So tired of algae

[arizonagrace]

I have 3 tanks and they are all loaded with algaes. Mostly the red slime in the 24 and 12 aquapods, but the 12 eclipse has another green type that is on the liverock now. One area is now starting with a blackish algae that is covering it. It also is loaded with green hair algae.

I do a 30-40% (sometimes more) in water changes each month, with water purchased from lfs. I gave up mixing my own. The parameters are good. The only one that bothers me is a 20 on nitrates.

I have had all of these tanks for 3 years now and have occasional outbreaks of algae. I clean it out of there, keep up water changes and it comes back in a couple of months. It is like "bam" and one morning it is there again. This time, it is really bad. Probably because I went an extra 2 weeks between good water changes, even though I was adding top off water every 4 days.

I know my eclipse is overloaded. It has 2 clowns and a magenta colored fish in there (name escapes me now). Each time I try and move cello, the magenta, all 3 of them lay around the bottom and act sick. I put the dude back, and they immediately pick up and act normal.

I replace my lights once a year, and have replaced them less then 6 months ago.

I am ready to call it quits and tear them down. If I could find good homes for the fish, I would do it in a heartbeat

 

[arizonagrace]

I have a 15 gallon long tank, with freshwater hood, that I was thinking of putting the clowns in, but not sure what to do for the lighting. Only have mushrooms and live rock in these tanks.

 

[bjohanson1234]

What kind of circulation do you have? Red slime usually forms in low flow environments. Also, how much do you feed? You might be over feeding.

 

[arizonagrace]

What kind of circulation do you have? Red slime usually forms in low flow environments. Also, how much do you feed? You might be over feeding.

I have the normal filtration/water movement in each tank. I also add an air stone to each tank.
I cut back on feeding in the aquapods and fish seem to do well. Has helped a lot with nitrates, but not the algae. I can cut back more on the eclipse. With 3 in there, I am afraid of starving them.

I also wonder if I just need to get a ton of snails. But snails don't deal with hair algae and that is a problem as well.

 

[chichimom79]

I had a couple of Astrea snails mow through some hair algae in my tank. They did a nice job!

 

[Prototype220]

I actually had gotten lazy with my 92 (I had surgery and radiation so don't judge me lol) and the algae got really bad, although my hippo was in HEAVEN! I had to take out all my live rock one by one and brush it under RO water, cleaned the tank really good, did a 50% water change and used a net to catch all the floating algae. I bought a lot of turbos, and changed my sock the next day...three months later and so far no algae in sight :)

 

[arizonagrace]

I will pick up more water tomorrow and see if I can't get some astreas and some turbos. Don't want to put them in until I clean some out and do a good water change

 

[bjohanson1234]

What is normal filtration and circulation? Do you have any power heads other than a filter? What exact kind do you have?

IMO, there is no "normal" setup for an aquarium.

 

[arizonagrace]

I have what came with the tanks. No additional powerheads at all. The pods have the nozzle that I point on the water level and one is turned down into the tanks. The eclipse has the filter that pours water into the tank. And, of course, the air stones. Should I be running some other kinds of powerheads on 12 and 24 gallon tanks?

 

[chichimom79]

I would. Pick up a few nano koralias. You might want two in the 24.