How to stop ALGAE!?

[oonycxwilloo]

Just wondering...how can i stop algae? The red ones..the brown ones..hair algae...is there any way to stop this? I checked out so many peoples established tank, I don't think I spotted algae or anything..Is it true that if the tank is old...algae don't grow? When does coraline kick in? Is coraline good for the tank? If so why?

 

[Tonyscoots84]

well algae wise you have to take certain things into consideration...

1. how old is the tank.. in the beginning of a tanks life, it needs to mature and will go through (most of the time) all algae phases...

2. nutrients/phosphates in the water. the nutrients and phosphates gets in the water by overfeeding, bioload (livestock) overstocking.... this usually is a cause of algae in a new or mature reef tank..

3. continued from #2 is water... some will say they had good luck with tap water... i disagree to the fullest.. even though ur tap water tests low on the water tester u still have many metals and chemicals in the water that will also promote algae growth.... RODI will help on all accounts...

next, ways to help with algae...

- let the tank mature if its new... usually this could last from 2 weeks till 2 months usually... i think the lil algae i had (the brown one) lasted only about 2 weeks to a month. It was a new tank.. but i would be scrubbing it and never let it just sit there... cleaning the filter sock every other day or 2.
- a great skimmer will take out most nutrients out of ur water..
- water changes also helps a bunch..
- feed less, low bioload (less fish and stuff that poops) in the beginning at least.. this helps out tremendously..
- RODI <--- the only water my reef gets....

these are some of the many ways to defeat algae.. again if this is a new system u have to give it time to mature... almost every tank goes through its algae cycle in the beginning.. patience and great husbandry is key to a succesfull algae free tank.....

coralline algae usually grows well for me i have bright lights and pristine water quality... by pristine im talking no phosphates and very low nutrients... skim the crap out of the water... coralline is usually an easy thing that can take off in a tank with near perfect par. such as at least 350-450 calcium and 7-11dkh in alkalinity.. as well as ur other par. being near perfect as well.. such as magnesium, salinity, ph, temp, lights..

to kick off ur coralline if your water quality is as it states above you can give someone a good sized rock have them throw it in there tank and let it get covered in coralline then take it back and put it in ur tank.. ur seeding ur other rock with this rock and usually spreads quickly throughout the tank...

hopefully all this helps... im :tired: and now going to sleep...

tony..

 

[PalmTree]

Well said tony! I'm still battling the never ending algae problems. I'm trying a couple of things. First off I recently switched to RODI and that seems to have halted newer groth dead in its tracks. As stated ealier there is still a lot of other additives in normal tap water so an RODI unit will take care of most of that. Water changes help to replace the stuff that is used up in your reef as well as get rid of the stuff that is produced by your fish. I know water changes are a pain in the butt but they really do help. I also take out the pieces of rocks that have (bad) algae growing on it and give it a good scrub then a heavy rinse. Make sure you rinse well because if you don't all the algae that you just loosened will float all over the place and reattach itself else where and you'll have even bigger problems! It happened to me! :smile:

 

[reefman]

1 quick way i find will stop all types of algea from growing






no lights:biglaugh:

 

[barebucta]

Yea will, like everyone lese said when you use tap water you're sure to get some sort of unwanted algae. I won't believe the difference until you make the switch from tap water to RO/DI. Good investment. PLus you won't have any ned for that sea hare:biggrin:

 

[MVS]

One additional note would be setting up a refugium on a reverse light schedule. The macros algae will absorb all the nutrients that’s in your main tank thus, greatly depleting your algae situation.

I’m thinking of setting one up in the near future, I know that CPR make one that’s a hang - on - back style.

 

[oonycxwilloo]

I only have the algae problem in my 29g and i do currently run a refugium on it w/ 4 different kinds of macroalgae. But my 72g is RO/DI