algae

[howard1818]

Hi my tank is pretty new about 5 months been getting alot of green algae, did a water change and have snails and hermit crabs went to once a day feeding, cleaning the glass. A couple of urchins as well. Any ideas on how to get this under control? Live stock is a wrasse, niger trigger and diamond gobi. 90 gallons. Thanks

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

Algae is common in new tanks so it may be a part of growing pains but it can also be a result of poor nutrient export. How often do you do water changes and do you ever test your water for Phosphates and Nitrates? If you have a lot of algae, these parameter values may be skewed since the algae will be consuming a lot of it, but it can be helpful to get in the habit of monitoring these values so you can get ahead of the algae.

Manual removal, consistent water changes, and turning off all pumps/filters during feeding will help immensely. Protein Skimmers and changing filter media every so often will also help out.

 

[howard1818]

Thanks I have been testing I hadn't heard about turning off the pumps during feeding and will looking into adding a protein skimmer

 

[PatW]

In order for algae to flourish, it needs nitrates, phosphates, light and water. Well water is not limiting so that leaves the other three. I would test nitrates to see if those are high. It would be good to test phosphates also but you can have stacks of algae and no measurable phosphate because the algae sucked it out of the water.

Generally, nitrates are high after cycling.

Phosphates can leach out of your rock work.

You can reduce these plant nutrients by

Water changes.
Setting up a refugium with macro algae to compete for the nutrients.
Running GFO to absorb phosphates.
Not feeding as much.
Running a skimmer.
Dosing vodka or carbon and running an over sized skimmer.
Physically removing the algae.
Clean up crew to graze the algae.

Most people use several of the above methods.

 

[howard1818]

In order for algae to flourish, it needs nitrates, phosphates, light and water. Well water is not limiting so that leaves the other three. I would test nitrates to see if those are high. It would be good to test phosphates also but you can have stacks of algae and no measurable phosphate because the algae sucked it out of the water.

Generally, nitrates are high after cycling.

Phosphates can leach out of your rock work.

You can reduce these plant nutrients by

Water changes.
Setting up a refugium with macro algae to compete for the nutrients.
Running GFO to absorb phosphates.
Not feeding as much.
Running a skimmer.
Dosing vodka or carbon and running an over sized skimmer.
Physically removing the algae.
Clean up crew to graze the algae.

Most people use several of the above methods.

thanks doing water changes, feeding less and looking at getting a Reef Octopus skimmer also just added more to the clean up crew. Seems to be partly a new tank and it's cycle. thanks