I Just Dont Get it.

[partobe]

Hi Everyone!!
I wrote a week or so ago about finding a small patch of hair algae on a ph and glass in my tank.
Well today I found a patch of green(dark emerald green) on my lr. The patch is small and not hair like more like velvet.
I dont understand why I'm getting this algae.
I do my water changes religiously with ro/di water(reef crystals) I have new lights (4 96 watt actinic + 2 250 watt mh). I have 2 sieo (1 1500 + 1 1100) 2 ph (not sure how many gph) 1 empty aquclear 110(480gph).A mag 5 return on my overflow.
I had been feeding my fish 1x a day (maybe a little more than I should) with a mixture of homemade frozen and flake now I'm feeding every other day with mostly home made frozen.
I just dont understand what I'm doing wrong?
I was thinking about getting a sea hare but I hear they only eat hair algae and I dont have enough hair algae to keep one alive for long so I dont feel right about getting one when I know it would starve to death.
Any suggestions?
Thanks
Patrick
A new aquac skimmer(less than 7months old)

[crvz]

Here's what you're doing wrong. You're taking select fish and rocks and coral out of the ocean and trying to keep them in a box on your own terms.

Patches of algae come and go, especially in a closed tank, there's really no getting around it. In the ocean, there's the benefit of random flow, full ecological systems, natural predators, etc. You can't completely recreate that in your 150 gallons, so you get to play a lot of the roles. Are you blowing of the rocks regularly? You want to make sure to get all the detritus out of the tank if you can't stand the algae, and it could be collecting on the rocks.

[motorslave]

How big is the tank and how much bio-load? I would bl;ast the rock with a turkey baster or power head before each water change. Youl be sick when you see how much junk comes out of the rock. How is your flow? Is detritus kept in suspension so it can get pushed to the sump? If not I would re-aim some of your flow so it does some f the work for you. How about your clean up crew? Do you have detrivores working the poo and junk that settles? How much do you get out of the skimmer?

[motorslave]

Ha, Chris beat me to the post!

[partobe]

Thanks Chris and motorslave
So then its normal to have some green algae once in a while? It doesnt bother me if it doesnt mean I'm doing something wrong?
My clean up crew consists of a few hermit crabs (prob about 12) 1 tile starfish 1 sand sifting conch(sp) hes about 3 inches about 15 turbo snails. I have about 10 fish the smallest about an inch the biggest is a yellow tang about 4inches. I also have a bullet goby that sifts the sand all day. I haven't blasted the rocks that is something I will start doing. I have readjusted my flow I have two low in the tank pointing in one direction two pointing forward and two higher up pointing in the opposite direction of the lower two. Kinda making a circle in the tank.

[crvz]

Yeah, small algae outbreaks from time to time are fine... I've got a few spots of cyano in my setup. I think anyone with a large tank gives up on completely eliminating algaes... too much real estate to patrol. The trick is keeping up with the husbandry and not letting them get out of control.

[partobe]

Thanks Chris
I think that was the part that was driving me crazy I never miss a water change and alwyas clean my pumps when I do my water changes. That makes me feel alot better. Moterslaves post got me to thinking maybe I should add some more snails.

[crvz]

It might not hurt if you find some good snails. I like zebra turbos, even though they can get really large, they do mow down green algaes. One or two would be all for that tank, though. Otherwise, some regular turbos similar.

[Elegance Coral]

If you have your rocks and coral well secured like CRVZ's tank then the large snails are great. If you have a loose pile of rock and coral, like the mess in my tank, then you will want a bunch of small snails. I move my snails out when they start knocking things over. They're little bulldozers!

[partobe]

Thanks Chris and Elegance
My rocks are just placed on top of each other so I will prob go with the smaller. I cant get too small because I have an armored wrasse and he has a taste for small snails. He wiped out all my nariss(sp) snails. I got him a few months back because I have pyramid snails and flatworms. He did a great job at getting rid of the pest but he also ate the good snails. He doesnt seem to bother the turbo snails I have now but they are fairly larges I think thats why.

[Loverotties]

Hope it's better.

[partobe]

Originally Posted by Loverotties

Hope it's better.

Thanks George
The algae or the flat worms?
The algae is the same the flat worms and pyramid snails are completely gone.

[jonnosteams]

Pyramid snails??? Are you talking about Limpits?

[partobe]

no not limpets although I think he ate all of them as well. Pyramid snails kill clams they look like little grains of rice. They had attached themselves to my turbos and it was really cool to watch the wrasse plucking them off and eating them.