#2359, "Anyone with saltwater tanks? Need some help"
I've had a 55 fish ony set-up with live rock for well over a year. Everything has been well except a stint with ick that got some nice fish. Anyway, I have a ton of green algae and I'm not sure how to get rid of it. I use RO water on water changes and this white floss stuff I put into my hang on that is supposed to help. The light is off most of the time and the tank doesn't really see sunight. What am doing wrong here?
#2367, "RE: Anyone with saltwater tanks? Need some help" In response to Reply # 0 Feb-02-06 08:17 AM by thedawg
Originally posted by Erik I have a ton of green algae and I'm not sure how to get rid of it. I use RO water on water changes and this white floss stuff I put into my hang on that is supposed to help.
What is the consistency of the algae? Is it slimy with bubbles in it, green water, or hairy/fuzzy stuff sticking to the rocks?
Nearly all green marine algae is caused by high nitrates (from fish waste and not enough water changes), high phosphates (from bad RO water), and high lighting. If your tank is exposed to direct sunlight at any point in the day, you'll get green algae.
Solutions (from easiest to hardest) - Have your tank water tested for PO4 and NO3 by a pet store. They should both be at near-zero levels. - Shade the tank from sunlight, reduce any lighting on the tank. - Do a 25-50% waterchange every week until it calms down. Get rid of the dirty filter floss. - Get a good macroalgae, like Chaeto or Caulerpa, they compete with the bad algae for food and are easier to clean up. - Buy a cleanup crew. Snails (like turbo and cerrith) and Crabs (like hermit, blue stripe, and sallylightfoot) CHOW on algae. Up to one critter per gallon if you can afford it, but 10 snail + 2 crab is a bare minimum. - Buy a lawnmower blenny or yellow tang... but this can be a bad idea for various reasons. - Make a deep-sand bed. About 4" of aragonite is perfect. Washed playground sand from home depot is ok if you can't afford aragonite. - Invest in a $300 protein skimmer. Don't buy anything cheap, its all or nothing. Aqua-C Remora is my favorite.
Anyways, let me know what kind of green algae you got and I can be more specific. A pic would be easiest.
#2368, "RE: Anyone with saltwater tanks? Need some help" In response to Reply # 1
Oh man thanks... It's stringy/fuzzy. I just replaced the floss and I'm going to take some water in to have it checked anyway. I have a Lunar wrasse that will seek and destroy anything that is small and crawls. The algae will stick to the rocks, but it is all over my crushed coral and glass. It's not real easy to get off, but will come off with my magnet scraper if I keep up with it. I've been in and out of town trying to get a job, so when I got back it was pretty bad.
#2389, "RE: Anyone with saltwater tanks? Need some help" In response to Reply # 2
i just went bare bottom in my 125, i have no issues anymore with algea, since i removed the diatris trap i dont have ANY algea. if you got any ? about goin bb let me know
#2393, "RE: Anyone with saltwater tanks? Need some help" In response to Reply # 3
Not only is it a potential sign of high wastes, but overfeeding could be a factor. Rotting food on the bottom. I had an algae dilemma similiar. I made it through, but lost a trigger fish for some odd reason. $80 flushed, literally.
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#2419, "RE: Anyone with saltwater tanks? Need some help" In response to Reply # 4
Damn. I didn't know there was so much involved in owning fish. Growing up my dad had a huge fish tank in the basement where he had two black catfish that were tiny when he got them and ended growing to like five pounds after 7 years. Every fish my dad bought these two would eat. They even ate an Oscar. But I never saw my dad messing with the water. He would just change 50% of the water about twice a year.
#2475, "RE: Anyone with saltwater tanks? Need some help" In response to Reply # 5
Catfish live in muddy polluted freshwater, they're adapted to dirty water.
Marine fish live in the Ocean, probably the cleanest water in the world. It's MUCH harder to maintain a saltwater tank, because the water has to stay so perfect.
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