Thick Green alge

F

frugm

Reefing newb
Greetings,

Since resetting my tank back up I’ve had a problem with this think green algae. It’s not like hair, it’s more like a slime, I’ve tried repeated water changes, but it always seems to come back, any idea as to how I could be rid of it for good? I have just started building up a cleanup crew to try rid my tank of this pest. I currently have a 29 gallon. With 3 Turbo`s, brittle star and a couple of hermits. Would this be sufficient or should I ad more, if so what and in what quantities. Thanks for your advice.

Simon.
 
How long has the tank been up and running, because all new tanks are gonna go thru several different algae phases...also, are you using tap water or ro water...cause that will make a huge difference.
 
Sounds like a case of cyano-bacteria.

Can you post your water parameters?
How much flow do you have in there?
What kind and how much light do you have? How old are your bulbs?
 
With 5 fish in a new 29 gallon tank, algae is going to be the least of your problems. You are overstocked. You should remove the fish until the tank is ready for them. In a 29 gallon tank, you can keep 2 or 3 fish, max.

Overstocking is one of the most common causes of algae problems. I'd be willing to wager that you are also overfeeding the fish as well, which is going to cause algae problems.
 
Biff is right. You need to address the source of the problem before we can talk about treating it. You can gravel vac the cyano from the tank and do water changes to combat it but as stated you need to treat the source first. Get your stocking in check and make sure that you are feeding only as needed.
 
Sorry let me clear a few things up, When I say "getting back into" the tank has actually been set up over a year,

I`m not over-feeding my fish. I`ve kept salt water pretty much for 4 years now.

However I do use tap water.
Also i`m not currently using powerheads, The guy down the LFS told me it wasn`t really nessercary, thoughts on that?

The Algae has just come on pretty reciently within the last month or so.
I do have coral lights and regular but have been keeping them on to a minimum to try combat the growth. I`ll post exactly which ones they are and the parameters later.

Thanks Simon.
 
frugm said:
Also i`m not currently using powerheads, The guy down the LFS told me it wasn`t really nessercary, thoughts on that?
Click to expand...

That tells me that,that guy dont know squat about a saltwater tank.
Flow inside the tank is just as important and having water in there.The flow keeps waste frome settleing and causing water quality problems.It helps with gas exchange,provides a more natural enviroment for the fish and corals.
Think about where our livestock comes from in the ocean.The wave action thats going on over the reefs.
 
If you want something cheaper than a Koralia (which can be pricey), MaxiJet is another good brand for powerheads. You should have one or two in a 29 gallon tank.

Using tap water is certainly not helping the algae problem. Have you thought of switching to RODI? You can get RODI water at any grocery store, Walmart or fish store (although it's a lot more expensive at fish stores). Tap water is usually loaded with phosphates, nitrates and metals.
 
Yeah I think I will start buying water from now on, And i`m gonna pick up a couple of heads tomorrow.

Out of interest has anyone had any experiance with buying fish/live rock, Inverts online?
I see Clean up crew packages for sale. I`m just concerned buying them online as opposed to at the LFS.

Thanks again for the advice everybody.
Simon
 
I've bought almost all my live rock and cleaner crew online. Prices are a fraction of what you'd pay at a fish store, even if you include shipping.

In total, I have bought around 500 lbs of live rock from Aquarium Fish: Tropical Freshwater Fish and Saltwater Fish for Home Aquariums. On sale, it came out to be around $3 to $4 a pound, including shipping. My LFS sells crappy live rock for $12 a pound. You can also build your own cleaner crew package at Live Aquaria, and shipping is included in the price if you spend over a certain amount. Another great place for cleaner crews is Geothermal Aquaculture Research Foundation.
 
Cool, Ty for the Advice Sarah.

I had looked at the first site before, And knowing someone thats had good results is always pleasing.

Once my tank is cleaned up I shall see about getting my crew. Will anything eat the thicker green Algae? Or is pretty much the only way to get rid of it cleaning and water changes?
 
Mexican turbo snails are usually pretty good at eating hair algae. You do have to remove as much of it by hand as possible, because if it's too thick or long, snails can't even get a grip on the rock to try and eat it. You would probably be good having just one Mexican turbo snail in a tank that size -- one goes a long way.
 
I have three power heads in my 20 gallon. 2 straight and 1 rotating.Watch for dead spots. Depending on rock work I would watch behind the rocks too.
 

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