It’s beginning to look a lot like algae: When do you take action if algae shows up in your tank?

[Peace River]

It’s beginning to look a lot like algae: When do you take action if algae shows up in your tank?

It’s beginning to look a lot like algae,
Everywhere you grow,
From the sight of green in the reef,
To the seaweed beneath,
It’s starting to show.

There it is. You hardly notice, but it’s there – a spot of green in your tank. It’s some type of less than desirable algae, but what to do. Some people take a wait and see (for some that is a really long wait and see!); others ignore it or overlook it apparently hoping that it will go away on its own; and still others go into full attack mode and start prepping for full eradication. Whatever your approach, inevitable algae will pop in our tanks at some point, no matter how careful we are, and we will be faced with the decision about how to deal with it. What is your approach? When do you take action when algae shows up in your tank? Please let us know what you think in the related discussion thread!

Photo by @Thunder_reef


This QOTD is sponsored by: www.deltecdirectusa.com

“With dozens of protein skimmers, calcium reactors, media reactors and kalkwasser stirrers in operation, Deltec USA can speak from experience and help you with all your Deltec needs. Live customer support and a large inventory of products rounds out our mission to provide the best possible Deltec experience.”

*The poem was developed in conjunction with generative AI.

 

[Seansea]

I voted other. Never had algae in display because i started a ATS on day 1

 

[Reefer Matt]

A lot of things are lumped in with the term “algae”. I first diagnose it with a microscope, then treat it accordingly. Some methods require more cuc, some an additive, some a water change, sometimes something else. In any case, algae, dino, cyano, etc. doesn’t freak me out.

 

[MikeCRK]

where I can get those from?

 

[Narideth]

I also voted other because while I like to take action when I see algae, it's not serious dramatic attacking. It's small things that could be pushing more nutrients into my tank - maybe lower the lighting by half an hour, or do an extra water change, or feed just a little less - all coupled with some light physical removal.

If it gets worse after a while then the approach changes.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

I have a fox face, blenny and tons of cuc, so free food. Everyone keeps it pretty well mowed and the algae they don't like, I just manually remove and brush that area. Seams to work so far. I get most of the unwanted algae in my overflow for some reason and is very easy to remove.

 

[AtlantiCat]

Having kept freshwater tanks for decades, I consider algae a normal part of keeping a tank. Some of it's even cool; the top of a piece of driftwood in my 75G fresh has sprouted a green wig! So I don't panic when I see it in the reef. As long as it's not excessive or bothering my polyps, it's fine.

 

[Fungusamongus]

Slow and low. Wait, watch it, then slow even measures if needed. Anything that getsbout of hand usually has a cause, finding the root cause seems to be the first step when this occurs.

 

[JoJosReef]

Other.
One of two responses: (1) attack and annihilate or (2) "Oh, I better get to that tomorrow."

 

[paragrouper]

I have Chaeto in the refugium and Halimeda in the display—both by design.

My only algae issue is the occasional bubble algae, which is evident when my emerald crabs knock the bubbles off of rocks and they end up on the back of my power heads. I just clean as I go and don’t worry overmuch.

 

[Digimes]

I address it when I see it but don't go all out postal or anything.

 

[PotatoPig]

Wait and see, then when it becomes a problem hope it goes away, then when it doesn’t try find something that will eat it.

 

[vlangel]

I have Chaeto in the refugium and Halimeda in the display—both by design.

My only algae issue is the occasional bubble algae, which is evident when my emerald crabs knock the bubbles off of rocks and they end up on the back of my power heads. I just clean as I go and don’t worry overmuch.

This is also my approach. I intentionally have cheato, ulva, red grape caulerpa, gracilaria hayi, codium and caulerpa cupressoides in my display. So I get very little nuisance algae, mostly film or bubble. I use a mag cleaner for the glass and manually remove the bubble algae when I get motivated.

 

[MnFish1]

It’s beginning to look a lot like algae: When do you take action if algae shows up in your tank?

It’s beginning to look a lot like algae,
Everywhere you grow,
From the sight of green in the reef,
To the seaweed beneath,
It’s starting to show.

There it is. You hardly notice, but it’s there – a spot of green in your tank. It’s some type of less than desirable algae, but what to do. Some people take a wait and see (for some that is a really long wait and see!); others ignore it or overlook it apparently hoping that it will go away on its own; and still others go into full attack mode and start prepping for full eradication. Whatever your approach, inevitable algae will pop in our tanks at some point, no matter how careful we are, and we will be faced with the decision about how to deal with it. What is your approach? When do you take action when algae shows up in your tank? Please let us know what you think in the related discussion thread!

Photo by @Thunder_reef


This QOTD is sponsored by: www.deltecdirectusa.com

“With dozens of protein skimmers, calcium reactors, media reactors and kalkwasser stirrers in operation, Deltec USA can speak from experience and help you with all your Deltec needs. Live customer support and a large inventory of products rounds out our mission to provide the best possible Deltec experience.”

*The poem was developed in conjunction with generative AI.

What is interesting is that a while back, it was considered 'natural' to have caleurpa of various species in a tank. IMHO, it will never be possible to eliminate algae totally from every tank.

 

[Oiseaufeu]

I don't know. I noticed some white string things on my glass and it grew into gha. I had gha in my freshwater tank and it didn't appear like that so I haven't reacted to it. The next thing was that I found a tiny piece that looked like a piece of plastic that fell in my tank. Left it there for weeks until it got me curious. It turned out to be a sea grass rizome. I do not know how it got in my tank as I never saw it during cycle and I never introduced anything else in my tank. I'm very observant, but as reactive than I should.

 

[Bioloco (EasyReefs)]

Hi!

At the first, is a pleassure to me to write in this fantastic forum.

In my experience, first one is determinate the algae type. it's no the same a macroalgae than a microalgae or a prokaryotic algae than eukaryotic algae. Every one have a motive to apear in our tanks. Could be lighting dosing, the spectrum, a determinated N:K ratio, a ecological competitor or "predator" losed, non testeables factors,... When you kwon the algae you can understand witch metods or tests will be better to reverse the situation wirth a undesirable algea. Is very popular to use photosintetics inhibitors to fight with algaes but this products can affect necessary photosintetics organism that help us to solve or avoid future problems of algae. If you don't solve the question that origen your algae problem and use an bad method to eliminated then is very possible that the algaes return more agresive than before.


Greetings!

 

[J0HN686]

A lot of things are lumped in with the term “algae”. I first diagnose it with a microscope, then treat it accordingly. Some methods require more cuc, some an additive, some a water change, sometimes something else. In any case, algae, dino, cyano, etc. doesn’t freak me out.

I am curious about using a microscope. If I look into going this route, how much should I pay for a microscope that will work and then how do I identify the specimen I am looking at?

 

[DJC]

I voted other. Never had algae in display because i started a ATS on day 1

What’s an ATS?