Alagae question

[JVH]

Moderator I had this in the allergy forum for a few days and bumped it no activity I am posting it here I really could use an answer....

I
have a 68g tank with overflow in the tank and a small refrugiam section in the sump.
The overflow has hair algae growing inside the box along with other nasty looking things as well as little star shaped sponges and a few pods that made there way in there.
My thinking is if hair algae is growing in the overflow but no place else that's a good thing. Right? Or should I remove it and clean out the overflow box.
My refruge has rubble in an egg crate box with chaeto (a small amount) on top of the rocks with lots of copepods. The chaeto still looks greenish but it should be growing correct? Also the flow in that section of the sump will be increased but now it looks kind of stagnant! However, the water is moving.

So I was thinking the refruge was the place to grow stuff to keep the badthings out of the tank but it doesn't seem to be doing anything but theoverflow box has tons of growth! Is that ok? Should U get rid of the refrug?

Help, suggestions or advice would be appreciated..
Thanks

 

[Tahoe61]

I would clean the overflow. Does the fuge have the correct lighting? Enough flow? Have you thought about an Algae Turf Scrubber/ATS?

 

[Humblefish]

Hair algae growing in the overflow is no big deal IMO. Is the algae submerged or growing where the water just splashes?

 

[ermartin]

Its no big deal. you get all kinds of stuff growing in the overflow

 

[JVH]

I would clean the overflow. Does the fuge have the correct lighting? Enough flow? Have you thought about an Algae Turf Scrubber/ATS?

I have a refug light on a timer and it goes on when the tank goes off at night. The flow (I think) should be more. It doesn't look like its flowing but it is. I would think you should still SEE the flow. We have sponge in the separation sections to keep bubbles and bugs all in check but I feel like removing them and let it flow!

 

[JVH]

Hair algae growing in the overflow is no big deal IMO. Is the algae submerged or growing where the water just splashes?

It is on the glass below the waterline in a 4" by 4" little square section that i sure will just keep growing if I do not remove it. Also, my back wall is black and you can really see whats growing on it and someone told me to leave the back wall alone so Coraline will grow. If I keep scraping it , it will not produce.. I hate that stuff may be growing where it shouldn't. I don't wan things to get too out of hand.

 

[DeniseAndy]

Hey, better there than on a coral. I say let it be. I would remove as it grows too much just to keep trimmed. Kind of like your own little algae scrubber. I have aiptasia in my overflows, I leave them be. They filter water nicely and as long as they stay out of the main area, I do not care much.

Do you have at least a 6500K on the fuge? If not, that is why the overflow grows nice and the cheato doesn't. Although, I was never successful with chaeto myself. Never grew.

 

[JVH]

Thanks everyone! Im gong to leave t f now! I think i'm going to get rid of the refrug and let the pods swim into the tank. I don't think its doing much and it look dirty and its giving me anxiety! LOL

 

[JVH]

Do you have at least a 6500K on the fuge? If not, that is why the overflow grows nice and the cheato doesn't. Although, I was never successful with chaeto myself. Never grew. [/QUOTE]

Do you mean 6500 gph? I'm thinking of removing the refuge..Let it all flow. Bugs and all! minus cheato!

 

[Vivid Aquariums Verified Sponsor]

I agree that's it's not a big deal to have algae growing in the overflow box as long as it does not risk clogging the drain pipe. If it shows up in the display tank I would be aggressive about removing it/ getting it under control. I do recommend running phoshate media such as Phosguard or ROWA Phos to keep phosphates down. Keeping your CA, MG, Alk, & Nitrate within the proper ranges is also important to keep it from spreading into your display tank.

Dave

 

[twilliard]

The refugium is the easy way of exporting. I would never rid of mine.
Also diversity substantially helps as each macro will uptake different elements.
My worry about algaes in the overflow is the eventual flow restriction.
Depending on your overflow and how it is made the first thing I do with all my overflows is make the outsides and top black.
I leave the side not exposed to lighting clear so I can see for any build up issues.
No light.. will not grow.
Also I would look into your iron and po4 levels. My fuge is slow flow as to not stir it up. All my macros grow just fine using an orbit marine led fixture I had laying around and a 2700k 18w led lamp. That's it.

Diversity is import and export

 

[JVH]

Hey, better there than on a coral. I say let it be. I would remove as it grows too much just to keep trimmed. Kind of like your own little algae scrubber. I have aiptasia in my overflows, I leave them be. They filter water nicely and as long as they stay out of the main area, I do not care much.

Do you have at least a 6500K on the fuge? If not, that is why the overflow grows nice and the cheato doesn't. Although, I was never successful with chaeto myself. Never grew.

Now I realize you mean lighting?

Hey, better there than on a coral. I say let it be. I would remove as it grows too much just to keep trimmed. Kind of like your own little algae scrubber. I have aiptasia in my overflows, I leave them be. They filter water nicely and as long as they stay out of the main area, I do not care much.

Do you have at least a 6500K on the fuge? If not, that is why the overflow grows nice and the cheato doesn't. Although, I was never successful with chaeto myself. Never grew.

Now I realize you meant lighting! I'm not sure of the size but it's a physically smallish refrug light.

 

[DeniseAndy]

you can get any bulb at a home depot just make sure it is plant grow, or above 35K closer to 65K if you can. But obviously some have luck with lower. I just did not experience that. I grow my UAS with 4500K backi light bulbs.

Flow through the sump is a personal preference. As you said, if you get rid of the fuge and are just using to as a place to hide stuff, no need to reduce flow. I however keep my main display sump rather slow flow since I have a fuge and I want to trap detritus there to vacuum out. Easier. However, my 40display sump just runs through, no fuge. So, both work, depends on what you are using it for really.

 

[ermartin]

If your interested in growing cheato and other Algae in your fuge I will tell you. I had nothing but issues after years of success. not sure what changed in my tank but the cheato growth disappeared and never came back until.... someone recommended this light http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PBCG8X0?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00 ... Amazingly my cheato growth took off in maybe a week of changing to this. before that it was about a baseball size and never grew now i can pull it out by the buckets again.

 

[JVH]

If your interested in growing cheato and other Algae in your fuge I will tell you. I had nothing but issues after years of success. not sure what changed in my tank but the cheato growth disappeared and never came back until.... someone recommended this light http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PBCG8X0?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00 ... Amazingly my cheato growth took off in maybe a week of changing to this. before that it was about a baseball size and never grew now i can pull it out by the buckets again.

Thanks for the info!!

 

[JVH]

Flow through the sump is a personal preference. As you said, if you get rid of the fuge and are just using to as a place to hide stuff, no need to reduce flow. I however keep my main display sump rather slow flow since I have a fuge and I want to trap detritus there to vacuum out. Easier. However, my 40display sump just runs through, no fuge. So, both work, depends on what you are using it for really.[/QUOTE]

Since I'm still a new at this (2nd tank in 1 year) trying to model others with successful tanks..
I understand the refrug with growing algae will keep it (algae) out of your DT. That's why I was wondering with it growing in the OB why nothing is growing in the refrug.
I also added several kinds of copepods. Now I feel I need to clean out that refrug area and the only way to do that may vacuum up all those bugs if they are even still alive since I don't see any that make there way into the tank! Unless I remove the sponges that are keeping them in and see what happens.. Once Im sure they are making there way into the DT I can them vacuum it out. I think? Make sense?

 

[DeniseAndy]

I think I understand what you are saying. You want to grow the algae in the refug area of the sump to prevent too much in the main tank. I will tell you, that it helps, but will not eliminate the algae completely. That is not a bad thing. Personally, I like a bit of algae since you do not see reefs without it. If you go that route, you need lower flow through the sump IME. This helps trap the detritus and gives the algae a place to grow and thrive. In my slow flow sump, I use rock as a place to grow all the bugs they system needs and for some extra space for bacteria growth. I run and UAS, so I do not use cheato.

Cheato never worked for me. Now, I could never get that nice circular flow going to keep it spinning. I hear that helps. Not sure cause as I say, I failed.

As far as the bugs going to dt, they should get there if you are not filtering them all out. If you are, stop that. You want them into the dt. Plus, they grow on their own in the dt. Besides food, these bugs clean very well too. They are very good critters to have in the system.

 

[JVH]

As far as the bugs going to dt, they should get there if you are not filtering them all out. If you are, stop that. You want them into the dt. Plus, they grow on their own in the dt. Besides food, these bugs clean very well too. They are very good critters to have in the system.[/QUOTE]

Ok, thank for all your advise.. I think I'm going to remove the cheato, remove the sponge, so the bugs can flow and clean the rubble in the refuge from all the detritus and see what happens.

 

[DeniseAndy]

Cheato is a great place to grow bugs if you keep it.

 

[JVH]

OK you're giving me food for thought here! Should I get rid of the rubble and keep the Cheato? Maybe start with a fresh ball?
I haven't cleaned it in so I don't even know how to approach it and I know it needs to be cleaned so I was going to get rid of all the loose stuff rinse off the rocks in sea water...