algae problem haha
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Forum Name: Reef Chemistry
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URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=62982
Printed Date: October 15 2025 at 9:08pm
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Topic: algae problem haha
Posted By: bentley21
Subject: algae problem haha
Date Posted: March 17 2013 at 10:18pm
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this is when i know i have a algae problem. when it grows on my clean up crew. haha any tips on hair algae removal or control?  ------------- 150 gallon MIXED REEF T5 http://www.miniurl.com/s/7tQ <a href="Thttp://www.miniurl.com/s/7tQ" rel="nofollow">My Tank Tread</a> |
Replies:
Posted By: Ann_A
Date Posted: March 17 2013 at 10:28pm
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What are your nitrate and phosphate levels? How old are your bulbs? Generally algae shows up when there's excess nutrients in the water that allow it to grow out of control. You may try cutting your lights for 3 days and see if that helps, though that can be a little rough on corals. ------------- http://utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=53856&title=annes-65g-rsm-reef" rel="nofollow - RSM 250 Reef |
Posted By: Turbostud653
Date Posted: March 18 2013 at 12:19am
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Try adding a lawnmower blenny! ------------- Here is what a customer said while on hold Oh my gosh! Did you open the door? I told you not to open the door. Dre is in here completely naked and he's got freak'n Macaroni and Cheese in his hands. |
Posted By: dbb123
Date Posted: August 24 2013 at 1:45pm
| I have the same problem. I just finished cycling and made the mistake of having my lights on while I did so. (im new... Lesson learned) but I also have a little crab with a nice long lock of green dreads... How do I kill this stuff. I cut my lights back. My nitrates are 0 which I was told means nothing, and I even added "right now bacteria" which I was later told is snake oil... What can I do? |
Posted By: phys
Date Posted: August 24 2013 at 5:42pm
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Water changes, no light, and scrubbing it off the rock with a toothbrush any fish or other things may not ever touch it and could starve to death only adding to the problem. |
Posted By: djknauss
Date Posted: August 24 2013 at 6:12pm
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if you are using tap water, water changes are only going to make the problem worse as you will add more phosphate to your tank, turning off lights is only a temporary solution. You should either try to minimize nutrients entering the water or provide means for removing the nutrients, or better yet, both. Overfeeding and using tap water will introduce large amounts of phosphates that algae will consume and grow. A protein skimmer, refugium, and carbon will help to remove the excess nutrients from the tank. T5's seem to grow algae both with old and new bulbs and you should keep lights high for your corals. Coraline growth on rocks will virtually completely prevent algae from growing where it covers (which looks good in your tank, actually). Just clean the glass in the front once a week or when needed only as a temporary fix to the problem (you wont want to scrub it off every other day for the rest of the tank's life). Those snails are algae eating monsters! he probably hangs out by the surface a lot! Kinda cool looking snail :). The algae consuming the phosphates is much better than the phosphates remaining in the water as many corals do not tolerate phosphates very well. ------------- 55 gallons of impulsive additions and subtractions. |