Valonia and algae control?

[Rob_Reef_Keeper]

OK. On my 15 nano. I am battleing a hair algae and Valonia (Green Bubble Algae). I started dripping Kalk and it seems to have slowed the hair algae but it still is growing.

I also have removed most of the LR and scrubbed the hair algae off and picked off the valonia. 2 weeks later alot is covered again. I haven't tested for phosphates.

I have done some water changes but no luck.

Any ideas?

Thanks

Tank Info

Nano's been running for over 6 months.

RO water. Main 46 gallon tank ALgae free.

10 lbs of LR. 3 in DSB.

Fish:

False Pecula Clown
Scooter blenny
Blue damsel (I know but it is not agressive and it is my wifes and we have had it for almost 2 years).

Corals:

Brachning hammer
Frogspawn
greem striped mushrooms

5 hermits
6 Astrea Snails
1 bumble bee snail.

Modified Lee's skimmer, Penguin HOB filter no bio-wheel.

[Doug1]

Scrubbing it off is not a cure all if the rock has become a nutrient sink or if the water you use has not been processed to remove nitrate and phosphate. What kind of grazers do you have in there?

[Rob_Reef_Keeper]

^ I added the list of tank specs.

[digital_dragon]

I am starting to have the same problem crop up. I want to know what causes hair algea and what critters eat this crap. My tank has been set up for 3 months now. I am waiting for my test kit for Nitrates to come in. Amonia 0, Nitrite 0, SG 1.025, PH 8.30. I dose every day with BIonic. I am getting great results with BIonic increasing my coraline growth. I don't have a major outbreak but it is growing on my rock. I would like to know how to eliminate this nuisance before it gets out of hand. I have 30 Astrea snails, 30 Scarlet hermits, 6 Peppermint shrimp, 2 Yellow Tangs, and 5 Mithrax Emerald Crabs (Which did not read the book on eating bubble algea).

Earl

[triggereel]

Here is an idea that will work!!!!!!!!!
Get a Urchin they will eat take care of your problem.
Urchins may eventually eat corals but i have never had a problem as long as you have an alage soruce for food or then u would have to remove them cause they will have to eat something.

Oh yeah if I were you i would test for phosphates first

[triggereel]

Emerald crabs take care of bubble algae!!!

[digital_dragon]

Where would phosphates be coming from I use only RODI Water. And I have yet to see my Emerald Crabs eat bubble algea.

[big t]

I think that phosphates can enter your system by feeding your fish if I remember correctly, HTH

[cyberchef]

Originally posted by digital_dragon
Where would phosphates be coming from I use only RODI Water. And I have yet to see my Emerald Crabs eat bubble algea.

Our emerald crab in our nano is finding too many "other" more tasty items to eat to bwe bothered with the bubble algae...

Phosphates can be coming from the food you are feeding as well as from your water source. When was the last time you changed any of the filters in the RO/DI unit? Might be time to change them. If you have a TDS meter or know someone/someplace that does, maybe they can check your water and see if too many particulates are getting thru.

[Rob_Reef_Keeper]

OK,

I got an emerald crab and no sign of it eating any valonia. I picked it all off the rocks again.

As for the hair algae.

I scrubed again. I got a phosphate test kit and it reads 0.

Other than a good skimmer, How can I attack this?

[Jimbo]

I had a emerald crab once and it did eat the smaller valonia, but not the bigger bubbles. It also ate all the little tube worms in the tank so out it went.

A good refugium with plenty of macro algea can help. DSB's can also help, as long as you have some decent creatures to keep it stirred up. Some mud under the sand will help with denitrification. I have not seen any hair algea in my tank and the bubble stuff grows so slow. The yellow tang will eat the smaller bubbles and the purple tang will clean up after him. I do have feather caulerpa and hate it, need to pick it every couple of weeks. The purple tangs eats the tender shoots but thats all. I guess nothing is perfect. I have a nice crop of montapora growing, hopefully it will out compete the macro algea.

I don't have an ro/di unit, just filter my water through carbon and 5 micron filter. Water quality is pretty good out here in the boonies.

I also run a medocre skimmer.

[Rob_Reef_Keeper]

Update on Algae outbreak.

Added a emerald crab and haven't seen it since.

picked off come more valonia but dont see anymore growing so maybe the crab is working.

As for the dreaded hair algae.

I finally moved my big tank to a bigger tank. I moved the CPR Bakpak from my 46 to the 15 and lookout.

I dumped the full cup of skimmate in an hour.

It has been on there a week and the hair algae is wadding away fast.



SKimming, Now who thought of that great idea