Red Algae

[tangboy]

Im new to reef aquariums and need advice on controlling red algae. I have a 55 gal. with brown polyps,fiji rock, 3 snails, cleaner shrimp, yellow tang and diadem basslet... Protein skimmer, 4 bio wheels & CoralLife power compact flourescent(white light runs 8hrs & blue runs 12hrs)...It is my first saltwater tank. It's been running about a year now and everything has been looking great. My fish and polyps have grown and the shrimp shed it's exoskeleton twice. The last thing I added was Fiji rock(about 8 lbs). I have been using my hands to remove as much red algae i can. It is hard to get it off the polyps. They don't seem to like the algae at all. A few polyps unattached from one of my live rocks and I placed them on another rock. They seem ok. Should I glue them? If so,what glue? I appreciate your time and knowledge.God bless.

[jhnrb]

You have not given any particulars, system equipment, animals, feeding, water parameters, age of system, type of alga, so it is hard to determine the cause and also the cure. Provide additional information and describe the type of alga you are dealing with. In general alga needs light, nitrate, phosphate, and if it is diatoms silicate, may also be cynobacteria if slimy. more information please.

[minireefer]

agreed JHNRB not much info.Anyway a fighting conch helped mine as well as good skimmer to reduce nutrients

[sshannonfish23]

i had the same happen to me to new tank.i was told to use maracyn for freshwater it will not harm anything in your tank. make sure it says maracyn for fin and tail rot.i have a toadstool,green brain,2 fetherduster,8 blue heritmet crabs,9 snails,blue linka starfish,1 sandshifter starfish,cabbge lether,starploplys pulseing xeina,2 clownfish,seba aenmey,flaming clam,1 sea lettues slug and it did not hurt anything.hope this helps