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04-20-2009, 11:35 AM
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#1
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squid
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Orlando, Fl
Posts: 9
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How to get rid of algae
I have a green algae film on my glass. My snails eat it but can't eat all of it before it covers most of my glass. There are also small dark green spots of algae that i have to scrape off constantly...How do I prevent this..Sorry no pictures i have no camera.
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04-20-2009, 01:25 PM
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#2
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I've got the REEF rash!
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 33,775
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Clean the glass every day then.
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04-20-2009, 01:27 PM
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#3
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uber-stupid
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Biloxi, MS
Posts: 4,750
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What kind of filtration do you have?
What are your nitrates reading?
How often do you do water changes?
What sized tank and what's in it?
How much live rock?
What is your substrate?
How old is the system?
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Jason
My girlfriend says bigger is better, so I am going to build the biggest skimmer I can.
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04-20-2009, 01:44 PM
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#4
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Non-Hypocritical
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Hillbillyville Alabama
Posts: 8,064
Reviews: 11
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The key to algae is LIME. Limit Import, Maximize Export. In short, stop feeding it and get as much out as you can. Cut back on your feedings, cut back on your light cycle a little, pull as much as you can out by hand. Limit how much nutrients you put in, maximize how much you take out.
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04-20-2009, 02:28 PM
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#5
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Shark
  
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Winona MN
Posts: 1,299
Reviews: 27
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Quote:
Originally Posted by three90s&125sump
What kind of filtration do you have?
What are your nitrates reading?
How often do you do water changes?
What sized tank and what's in it?
How much live rock?
What is your substrate?
How old is the system?
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x2. Giving us a little more information about your system will help us help you.
__________________
Nick
There's a reason why blood, sweat and tears are all salty. I have saltwater coursing through my veins. - Melev
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75 Gallon RR, SPS dominated, Outer Orbit 2x250 (14k)MH 4x54 T5, Bubble King Mini160, Tunze Ozmolator 3155, Eheim 1262
45 Gallon Perfecto Cube, 24" Sunpod 250 Watt, Modded Coralife Super Skimmer 125, Tunze Ozmolator 3155, Oceanrunner 2500
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04-20-2009, 02:57 PM
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#6
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Non-Hypocritical
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Hillbillyville Alabama
Posts: 8,064
Reviews: 11
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More information doesn't help with algae, the solution is still LIME. Stop feeding it, remove as much as possible, then you can get a handle on green algae  Sorry, but I disagree with you two on this one. |
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04-20-2009, 03:19 PM
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#7
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uber-stupid
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Biloxi, MS
Posts: 4,750
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Whats to disagree with Randy? We agree with you, your just generalizing with LIME. I'm digging to see what past practice has been on this perticular system to see where the LIME circle has been broken.
Not to mention, perhaps, this individual doesn't know how to export nutrients. Maybe they have a trickle filter with bio balls in it. Maybe their only source of nutrient export is a sea clown.
Randy does bring up something that I didn't think of...
What lights do you have?
How close are they to the surface of the water?
What is the light cycle (Lol, not Tron) on the tank.
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Jason
My girlfriend says bigger is better, so I am going to build the biggest skimmer I can.
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04-20-2009, 06:35 PM
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#8
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Gatineau, QC, Canada
Posts: 82
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best thing to rid yourself of algea is a mix a hermits and snails 1 hermit per gallon, on top get some african zebra snails, how big is your tank?
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04-20-2009, 06:55 PM
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#9
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Non-Hypocritical
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Hillbillyville Alabama
Posts: 8,064
Reviews: 11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Maxthecat
best thing to rid yourself of algea is a mix a hermits and snails 1 hermit per gallon
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How will that get rid of the algae? The snails and hermits may eat it but then they are going to poop it out and feed the algae again. That isn't removing the nutrients from the tank and removing them from the tank - permanently - is the only way to solve an algae issue. And the way to help keep or get it out of the tank is to limit the import by limiting feedings and then you don't have as much to export out of the system. Hermits and snails to try to solve an algae issue is simply putting a bandaid on a problem.
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04-20-2009, 08:24 PM
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#10
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Tarpon
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Orange Park Florida!
Posts: 1,727
Reviews: 48
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yeah hes right. The solution to pollution is dillution. Water changes once a week. reduce feedings and bam you should be good. You can also raise your alkalinity if you would like, or look into vodka dosing. All works. Easiest way....water changes.
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04-20-2009, 08:37 PM
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#11
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Carpe Noctem
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Western Colorado
Posts: 8,012
Reviews: 25
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Whoa... Raising alk and adding vodka are completely different and should NEVER be done together. You can quickly burn and/or kill corals. the key is export as has been discussed. i'll get off my soapbox, I just don't want anyone killing their corals from not understanding the complexities that come with various techniques of no3 and po4 reduction, which is slightly different IMO than nutrient export (but tied together).
Cheers 
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Hop~
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06-18-2009, 03:28 AM
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#12
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Little Fishy
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Telford, England
Posts: 89
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Morning all.
Im having a problem with Algae and cyano at the moment and need some pointers too. I have:
20g Reef
2 Percula Clowns
1 Yellow Tang
1 Regal Tang
1 Purple Firefish
6 Blue Leg Hermits
1 Cleaner Shrimp
White Star Polyps
Stomatella Varia
LOADS OF ALGAE!
Im cleaning the glass every other day now - which sn't really a problem except that this algae issue didnt start... and I hate this fact... until I installed my new t5 lighting unit. Now I have green algae all over the glass, and slimy stuff all over the substrate and rocks producing O2 bubbles when the lights are on and looking filthy when the lights are off!
Ph8.2
Nitrite - 0
Ammonia - 0
Nitrate - 0
Phosphate - 0
TDS - Don't know, dont have a meter but am using RO water for every change.
Help?!
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