Question about glass algea.

[patrck17]

Question:
What’s a reasonable amount of algae buildup on the glass for a tank that’s otherwise healthy? I’m trying to level-set expectations.

Other Concern:
So the refugium is doing exactly what it should I guess, and its growing everything. There is Chaeto, bubble, hair algae, you name it in there. And it is taking off like crazy anywhere the light hits. Even inside the skimmer so I need to probably move it so it only hits the second chamber. I am wondering if there is additional precautions I should be taking to keep this stuff out of the display. There doesn't seem to be any hair algea or bubble algea in the main, but the build up on the glass is noticable after a day or so.
I am wondering if I should run the return through the UV instead of taping off and returning into chamber 1.

Background:
I bought a used tank that had been a bit neglected, but after adding a sand-sifting goby, hermits, clams, a starfish, and a tang—plus regular water changes—it cleaned up quickly. Overall, the water and tank look good now.

Filtration Setup:

• Drain → roller filter + skimmer (also running Purigen, Chemi-Pure, and ozone reactor)
• Chamber 2 → dry rock + chaeto (Kessil H380 fuge light, zebra snail)
• Chamber 3 → denitrate media before the return, nothing in the return section
• Return pump → two UV units (one for algae, one for parasites) → back to chamber 1
  

Parameters:

• pH ~8
• ORP 375–400 depending on feeding

Thanks for the help.

 

[patrck17]

Some images with the blue lights off. This is after 3 days or so of cleaning glass

 

[Euphyllia97]

Looks good for 3 days of no-cleaning with that bioload. I guess you don’t have a lot of snails to help you out taking into account your fish species.

Cleaning the glass will probably always be needed on a daily basis with the bioload of your fish and the filtration methods seen. Might improve a bit as the tank matures and maintenance is performed regularly

Good looking tank! How long has it been set up?

 

[dvgyfresh]

You guys clean glass? Lol , with a refugium you’ll expect less algae as the refugium is doing its job. Just don’t let it be too successful and starve your coral / nem

 

[patrck17]

@Euphyllia97 - Thanks for the reply. I've had the tank since the beginning of August. The previous owner said it was established but I really wouldn't know for how long.

There are probably more then 10 large snails, I am assuming they are some kind of turbo snail, they hang out in the corners doing nothing all day and come up on the glass at night. The angel and trigger fish have been pretty forgiving to the smaller snails and don't really go after them.

The puffer on the other hand is paranoid all the time, runs away when I try to feed him, and won't compete with the others for food. So I try to drop him clams at night but he seems to want to hunt, so he's taken out a lot of the small ones, which I have been replenishing until I can figure out how to feed him.

Think there is any reason for concern about having the fuge growing all these random algeas? I get the concept, there are nutrients, and light down there, so it is gonna grow, I am wondering if it is within reasonable expectations to have a refugium where it only grows the Chaeto. Or do you really have to take the good with the bad.

 

[Euphyllia97]

On most clean “pest-free” tanks you will also have growth of these undesired algae. Basically you don’t see them and they don’t take over because they are being outcompeted by their natural predators.

As some of them can make it to your display tank through the water column, it might be good to have some of these predators in your refugium to keep them in check. (Think about emerald crabs for your valonia, some types of snails to eat the hair algae and detritus, copepods…etc) Just take care they can’t make their way into your pumps.

As your tank has been set up since August, even if it was established before, the move has certainly destabilised the system a bit, so I wouldn’t worry too much about the glass algae. Seems pretty normal to me.

There is always a biological warfare going on in your tank on a microscopical level. You just have to make sure the “good” side wins from the “ugly”

 

[slingfox]

The display tank glass looks very clear if that is after three days of not scraping. I try to clean my glass every day—-after three days it would have more algae than what you show in the picture.

I used to have a lighted refugium but stopped lighting it 9 months ago which means it is essentially a cryptic refugium now. I have not seen any noticeable increase in algae growth in the display tank and my parameters are lower than they have ever been. I have reduced feeding of pellets to de minimus and mostly rely on frozen food now. I am glad not to have to clean out the algae from the refugium every few weeks. Without light the refugium is cleaner and easier to maintenance.

 

[exnisstech]

Think there is any reason for concern about having the fuge growing all these random algeas? I get the concept, there are nutrients, and light down there, so it is gonna grow, I am wondering if it is within reasonable expectations to have a refugium where it only grows the Chaeto. Or do you really have to take the good with the bad.

If algae is growing there and not on the glass I call it a win. I have one tank that needs cleaned daily the others every other day.

 

[patrck17]

Thanks for the responses. That is sorta what I expected. Looking at the water quality it’s good so I didn’t have any real desire to change anything. Just let it do its thing for a while.

Thanks again.