on this tank? And the tank is bare bottom? I would think that you could be able to introduce some macro algae into the tank or refugium to help out your problem. Why is your refugium bare(I may be reading into this wrong...sorry)?
What are your nitrate and Alkalinity levels? (sometimes raising your alkalinity will help according to J. Sprung)
Also I have to back flush my RODI once every six months or so....I probably should do it sooner with the amount of water I make....Have you back flushed your RODI or how old is your membrane/filters?
IMO the best snails are Trochus sp. I have tried ALL others, and currently have every kind in each of my tanks, but by far the Trochus guys are the BEST for hair algae.
What are your nitrate and Alkalinity levels? (sometimes raising your alkalinity will help according to J. Sprung)
Also I have to back flush my RODI once every six months or so....I probably should do it sooner with the amount of water I make....Have you back flushed your RODI or how old is your membrane/filters?
IMO the best snails are Trochus sp. I have tried ALL others, and currently have every kind in each of my tanks, but by far the Trochus guys are the BEST for hair algae.
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I think that placing some macroalgae in your refugium like cheatomorpha is exactly what I'd do. You need some sort of algae that will outcompete the nutrients and minerals that your nusiance algae is using.
I did precisely this and it's worked exceedingly well for me.
Good luck!
Bob
