I noticed that one of my tanks is starting to get some hair algae and brown algae growing on my live rock. Can anyone tell me a good and effective way to get rid of it. Also i leave my lights on for about 12 to 15 hr a day is that to much and could that be causing the problem? any help of this will be apprecated.
green hair algae problem
- Thread starter jameson07
- Start date
that's a hard question to answer from the amount of info you have given.
what size tank?
what is in the tank?
how old is the tank?
how old are the bulbs?
what filtration devices?
what water parameters?
it's possible that an extra long photo period could be a cause.
the most effective way to get rid of algae is to remove whatever brought the algae in the first place.
what size tank?
what is in the tank?
how old is the tank?
how old are the bulbs?
what filtration devices?
what water parameters?
it's possible that an extra long photo period could be a cause.
the most effective way to get rid of algae is to remove whatever brought the algae in the first place.
The tank is a 46 gal bow front, ive had it set up for around five months. It has a single 36 inch coralife 50/50 96watt bulb. my filter is a 110 gal aqua clear power filter. The salinty is 1.025, PH is 8.2, amonia is 0, there is around 60 to 70 lbs live rock.
one 4 inch french angle
one 2 inch sargent major damesl
one 2inch seabae clown fish
one LTA 6 inch
one coral banded shrimp
20 nerite snails
6 hermit crabs
3 purple urchins
and a small xenia frag
Also about a week ago i took out a purple urchin,coral banded shrimp and a 4 inch lawnmower blenny. I hope this can help.
one 4 inch french angle
one 2 inch sargent major damesl
one 2inch seabae clown fish
one LTA 6 inch
one coral banded shrimp
20 nerite snails
6 hermit crabs
3 purple urchins
and a small xenia frag
Also about a week ago i took out a purple urchin,coral banded shrimp and a 4 inch lawnmower blenny. I hope this can help.
The tank is a 46 gal bow front, ive had it set up for around five months. It has a single 36 inch coralife 50/50 96watt bulb. my filter is a 110 gal aqua clear power filter. The salinty is 1.025, PH is 8.2, amonia is 0, there is around 60 to 70 lbs live rock.
one 4 inch french angle
one 2 inch sargent major damesl
one 2inch seabae clown fish
one LTA 6 inch
one coral banded shrimp
20 nerite snails
6 hermit crabs
3 purple urchins
and a small xenia frag
Also about a week ago i took out a purple urchin,coral banded shrimp and a 4 inch lawnmower blenny. I hope this can help.
one 4 inch french angle
one 2 inch sargent major damesl
one 2inch seabae clown fish
one LTA 6 inch
one coral banded shrimp
20 nerite snails
6 hermit crabs
3 purple urchins
and a small xenia frag
Also about a week ago i took out a purple urchin,coral banded shrimp and a 4 inch lawnmower blenny. I hope this can help.
Your algae problem aside, are you going to upgrade you tank soon? Pomacanthus paru (French Angel) needs at least a 250- 300 gallon tank long term. They grow fast, and they grow big. The only angel that regularly grows from the size of a 50-cent piece to the size of a dinner plate in captivity - inside of a year no less. Even the Sergent Major damsel A. sexatilis gets too large for you tank.
You might find part 1 of my angel article helpful....
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/1/fish
You might find part 1 of my angel article helpful....
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/1/fish
A skimmer and regular water changes will definitely help. Also, using some pure form of water (distilled, RO, RO/DI, etc.) for evap topoff and mixing up water changes.
Something else to watch out for is detritus accumulation. IMO decomposing detritus is one of the most common sources of excess nutrients in our tanks.
For example, if you have a course substrate, when you do water changes you may need to vacuum out any detritus that is collecting in there. Periodically blowing any crud out of the rockwork using a turkey baster or powerhead also helps prevent detritus build-up in the system.
Aside from controlling/reducing nutrient levels, a better variety of snails would help too. IME nerites are better at eating diatoms and film algaes and probably won't help with the hair algae. I've always found Large Turbo snails to be good for that...
HTH
Something else to watch out for is detritus accumulation. IMO decomposing detritus is one of the most common sources of excess nutrients in our tanks.
For example, if you have a course substrate, when you do water changes you may need to vacuum out any detritus that is collecting in there. Periodically blowing any crud out of the rockwork using a turkey baster or powerhead also helps prevent detritus build-up in the system.
Aside from controlling/reducing nutrient levels, a better variety of snails would help too. IME nerites are better at eating diatoms and film algaes and probably won't help with the hair algae. I've always found Large Turbo snails to be good for that...
HTH
I have a 225 bare bottom FO that I struggled with some hair algae for a while with. I tried everything including aggressive cleaning, water changes, detritus removal, etc.. It was only after I went after one of the three necessary components (light, nitrates, phosphates) with GFO that I cured the problem.
I still do all of the other important maintenance items and I have learned to control the nitrates better in that system with media in a mechanical filter, but the attack on the phosphates was the key.
You need light to enjoy the aquarium and you are always going to have some nitrates in the water in an FO. It just seems phosphate reduction was easiest.
I still do all of the other important maintenance items and I have learned to control the nitrates better in that system with media in a mechanical filter, but the attack on the phosphates was the key.
You need light to enjoy the aquarium and you are always going to have some nitrates in the water in an FO. It just seems phosphate reduction was easiest.
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