Algae outbreak?
- Thread starter mr_z
- Start date
ColaAddict
New member
Hair algae. Ease off the feeding maybe. Most newer tanks go through it. I have a blue tuxedo urchin I can give you if you are ever by Northbrook. How often do you do your water changes?
Scarlett778
New member
You can also try emerald crabs too.
scotty
Member
just one of those things. as long as it doesn't have a fern like appearance, it is very, very manageable.
1. photo period is probably too long.
2. you went through a cycle, probably minuscule, but you did, you will experience odd things like outbreaks, then it pulls back, then comes right back for a good while until the "eco system" balances.
3. adding bioload via fish, corals, inverts (you have been doing a lot of adding) will cause things like this for a while.
4. be glad its not red you end up doing a lot of
1. photo period is probably too long.
2. you went through a cycle, probably minuscule, but you did, you will experience odd things like outbreaks, then it pulls back, then comes right back for a good while until the "eco system" balances.
3. adding bioload via fish, corals, inverts (you have been doing a lot of adding) will cause things like this for a while.
4. be glad its not red you end up doing a lot of
mr_z
New member
did a one gallon water change on tuesday. should i do another one now? or should i just do more next time? PO4, NO3, GFO? 12gl jbj nano 1 astrea. feeding only tuesday, thrusdays, saturdays. started tank 3 weeks ago transferred everything from previous tank. have considered emerald crabs but afraid theyll eat my livestock. not using tap water i get it from aquatica. moonlights on from about 9:30am-about 11:30pm, main lights from about 2:30pm-9pm you have a point i have added alot i have red monti cap, frogspawn that a piece fell off and glued to rock and looks good, red ppl eaters, candy cane, and smaller unknown polyps. also have my clown, 5 blue legged hermits. should i add a turbo or anything else i can do?
Cubbies
Active member
I think it was a little too much overload for it with all the add ins or a mini cycle. Just do weekly water change because it's such a small volume of water that things can change in a blink of an eye. I thing a turbo will murder that algae all together but if you have small loose frags or rubble it'll most likely knock it down. If you are not worried about that depending on how big the issue is I would go with 1 for smaller or 2 for bigger as they will basically starve after eating the algae.
scotty
Member
-that feeding schedule isn't causing that outbreak, the guys feeding everyday, sometimes 2 times a day, yes. you got that one right.
-the only reason from this point on for more frequent than weekly water changes is if parameters change. because your tank is new (mine is 7mo old and I'm doing daily checks) you need to be checking parameters everyday, waiting for a spike, and if that happens before your weekly, then your day of the week changes. Once the tank settles down, getting that routine down is where the good tanks become great, it really is that simple.
-this may surprise you, but I might up your photo period. Monti if I'm not mistaken is high lightish, 7 hours won't cut it. those moonlights, depending on what you are calling moonlights, do jack diddly for the coral.
-at this point, just new tank syndrome, try to remove manually anything that's getting longer than the crabs will eat, and let it run its course. what is probably happening is the silicates/po4 that is in your new sand, and the rock is leeching, once the algae eats it up, your done.
-the only reason from this point on for more frequent than weekly water changes is if parameters change. because your tank is new (mine is 7mo old and I'm doing daily checks) you need to be checking parameters everyday, waiting for a spike, and if that happens before your weekly, then your day of the week changes. Once the tank settles down, getting that routine down is where the good tanks become great, it really is that simple.
-this may surprise you, but I might up your photo period. Monti if I'm not mistaken is high lightish, 7 hours won't cut it. those moonlights, depending on what you are calling moonlights, do jack diddly for the coral.
-at this point, just new tank syndrome, try to remove manually anything that's getting longer than the crabs will eat, and let it run its course. what is probably happening is the silicates/po4 that is in your new sand, and the rock is leeching, once the algae eats it up, your done.
mr_z
New member
thanks. i have to get a test kit now for sure i usually get my tests at aquatica once a week, i will up the photo period from 12pm instead. the moonlights are to cree leds from rapidled.com royal blues, no long algae yet so its good but i try to scrape off some every day. i also noticed that im getting some bright coraline algae on some rocks which actually looks cool but ive seen alot of complaints about it. the sand isnt new tho i transferred everything from my old tank including the sand, rocks and 6gl of water removed two of the old rocks and added new but not at the same time first did one then the other.
scotty
Member
the stir up makes the sand new, you basically sent a cultured sand into the new tank, look up biofilm on the sand, you'll understand more about whats happening.
the moonlights, are they 1watt or 3? if they are the 3watt crees they aren't moonlights like you are thinking, think of them more like actinics. your photoperiod probably is too long in that case, however i would play with it, your corals will tell you to add or delete time.
the moonlights, are they 1watt or 3? if they are the 3watt crees they aren't moonlights like you are thinking, think of them more like actinics. your photoperiod probably is too long in that case, however i would play with it, your corals will tell you to add or delete time.