Algae!

Fishnewb1 · 10-15-2007, 09:05 PM

what is the best cleanup crew setup to get for a 55g reef? Right now i have a lawnmower, 35 hermits, 1 emerald and a few turbos. I have a huge algae outbreak and its about to take my sponges life PLEASE HELP! thanks

**Fishfirst** · 10-16-2007, 10:39 AM

water changes with RO/DI water!

**Damon** · 10-16-2007, 12:31 PM

Amen brother.....amen.

Fishnewb:

Not to worry. I went through the same thing. While adding more cleanup critters (which I needed anyway) very few can keep up with an imbalanced tank and the few that can will die shortly after the algae is gone or will damage corals also. My hair algae was uncontrollable....until I started changing the water twice a week in my 75. It took about 3-4 weeks to get under control to the point where my cleanup crew had any effect but it is the best way to take care of it. What type of algae is it anyway? There may be some subtle changes you can make to help speed the process along but nothing beats waterchanges with good quality sw.

Fishnewb1 · 10-16-2007, 07:55 PM

wow i have been so busy that i just noticed that i havent done a wc for a month... i didnt notice anything different in corals except the unbeliveable amounts of hair algae and some cyanobacteria. I just did one tonight with distilled water, i will have to go pick up some more RO and do another wc thursday.

O and one more unrelated question. How do i get my tang to stop picking on my lawnmower? it doesnt let it eat algae!!!

**Damon** · 10-17-2007, 08:22 AM

You cant. Tangs are tangs. No changing their personality.

**Fishfirst** · 10-17-2007, 08:59 AM

does the blenny eat at feeding time (like off of a clip?) if so... during the first few hours or so.of putting in the algae... put a mirror at one end of the tank for the tang to look at while your algae blenny eats.

Fishnewb1 · 12-02-2007, 08:22 PM

i have been doing 6 gallon water changes for over a month now and there hasnt been much improvement on the hair algae...

do i need to do bigger waterchanges?

are there any other factors to contibute to hair algae?

**Fishfirst** · 12-03-2007, 09:07 AM

Manual removal... its established so take it out... it shouldn't regrow without substantial nutrients in the water...

6 gallons weekly should be good unless you've got messy fish...

do you happen to have a protien skimmer???

Fishnewb1 · 12-03-2007, 07:43 PM

wow i think i found my problem...
yesterday is the first time in over a year i cleaned out my refugium and it let out a ton of stuff that made the water cloudy and then today my algae is the worst its been ever. Now im going to do another water change that will focus mainly on the fuge...

yes i have a coral life superskimmer.

10-15-2007, 09:05 PM	#1
Fishnewb1 Future Marine Biologist Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Illinois Posts: 394	Algae! what is the best cleanup crew setup to get for a 55g reef? Right now i have a lawnmower, 35 hermits, 1 emerald and a few turbos. I have a huge algae outbreak and its about to take my sponges life PLEASE HELP! thanks __________________ 55g Reef 16g of water.

10-16-2007, 10:39 AM	#2
Fishfirst Fish Guru Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Northern Wisconsin Age: 24 Posts: 3,535	water changes with RO/DI water! __________________ 210 Gal Reef w/ 55 Gallon Sump/Fuge, 125 Gal Fish Only, 65 Gal Seahorse-29 Gallon Sump, 55 Gal FOWLR, 54 Gal Corner FW Community, 20 Gal Nano FOWLR, 55 Gal Piranha, 29 gallon QT "All the yellow tangs and clownfish in the world can't save you now! hahahah" Peter from Family Guy

10-16-2007, 12:31 PM	#3
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982	Amen brother.....amen. Fishnewb: Not to worry. I went through the same thing. While adding more cleanup critters (which I needed anyway) very few can keep up with an imbalanced tank and the few that can will die shortly after the algae is gone or will damage corals also. My hair algae was uncontrollable....until I started changing the water twice a week in my 75. It took about 3-4 weeks to get under control to the point where my cleanup crew had any effect but it is the best way to take care of it. What type of algae is it anyway? There may be some subtle changes you can make to help speed the process along but nothing beats waterchanges with good quality sw. __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

10-16-2007, 07:55 PM	#4
Fishnewb1 Future Marine Biologist Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Illinois Posts: 394	wow i have been so busy that i just noticed that i havent done a wc for a month... i didnt notice anything different in corals except the unbeliveable amounts of hair algae and some cyanobacteria. I just did one tonight with distilled water, i will have to go pick up some more RO and do another wc thursday. O and one more unrelated question. How do i get my tang to stop picking on my lawnmower? it doesnt let it eat algae!!! __________________ 55g Reef 16g of water.

10-17-2007, 08:22 AM	#5
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982	You cant. Tangs are tangs. No changing their personality. __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

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10-17-2007, 08:59 AM	#6
Fishfirst Fish Guru Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Northern Wisconsin Age: 24 Posts: 3,535	does the blenny eat at feeding time (like off of a clip?) if so... during the first few hours or so.of putting in the algae... put a mirror at one end of the tank for the tang to look at while your algae blenny eats. __________________ 210 Gal Reef w/ 55 Gallon Sump/Fuge, 125 Gal Fish Only, 65 Gal Seahorse-29 Gallon Sump, 55 Gal FOWLR, 54 Gal Corner FW Community, 20 Gal Nano FOWLR, 55 Gal Piranha, 29 gallon QT "All the yellow tangs and clownfish in the world can't save you now! hahahah" Peter from Family Guy

12-02-2007, 08:22 PM	#7
Fishnewb1 Future Marine Biologist Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Illinois Posts: 394	i have been doing 6 gallon water changes for over a month now and there hasnt been much improvement on the hair algae... do i need to do bigger waterchanges? are there any other factors to contibute to hair algae? __________________ 55g Reef 16g of water.

12-03-2007, 09:07 AM	#8
Fishfirst Fish Guru Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Northern Wisconsin Age: 24 Posts: 3,535	Manual removal... its established so take it out... it shouldn't regrow without substantial nutrients in the water... 6 gallons weekly should be good unless you've got messy fish... do you happen to have a protien skimmer??? __________________ 210 Gal Reef w/ 55 Gallon Sump/Fuge, 125 Gal Fish Only, 65 Gal Seahorse-29 Gallon Sump, 55 Gal FOWLR, 54 Gal Corner FW Community, 20 Gal Nano FOWLR, 55 Gal Piranha, 29 gallon QT "All the yellow tangs and clownfish in the world can't save you now! hahahah" Peter from Family Guy

12-03-2007, 07:43 PM	#9
Fishnewb1 Future Marine Biologist Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Illinois Posts: 394	wow i think i found my problem... yesterday is the first time in over a year i cleaned out my refugium and it let out a ton of stuff that made the water cloudy and then today my algae is the worst its been ever. Now im going to do another water change that will focus mainly on the fuge... yes i have a coral life superskimmer. __________________ 55g Reef 16g of water.

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