macro algae everywhere

[RCMark325]

Hi.
This goes along with the bubble algae thread... I have green macro algae everywhere, a lot of different kinds. My params are fine and have been for a while. I had a 15g and I moved it all to my new 2 month old 30g tank and the algae just spread out more. I remove it every week when I do a 2g water change but it grows back fast. The skimmer is working fine. Right now I have a white-stripe maroon clown, 3 tiny chromis, and a royal gramma. Is there a fish that I could add that will take care of my problem that I could keep in a 30g tank. (i plan on upgrading to a 180 in a year)? What about urchins? I read they eat everything including coral. I have mostly SPS but a few softies and zoas that might get eaten by an urchin.

Would setting up a fuge help? I have a little room in my sump but not much.

Help!

Mark

[hcs3]

given your fish load i'd bet you are over feeding. its hard to get chromis enough food and having 3 in a 30g leaves little room for error between enough food and over feeding ~ if any room for error at all. consider removing the chromis and direct feeding the other two fish to eleminate excess food waste. continue manual removal with algae removal, heavy skimming, and water changes. consider adding more snails. HTH

[Gluestick]

I am also having a macro algae prob, mostly hair algae and the thick green stuff on the tank walls that is hard to scrub off (a razor has been the only thing to get it off). Some bubble algae here and there... I've been looking through some of my books and my invert book says that cowries may eat macro algae, chitons will too, and emerald crabs may eat the bubble algae.

[Dr. JMadscientist]

Cut down on your water changes to the minimum you can do while keeping your levels. In other words, if you dont need it, dont do it. The macro should be using up a lot of the nitrates in the water. Doing water changes just feeds the algae with trace.

[andycook]

RCMark325, you say the skimmer is working fine. What kind of skimmer? Post a picture of the skimmer in action and show how water flows to/from it. What kind of flow do you have in your tank?

[andycook]

Contrary to Dr. JMadscientist's advice, I'd increase the water changes to bigger water changes more often.

[ahenson]

Unless your using bad tap water, changes can only help. Are you using RO water?
In a refugium letting the algae grow would be good advice but not in the main tank.
Increased skimming, RO-DI water changes, increased circulation, carbon, lesser photoperiod, lesser feeding, would be my recomendation

[smorrow5773]

Lawnmower Blenny!! Gotta luv 'em

[Gluestick]

Do cowries do as good a job of eating up algae as they say? What about emerald crabs eating bubble algae. I bought one for my 90 gal about a week ago. I have two very small patches of bubble algae that I haven't seen disappear.

[Gluestick]

PS will lawnmower blennies pick on clams?

[smorrow5773]

I have never had a problem with Lawnmowers picking on anything, nor have I ever heard of anyone else having a problem. They are so darn ugly they are cute, among my favorite fish, great personalities.

[ahenson]

I'd think a Foxface in a 90 would do a good job. They are known to eat bubble algae, I can't see a blennie picking on clams, don't know that for sure.

[Dr. JMadscientist]

ahenson - Salt mix has trace...trace feeds algae...??? If your levels are not bad and you dont need a water change, why would you fuel the algae by doing an unecessary "large" water change???

[andycook]

With that size tank and the fish in it I would not look to add another fish to control the outbreak.

While salt mix has trace which can feed algae I'd bet it is less that what is added feeding the 4 fish.

[ahenson]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7716985#post7716985 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dr. JMadscientist
ahenson - Salt mix has trace...trace feeds algae...??? If your levels are not bad and you dont need a water change, why would you fuel the algae by doing an unecessary "large" water change???
Then why does he have an algae problem? I wouldn't put a foxface in his 30 but a new 90 I think would be ok.
I'm not an expert or wanting to argue but the guy needs good advice. Excess nutrients feed algae, trace elements in salt causing an algae outbreak is a big reach. Why not look at the simplest problem first?

[Dr. JMadscientist]

Trust me, my intention is not to argue either. It is a proven fact that trace fuels algae. If you dont have high levels of nutrients in your tank, there is no reason to do a water change. If you do the changes thinking you are making things better, you are not.

Buying a fish or a critter to control the algae is foolish. They will just cycle the nutrient in the tank (eating and crapping). Take care of the cause first and then use the critters to prevent it after.

RCMark325 - Try going as long as you can without doing a water change. If a week passes and your nitrates are still low, don't do one. Cut your lights back to the least amount possible and use a phosphate remover in the tank. Let us know the outcome.

[RCMark325]

Hey guys, thanks for all the responses... I thought this thread died a while ago. Anyway, I cut back on my feeding like HCS3 suggested and I want to see how that goes for a while.

When I set up the tank I used RO water from walmart and sailfin. I had a 15 up and running which I transferred to the 30. That tank had the same algae problem and that water was all from sailfin. I also did weekly 1 gallon water changes, I ran ChemiPure and had a prizm skimmer on that one.

I just bought a Maxxima Hi-S RO/DI system which feeds my auto top off reservoir so hopefully that will help too.

My photo period is VHO actinics (one white one blue) on for 14 hours and a 250W 12K Reeflux on for 12. I could definitely reduce that but at the same time I am getting amazing growth in my SPS corals.

The skimmer I believe is an ASM G-2 and I think its working ok. I don't have a digital camera so it will take me a while to post pictures. Can anyone describe how it should operate? Anyone have experience with this skimmer?

As for the bioload, I only really am attached to my royal gramma. The other fish I inherited when my brother took down his tank. Maybe I should start another thread about what would look awesome in a 30 long?

Alright, thanks again...

[andycook]

You might try skimming wet.

[ChemE]

I bought 5 gallons of RO (they didn't know what RO/DI was?!) from Sailfin and was pretty steamed. When I got home and tested it it was 12 ppm TDS. I have a real problem with paying a REEF shop $1/gallon for water that still isn't 0 TDS and not even close.

Anyway, you never know that crud in the water could have been part of the problem. We were just there today and all of their reef tanks have algea problems some worse than others. I clearly got spoiled in South Florida when it comes to LFS.

[ahenson]

Dr. JMadscientist
Why does he need a phosphate remover if his parameters are fine? It's hard to test for phosphate. And where does phosphate come from? Fish food? Assuming all parameters are fine is a big leap, too many things to test for, I rarely test for anything and have had good luck. I think your eyes and what is happening in your tank should be your 1st clue.

[andycook]

RCMark325
The ASM G2 is an excellet skimmer. I had one. Which pump is on it? Are you getting a dry foam and black nasty skimmate or is it wetter and more tea colored skimmate?

[hcs3]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7719367#post7719367 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ChemE
I bought 5 gallons of RO (they didn't know what RO/DI was?!) from Sailfin and was pretty steamed. When I got home and tested it it was 12 ppm TDS. I have a real problem with paying a REEF shop $1/gallon for water that still isn't 0 TDS and not even close.


if you insist on not buying your own RO/DI, the grocery stores are about 75% cheaper than sailfin for the water.

HTH

[schmoeger6]

RCMark325
I've got an ASM G3 skimmer on my 90, and I love it. If you want to send me your email, I can scan the directions that came with it, and send it to you.

[ChemE]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7719990#post7719990 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hcs3
if you insist on not buying your own RO/DI, the grocery stores are about 75% cheaper than sailfin for the water.

HTH

I don't insist. Walter from AWI is sending me the adapter I need to hook my Typhoon III up to the braided hose in my house. But we needed some water right away when we got here from Florida to keep things alive thus the trip to Sailfin.

[hcs3]

haha, an immediate eye-opening experience at our friendly LFS :lol:

[RCMark325]

the skimmate is a green tea color... ive been reading forums saying to put the pipe all the way down and wait for a dry skimmate... i'll see how that goes.

I'll be out of town for a week, so I'll respond more when I get back

[Michelle L]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7720069#post7720069 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ChemE
I don't insist. Walter from AWI is sending me the adapter I need to hook my Typhoon III up to the braided hose in my house. But we needed some water right away when we got here from Florida to keep things alive thus the trip to Sailfin.

Hey ChemE, I live in Bloomington but if you need a large amount of RO/DI water before your adapter arrives, I can whip up a batch for you. I can store up to about 60 gallons onhand. (Although AWI was really fast when we ordered our unit so your adapter should be here probably before I'd even have time to make the water.) The price of gas wouldn't be cheap to come over to B/N but I guarantee that the water would be pure. :)

[ChemE]

Thanks for the offer Michelle. I'm hoping that the adapter will be here in tomorrow's mail and the movers are scheduled to show up tomorrow morning with the base to the 55 and the rest of the furniture. With a little luck the 55 will be set back up by Thursday afternoon. It has been killing me not knowing what kind of pressure I've got at the new house. The water pressure in FL sucked (25 psi!) and the Typhoon III still made about 2.5 gph. With any luck the pressure here will be the 50 psi it should be and I will be in business all the sooner.

Once all this is squared away I can start working on getting Bill's old tank set up...
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f26/cdl1051/190/IMG_0064.jpg