how is everyone controling algea?

[SkyAurelia]

not sure if im posting this in the correct place. also not really looking for help solving a tank issue just a general question and some info on my tank and what im doing, and would like to know how evereyone else handles it.

currently my tank is dealing with a bit of bubble algea, mostly it gone now, i used microbacter clean on it, along with manual cleaning, cleaning filters after it gets stuck to them, i use a spong on my big hang on back filter cause of my anemone, dont want it to get stuck in the intake had it happen once, i also am currently useing a UV sterilizer to kill spores, a surface skimmer, along with my snails and hermits, and 1 emerald crab thats left, i have 3 clowns in the tank, 2 3 striped damsels, dragons breath macro, and several corals i honestly dont know what some of them are lol. i do not have access to ro water right now, i am going to fiix that, building my own diy rodi system currently, i do not use a sumb or refug, i do not have space for them, i am planing to get a skimmer that hjangs on the back of the tank soon, and ii am doing 6 hours of light a day, tank is 40g and all perameters are good. i pretty much have the algea under control at this point.

now what i would like to know is how everyou else handles controling algea? im looking for more ideas i can try useing against this algea, i have issues getting new fish here as closests salt store currently is a petco all the smallers ones near me have either went out of buiesness or dont really have much salt any more.

 

[Euphyllia97]

running chaeto in my sump and regular tank maintenance to keep nitrate and phosphate in check. Clean up crew is doing the rest. My glass gets cleaned with a razor blade. I keep algae on the backwall and on my rocks as a food source for my fish/copepods :) I try to only intervene with manual removal if I see valonia or cyano growing

 

[Subsea]

I eat my seaweed with lemon juice and soy sauce.

The natural reefs in the wild would be algae dominated if not for herbivores.

I operate several biotypes with ornamental seaweeds and no fish.

 

[lapin]

To control algae the best way is to reduce nutrients in your tank. You need to first measure nitrate and phosphate. RO water will help.

 

[Sam7]

regular maintenance, water changes, TIME and Patience if its a young tank

 

[Maderan]

Algae is a sign of higher nutrients in your system. Its going to grow with light in that environment. You can control the source of the high nutrients by feeding less and using frozen not pellets. You can work on flow a bit so that no detritus is collecting on the rocks to fuel it directly. You can get CuC that eat the algae (emeralds for bubble, urchin for more stubborn hair/turf) and manually remove it. You can work on nutrient export with a skimmer, refugium/algae reactor, and water changes.

Generally, to get rid of it you need to do all of them. And then if you get a little lazy, just know that it is always waiting to come back!

 

[SkyAurelia]

currently i know i need more flow i am working on that, my tank is a little over 3 years old, i have a second tank that even older but it has 0 algea in it and a tone of green coraline.

my end goal is to get hair algea to grow on my back wall to help with nutrients, i just have to get the bubble algea to go away so the hair algea can take over, i have a little bit of hair on the rocks right now starting.

currently staying on top of it has been the best thing for it, i scrape it off rocks and glass and corals if it gets on them and scoop what i can with a net then remove the sponge from the hang on back filter and clean our any that it caught before it can put the nutirents back into my tank,

if you would like to know my tank permans though here they are, though as i said im not exactly looking for help fixing the issue i got it, i just want to know what everyone else is doing.

ammonia: basicaly 0
nitirte: basically 0
nitrate: 8ppm
phos: a bit elevated 0.35

mainly i am looking for any ideas si might want to try to add to what im already doinig. phos i will get down once i get my new skimmer in a week.

i also dont think my tap water has a high tds but i will be adding a rodi system i am alreeeady building a DIY one just for my tanks, butt my reason for not thinking the TDS is high in my tap is cause my other salt tank and my many many fresh water tanks havve 0 algea, only the one tanks is dealing with it, and its minimal right now as i am on top of it daily.

and on also i do not use pellets in my tank i use frozen mainly and a few flakes some times when i dont have time, but i know almost all the foods gets eaten.

 

[rtparty]

For bubble algae? I’ve only ever found 2 sure ways to deal with it. For larger tanks: a foxface. For smaller tanks: an algaecide of some kind. I like API AlgaeFix. Just know the risks. I’ve never once seen emerald or pithos crabs knock back bubble algae for good

To control algae (or any pest really) always comes down to the same thing: predation. More herbivores to eat the algae. Limiting nutrients to the point it stunts growth of algae is also stunting the growth of anything else that needs those same nutrients. Keeping nutrients in check is always a good thing but that number is not the ocean levels. Keep nitrate between 5-20ppm and keep phosphate below .2ppm

 

[SkyAurelia]

Algae is a sign of higher nutrients in your system. Its going to grow with light in that environment. You can control the source of the high nutrients by feeding less and using frozen not pellets. You can work on flow a bit so that no detritus is collecting on the rocks to fuel it directly. You can get CuC that eat the algae (emeralds for bubble, urchin for more stubborn hair/turf) and manually remove it. You can work on nutrient export with a skimmer, refugium/algae reactor, and water changes.

Generally, to get rid of it you need to do all of them. And then if you get a little lazy, just know that it is always waiting to come back!

i did not know emeralds would eat the bubble algea, thanks for that tip, i have one emerald i will get more.

 

[SkyAurelia]

For bubble algae? I’ve only ever found 2 sure ways to deal with it. For larger tanks: a foxface. For smaller tanks: an algaecide of some kind. I like API AlgaeFix. Just know the risks. I’ve never once seen emerald or pithos crabs knock back bubble algae for good

To control algae (or any pest really) always comes down to the same thing: predation. More herbivores to eat the algae. Limiting nutrients to the point it stunts growth of algae is also stunting the growth of anything else that needs those same nutrients. Keeping nutrients in check is always a good thing but that number is not the ocean levels. Keep nitrate between 5-20ppm and keep phosphate below .2ppm

yeah im going to add some more emerald and a skimmer soon, and my phos is a bit high those are the things im working on right now to help correct it.

as much as i want a foxface i dont think it would be a good match for this tank lol

 

[rtparty]

yeah im going to add some more emerald and a skimmer soon, and my phos is a bit high those are the things im working on right now to help correct it.

as much as i want a foxface i dont think it would be a good match for this tank lol

Emeralds are totally hit and miss and many attack coral at some point when they find it’s a food source

 

[SkyAurelia]

Emeralds are totally hit and miss and many attack coral at some point when they find it’s a food source

yeah i made a stand for my coral out of magnets and some plastic stuff that gets used for tops alot i cant remember what its called lol, as far as that goes i only know what 2 of my corals are the other 3 i havve no idea i got them on sell at a random fish store i drove by a long time ago

 

[exnisstech]

I have to disagree about high nutrients contributing to nuisance algae at least IME. The only tanks I have had trouble with algae in were always tanks running at or near 0 N and P. This tank has PO4 0.4 - 0.9+ and NO3 25 - 40 and has zero nuisance algae. I have a lot of herbivores tho and the tank was started with the sump packed full of old live rock. Dry rock only start ups have been a challenge for me.

Anytime I have bubble algae it always seems to be in an area where detritus settles. I use a steel straw on a hose to get it out and then try keep that area clean with a turkey baster or changing up flow. I've been able to keep it from getting too bad doing that.

 

[CHSUB]

Understanding that a reef tank is the perfect algae farm is the first step to control. A closed system with available nutrients and intense lighting is going to grow algae, there is no way around it. From initial planning, algae control should be one of the top priorities. For example when choosing fish, I consider does it contribute to algae or inhibit it. My last big tank I included a trigger but also had 10 tangs that consumed algae. Sometimes choosing a Blenny over a Hawkfish in a small aquarium can help control algae. How you set up your rock can make or break algae control years later.

 

[SkyAurelia]

I have to disagree about high nutrients contributing to nuisance algae at least IME. The only tanks I have had trouble with algae in were always tanks running at or near 0 N and P. This tank has PO4 0.4 - 0.9+ and NO3 25 - 40 and has zero nuisance algae. I have a lot of herbivores tho and the tank was started with the sump packed full of old live rock. Dry rock only start ups have been a challenge for me.

Anytime I have bubble algae it always seems to be in an area where detritus settles. I use a steel straw on a hose to get it out and then try keep that area clean with a turkey baster or changing up flow. I've been able to keep it from getting too bad doing that.

love that tank i wish mine looked half as nice as that lol. it takes me forever to get fish and stuff cause of low money, i do have a few spots detritus settles on my sand, i am about to buy a skimmer and a sand vaccume so i can clean the sand easier, right now mostly the algea is in a few places im having issues reaching with my current scrubing tool and i am looking for a replacment or one to use for the hard to reach parts.

 

[SkyAurelia]

Understanding that a reef tank is the perfect algae farm is the first step to control. A closed system with available nutrients and intense lighting is going to grow algae, there is no way around it. From initial planning, algae control should be one of the top priorities. For example when choosing fish, I consider does it contribute to algae or inhibit it. My last big tank I included a trigger but also had 10 tangs that consumed algae. Sometimes choosing a Blenny over a Hawkfish in a small aquarium can help control algae. How you set up your rock can make or break algae control years later.

i only have a petco so i am stuck with what they stock, they do stock those buts rarely, i been watching for a blenny forever, and i am waiting on some tangs but they keep getting blue ones and charging 160 for them and i cant afford that.

 

[SkyAurelia]

 

[SkyAurelia]

the green star is hiding i just got done cleaning, when i have enough room i want a sump so i dont have to have everything in the tank it looks crazy lol


that said the only corals i can indetify in my tank are the green stay polyp and pom pom xenia, the other 2 on the rack and one on the rock i have no idea, and then i have dragons breath marco and some leaf things i dont know what they are the lfs i found them at didnt know either.

 

[Sam7]

i only have a petco so i am stuck with what they stock, they do stock those buts rarely, i been watching for a blenny forever, and i am waiting on some tangs but they keep getting blue ones and charging 160 for them and i cant afford that.

There's so many great places to order online....everything i have in my tank... fish,coral cuc came from online. Do your research and choose wisely.

 

[gbroadbridge]

now what i would like to know is how everyou else handles controling algea?

My fish eat any bubble algae. Foxface and Scopus Tang.

The only other algae I get is a fine green film on the glass which is only noticeable every couple of weeks.

Oldish stable tank. 5+ years.