String Algae Problem

AquariumChicky · #1 12/26/2007, 01:50 PM

To start off let me give you a general overview of the tank.

It is a 55 gallon. We are running a Marineland C-360 canister filter, 2 Maxi-jet 900 powerheads with wavemaker heads, Nova Extreme T-5 216w lighting system, a Visi-jet protein skimmer, and temp stays about 76 F, and has a canopy. We have 65lbs of Fiji LR and 60lbs of live sand.

The cycle went as expected, but the nitrates went to almost 50. We finally got the protein skimmer up and running and the nitrates finally went down. By this time the tank had been overrun by string algae.

We currently have 4 Dwarf Hermit Crabs, 4 Margarita snails, 4 Super Tongan Nassarius Snails, and 1 Red Collar Snail (mom got, but is being returned with it's deceased partner to LFS). We also have 6-8 Banded Trochus Snails on the way.

The snails and crabs definatly helped, and I have been removing algae by hand about every other day.

Should I stay with what i'm doing and just give the snails more time, or do you have any other recommendations to help get rid of the algae? Sorry it's such a long post, and I hope I didn't forget anything. Thanks for any help.

capn_hylinur · #2 12/26/2007, 02:00 PM

[welcome]

You need to limit its food---phosphates and nitrates

suggest you strip out the canister filter and just run carbon in it.
Would also set up phosban in a phosban reactor

make sure your flow in the tank is 20 - 40 times the tank volume in gph.

check your feeding methods---feed less but more often so it is all eaten
rinse off all frozen foods with r/0 water before using

capn_hylinur · #3 12/26/2007, 02:06 PM

---------how long has your tank been running----live rock can cure up to six months or more--releasing the phosphates etc back into the water--this is what the hair algae is growing on.

here is a system that has done wonders for my tank--no hair algae:

but as I posted above with a protein skimmer you don't need any more mechanical filtration--you could easily run carbon in that canister.

AquariumChicky · #4 12/26/2007, 09:44 PM

Thanks.

For now the tanks been running about..... 3 or 4 months I think.

Tommorow i'll go and switch the filter around.

Right now theres really nothing to feed in the tank, so it's really not getting much food at all.

I will check into the Phosban. Do you know of any good online store that has a good price on them? Our sw LFS is about an hours drive away and they have a good selection of fish, but not equipment. Thanks.

capn_hylinur · #5 12/27/2007, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by AquariumChicky
Thanks.

For now the tanks been running about..... 3 or 4 months I think.

Tommorow i'll go and switch the filter around.

Right now theres really nothing to feed in the tank, so it's really not getting much food at all.

I will check into the Phosban. Do you know of any good online store that has a good price on them? Our sw LFS is about an hours drive away and they have a good selection of fish, but not equipment. Thanks.

www.mops.ca has an affiliate store in the US