The beginnings of green algea

PerculaLover · 11-14-2003, 08:38 AM

Any body have a cure for green algea - I have nice live rock that has been in the tank for about 1 1/2 months - The redcorraline algea is coming in nice but now I have a bit of a green algea bloom - It is not long and hairy but kind of dusty . The snails and hermits are hard at work but I am thinking of adding a Purple Tang - Before I do i was told a UV is a good idea.

Also I have lost my gramma and new sixline wrasse - I can not find them at all - Can rock crabs get these guys.

Thanks

Good Friday to all

Kj

Doug1 · 11-14-2003, 08:47 AM

Ouch the time line is about right for algae to start making an appearence.
If you have a couple fish losses, yah the crabs will prolly find them and consume them, but it's going to raise the nitrates, which will in turn feed the bloom, to what extent depends on the scavengers efficiency and the total volume of the tank, obviously the loss of one or two small fish will impact a large tank less than a smaller one. Even if the crabs got them, bits and pieces will drift away, hopefully to be consumed by something else, but the crabs will produce waste since they dont process 100%. On a young system you may well see a spike in Nitrate, but if you have enough algae growth to suck up the nutrients your test kit may not register a problem,HTH

reiple · 11-14-2003, 09:24 AM

seen my blue capped crabs feast on a new sailfin tang that died. quiet a cleanup crew!

guess we just live it through the brown algae stage. gets better i time. patience!?!?

PerculaLover · 11-14-2003, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by reiple
seen my blue capped crabs feast on a new sailfin tang that died. quiet a cleanup crew!

guess we just live it through the brown algae stage. gets better i time. patience!?!?

I am not sure why the six line wrasse disappeared so fast - I added him to the tank and never saw him again - The gramma was in very good health - I had him for about three years and all of the sudden he was missing - I have three perculas in thetank and want to make sure they stay alive -

jimcfar · 11-14-2003, 01:51 PM

With the losses you just incurred, I would be extremely hesitant to add another fish. Please wait until your tank is completely stable before adding anything else. Try to find out what caused the dissapearnce of your fish.... whether it was tank parameters or a predator that you inherited with your LR.
Also, since the fish you are considering to add is a purple tang..... what is your tank size? These fish really like lots of room because they are constantly moving and grazing.
The purple tang is probably my favorite fish. The one I have "helps" me clean my tank. When I take a razor and clean the glass I need to be very careful because it likes to eat the algae as I scrape it!

PerculaLover · 11-14-2003, 02:04 PM

I have a 75 Oceanic
wet dry underneath with a little giant pump - Chiller and two rio 800's inside
I use 2 175 w MH 10000k bulbs for light - No actinics or any other light.

My levels have stayed very constant over the last month and 1/2
Nitrite - 0
Ammonia - 0
Nitrate - 25mg/l
Salinity - 1.023
temp = 76.6
pH = 8.4
Alk = 3.5
kH= 9
Phosphate - 2

My frined thinks it may be a manta shrimp that comes out at might but I have looked for them and have not seen them yet if they are in the tank -

I have no idea right now - I am a bit concerned with the recent green algea dust around tank and on rocks a bit and that is why I want to add Tang to help with control - i was told to add UV before I put in Tang but then LFS said not because it will kill all biological as well as parasites like ICH.

????? What do I do.

Livestock:
3 Perculas
1 mushroom
1 purple star polyp
1 frogs pawn
1 hammer coral
1 fox coral
1 flower pot coral
1 candy can coral
5 red legged hermits
3 mexican turbo snails
2 sifter stars

KJ

techniner · 11-14-2003, 02:26 PM

The nitrate spike is due to loss.. try a water change of 10-20% of water to try and bring that down...

The Algae bloom good also be from over lighting.. or if the tank is near a window that might be maginfying the sun on the tank.

jimcfar · 11-14-2003, 02:26 PM

Well as usual... answers to questions usually lead to more questions..... the algae... is it on the glass only? Or on the rocks also?
As for the possibility of a mantis... do you ever hear clicking noises from your tank.. especially at night after lights out? If so, try a trap.. you can make a home made version.... do a search in this forum for mantis shrimp and you will find where some folks helped me out.
I don't think you need a UV (IMO) for the tang. I have had several and never had a problem with them. So long as your water quality is good and they get a varied diet.
Back to the algae... how long do you leave lights on? How much do you feed your tank? What is the water temp? Also I have some blue leg hermits and they seem to do a pretty good job in conjunction with the myriad of snails I have on the hair algae. Only problem I have is that when the algae is low.... those crazy crabs seem to think that SNAILS taste pretty good.

PerculaLover · 11-14-2003, 02:33 PM

Temp is 76.6 and stays really constant using a chiller - The lights go on at 1:00 and off at 9:00 every day. Give or take an hour - My wife is my timer. HE HE HE

I have never heard an clicking sounds come from the tank - But I will chekc out the forum anyway -
The algea is on the glass and is dusty when I clean it - It is also lightly on the rocks now - The crabs and snails get to work every night the lights go off and are trying to keep up with the cleaning - I think adding a tang will add beauty but will also help in the cleaning process -

I feed every other night a pinch of frozen brine shrimp the size of your pinky nail and every three nights marine snow - three cap fulls.

I had one additional snail but the crab wanted his shell so - well you know

KJ

jimcfar · 11-14-2003, 02:40 PM

What is the current like in your tank? Do you have a strong water column? Green algae doesn't usually like a strong current. In my reef and my fowlr tanks most of my current is directed towards the back and comes through the live rock so they get lots of current. So most algae growth that I have is on the front glass.
Your tank params seem good. How long has this tank been set up?

PerculaLover · 11-14-2003, 02:44 PM

The tank has been a reef tank for about 1 1/2 months it was FO for 4 years. I have the main outflow bar extended out about 14 " it has little holes every section and water flows out them - on each side of the tank I have a Rio 800 pointed to the front of the glass not directly at any rock - The current is moderate to strong I would say.

The nitrates have always stayed around 25 mg / l - I have bio balls and have been told to take them out by some and leave them in by others.

All other levels are right on.

jimcfar · 11-14-2003, 02:51 PM

GET RID OF THE BIO BALLS! Nitrate haven! I am willing to bet that is a major cause of your algae prob. Also what type of substrate are you using? DSB? How deep? Is it the same as the substrate you were using in the fish only?
If you do a search in this forum on bio balls you will find some very good info on why NOT to have them. Esp in a reef environment.

PerculaLover · 11-14-2003, 02:54 PM

If I remove the bio balls wont I get higher ammonia and nitrite levels - Which are more toxic than nitrates ? I know higher nitrate equal algae but it wont kill the fish - I have just ordered from Seachem Denitrate that I will add to tank to hel p and I do water change every three weeks usually 20%

jimcfar · 11-14-2003, 03:11 PM

What is your current substrate? And how much do you have? Also how much live rock do you have? Is your only substrate the bio balls? These are important factors. You can always replace the bio balls a little at a time as you add sand and live rock. For as short a time as this has been set up as a reef, you have quite a bit of things in your tank already. The things you're describing are very much like what I went thru. I also recommend getting rid of the wet dry and going to a sump. The one I have is an overgrown rubbermaid container that has a hole cut into the side so I can run it to an external pump and then 1 inch pvc back to the tank. I also have the oceanic 75 and I just used both the holes in the overflow as drain.
Many folks now even go without a sump of any sort. I like the sump because I put my skimmer and heater and other things that are normally in the tank down there where they aren't seen.
For right I the very best advice I can give you is ... GO SLOW! That way you can find what works best for you and your system!