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View Full Version : Will my Algae ever go away?? Before and After pics


BigShakka
01/31/2007, 10:09 AM
So i have had this hairy algae growing all over my live rock the past few months and its just everywhere. its discusting. will this ever go away or do i have to throw away my live rock? its a 45 gal tank, with 250 watt metal halides, 2 maxijet 1200 for flow, a hang on filter and a bakpak2 skimmer which seems like hasnt had a drop of skimage in about 3 months. anyways i havent had to omuch time to take care of the tank lately but ive been trying my best, however i used to do water changes every 2 weeks but i cant even remember the last time i did one. what can i do to get rrid of all this algae, guys please help!@

Warnberg
01/31/2007, 10:16 AM
How long has the tank been up and running? What water are you using for top off and water changes (RO/DI)? How long do you run your lights for? Do you have any cleanup crew?

Adjust your skimmer, shorten light period, add some mexican turbo snails, run rowaphose or phoseban and lighten up on the feedings.

drummereef
01/31/2007, 10:27 AM
Have you tested phosphates and nitrates lately? Sounds like a husbandry issue. Can you list all your water params for us?

BigShakka
01/31/2007, 10:28 AM
my lights runs for about 7-8 hours, the tank has been up for 9 months now, and i get ro/di water for my top offs, i always top off once a week but never change the water, and sometimes ill use my sparkletts waterincase i cant i go to the fish store, i keep on buying clean up crews, my hermit crabs constantly kill my snails , and i feed the fish every other day very light

BigShakka
01/31/2007, 10:32 AM
nitrates at 20, nitrite 0, alk about 240, ph about 8.0 temp between 76-79

nsreefer
01/31/2007, 10:34 AM
No water changes? What method are you using to get rid of nitrates, phosphates etc. I would guess that no pwcs is the source of your problems.

BigShakka
01/31/2007, 10:36 AM
what is pwcs?

BigShakka
01/31/2007, 10:47 AM
anyways heres a before and after pic of my tank

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b166/shakka7/100_1302.jpg

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b166/shakka7/100_1423.jpg

BigShakka
01/31/2007, 10:58 AM
ok so i just adjusted my skimmer and its now starting to get some skimage , very very rapidly, but how will all this hairy algae go away?, i also get a bunch of on top of my water that ihave to remove about once a week

Warnberg
01/31/2007, 11:01 AM
nitrates at 20, nitrite 0, alk about 240, ph about 8.0 temp between 76-79

Nitrates at 20, here is part of the problem
alk about 240? not sure what you mean, do you test alk?
What about calcium and mag levels?
Do you have a phosphate test kit?

Do a water change approx 25%, clean the glass, get some LARGE mexican turbo snails, get a phosban reactor with media and run it, increase flow in the tank. Have you cleaned the filters?

Warnberg
01/31/2007, 11:03 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9123614#post9123614 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BigShakka
ok so i just adjusted my skimmer and its now starting to get some skimage , very very rapidly, but how will all this hairy algae go away?, i also get a bunch of on top of my water that ihave to remove about once a week

The skimmer is taking out the bad stuff that the algae feeds on.

You are going to remove it in two ways, naturally with cleanup crew and starve it to death by removing what it's feeding on.

BigShakka
01/31/2007, 11:03 AM
i have the 5 in 1 test kit and its says 240ppm for alk, i dont test calcium, mag or phosphates, and yes i clean my filter media every week, i have a problem with my hermits killing off my snails and everytime i get a big snail it usually dies on me in 2-3 days. i have this giant black crab in my tank that i think gets my snails , cuz i know it has gotten 4-5 my chromis

BigShakka
01/31/2007, 11:05 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9123667#post9123667 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Warnberg
The skimmer is taking out the bad stuff that the algae feeds on.

You are going to remove it in two ways, naturally with cleanup crew and starve it to death by removing what it's feeding on.

how do i starve it to death? im also having all this choraline algae rapidly growing on my glass i cant get rid of it

kharmajavah
01/31/2007, 11:05 AM
Your nitrates are high for a reef tank...I'd focus on getting them below 10ppm, add some turbos, maybe some hermits, and the algae problem may take care of itself.

Here's what I would do:

Start 15% weekly water changes, in addition to regular top-offs to compensate for evaporation. Use only RO/DI water - I'm not sure about sparklettes, but some of the bottled waters (especially spring water) that I've tested are off the charts HIGH in nitrates. I'd stay away from them. However, I've found the RO water from the machines in grocery stores to be perfectly good, so if you can't make it to the LFS, I'd go with that.

If your skimmer's not so great. I'd focus on regular weekly water changes for nutrient export. I do that in my 25, and it's happily hair-algea free, with nitrates running between 2.5 and 5ppm, depending if I'm late with my water change.

Definitely test for phosphates - they might be introduced through the use of spring water, but I'm not sure about that - never tested bottled water for phosphates.

Just my 2, but I'd say some regular water changes, with the right water, and working on getting those nitrates down will make a big difference (as well as a little manual labor to get rid of the algea you can :) )

Warnberg
01/31/2007, 11:07 AM
also, if you have a crab in there that is killing fish and snails get him outta there.....

BigShakka
01/31/2007, 11:08 AM
ive always had a problem with my nitrates, its never been below 20 and never gotten above, i have chemipure running

BigShakka
01/31/2007, 11:08 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9123717#post9123717 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Warnberg
also, if you have a crab in there that is killing fish and snails get him outta there.....

how can i catch him?

Warnberg
01/31/2007, 11:11 AM
You know which rock he is in? If you do pull that rock out. It's not easy but it can be done....

BigShakka
01/31/2007, 11:12 AM
ii would have to take apart my whole tank to remove him, i have 3 large peices of live rock, but i dunno whos killing my snails/hermits i just know there is a graveyard of shells in the same spot in my tank

BigShakka
01/31/2007, 11:17 AM
Anyways, how long do you think it will take to get my tank back to normal cuz before i would love showing it off now im kinda emarrased of it

ionredline0260
01/31/2007, 11:18 AM
I've noticed my crabs mostly come out at night, wait till around 12 and come and shine a flash light in and see if you can find him. My emerald crabs are always eating every thing on the sand around 12 o'clock.

Warnberg
01/31/2007, 11:18 AM
Ahh, sounds to me like a mantis shrimp... you hear clicking in your tank at night? If it is a mantis you are going to have two choices, turn your tank into a mantis tank or remove him. Otherwise all you are doing when you put, shrimp, snails, etc in the tank is feeding him.

Remove the rock that you think he is in, get a turkey baster and fill it with soda water, squirt it in the holes of the rock. When you get the right one he will come out.

BigShakka
01/31/2007, 11:21 AM
i dont think i have mantis shrimp, ive seen the big black crab the thing is pretty big and it comoes out when the lights are on, and i also have this fury small orange crab that comes out at night and a emerald crab as well

Warnberg
01/31/2007, 11:25 AM
Did you buy this crab or did he come in on the rock? Anyway, if you have a pile of shells in one area of the tank that usually shows you where it is. Until you get it out of there and get some algae eating cleanup crew in there you are going to have a very long battle with hair algae.

nsreefer
01/31/2007, 11:33 AM
you can put a glass in the tank leaned against a rock he frequents, put a piece of food in it and maybe he'll go in after the food... if he does he won't be able to climb up the slick sides of the glass and you'll have him!

mwwhite
01/31/2007, 12:28 PM
Now that's a COOL idea.... about the glass.

Warnberg
01/31/2007, 12:45 PM
Sorry, you asked about the coraline algae... coraline is good, if you want it off the glass just use a old credit card and gently scrape it off.

JVR1
01/31/2007, 07:48 PM
adding foxface did wonders for my green hair problem..