Healthy coral growth + tang gank = no algae problem
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I have never had major algae problems in the 20+ years that I have had reef tanks. Occasionally I get a little rust colored algae on some of the sandbed.
I think the fact that I run my actinic lights only 9 hours a day and the daylight bulb only 5 is a big reason. The one thing algae absolutely needs is light for photosynthesis.
The second factor is I have a refugium with macro algae/seagrass and DSB/live rock. The macro algae/seagrass take up nutrients and outcompete the nuisance algae. The DSB/live rock provide a home for bio-life that help keep nuisance algae at bay.
I do not have a skimmer or any kind of reactor. I do not use socks or filter material except if I am clearing up a stirred sandbed or something like that. I do a 10% WC once every 2 weeks.
I have 16-18 fish in my 100 gallon system and I feed very heavy. My nitrates are easily 30ppm and phosphates are about .05ppm.
This method has worked for me and my mixed reef.
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I actually never have any algae breakout besides your regular cleaning of the glass slightly with my flipper. 7years and never a issue. I run carbon and gfo that I change every 2 weeks and aAlgae is the kryptonite that keeps our aquarium super powers from becoming to powerful for our own good! - author unknown (ok it was me)
But really is nuisance algae just something that we will always have to battle from time to time each year or can it be very rare to non existent in some reef tanks? For those that rarely deal with nuisance algae what do you think your best defense is against it? Let's moan and complain a little and see what comes up!
PS. I hate algae
1. How many times a year do you have to do battle with nuisance algae?
2. If you rarely deal with nuisance algae what do you think is your best defense against it?
image via @Chiefmaster30
i never have a algae breakout. Besides your regular cleaning of the glass with my flipper. I run gfo and carbon that I change every 2 weeks and I run a pentair aquatics UV 40 watt on my 220 gallon and for 7 years never an outbreak. Water changes every 3 weeks of 25%.Algae is the kryptonite that keeps our aquarium super powers from becoming to powerful for our own good! - author unknown (ok it was me)
But really is nuisance algae just something that we will always have to battle from time to time each year or can it be very rare to non existent in some reef tanks? For those that rarely deal with nuisance algae what do you think your best defense is against it? Let's moan and complain a little and see what comes up!
PS. I hate algae
1. How many times a year do you have to do battle with nuisance algae?
2. If you rarely deal with nuisance algae what do you think is your best defense against it?
image via @Chiefmaster30
Its as simple as "I live 1 hour away from the nearest saltwater fish store" and "Well I am still in highschool and only work in the summer so dont have money whenever i want XD" .
Im dealing with a major GHA outbreak, im gonna get a pincushion urchin, some more crabs and maybe like 2 nassarius snails or a serpent starfish.
So your saying algae is not present in natural reefs? Wrong.Absolute rubbish, what an absurd statement! Macro algae’s are a threat to reefs naturally as they outgrow corals and shade them out. Coral reefs are a low nutrient environment, hence corals have evolved to exploit this!!! Th only algae that has a place in a reef are symbiotics and corallines!
Those are two gorgeous looking bubbles....1. My big battle is red cyano on the rocks. At least I think that’s what it is. Don’t deal with any nuisance algae
2. Best defense by far is having algae eating critters! Between our blenny and tangs, 2 urchins, too many snails to count (and they breed like mice!), and hermits I no longer even see algae. Our nutrients also run very low even though our staple diet is our home made “reef chili”. Maybe we’re just lucky?
It’s grown like crazy!Those are two gorgeous looking bubbles....