Frag tank algae

[jverna1]

I cannot keep this brown type of hair algae from growing in my 2' x 2' frag tank. My flow isnt real turbulent but its adequate. Im running an ATI 6 bulb T5 fixture over it with 4 month old bulbs. My phoshates are 0 and my nitrates are real low. I tried 2 turbo snails but they stop eating and poop all over the place. Did anybody have the same problem and how did you fix it? Thanks, Jay

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Is the frag tank plumbed into the main tank?

 

[jverna1]

Yes.

 

[Cubbies]

Maybe too much light? Try raising the fixture just a bit. Are you having any problems with your DT as well or is it just the fragger?

 

[Mr E Wrasse]

i have had the same problem in my 40breeder frag tank and the only thing that ended up helping was a combination of foxface, yellow tang, and a bunch of blue and red hermit crabs

 

[mainereefer]

the phosphates are "0" because the algae is doing its job
you need to find out what is causing the phosphates

cut lights to 5 hrs a day (minimum corals need) stop feeding and start doing waterchanges

 

[jverna1]

I dont have a problem with my display. I do have 4 grazing tangs thats probably why. I am running bio pellets and GFO to cut down Phos.
Could be too much light. Im running my lights on my frag tank for 8 hours. I will try cutting it down. Thanks for your responses.

 

[Ninjapotamus]

I have been in your EXACT situation before - 2x2 frag tank attached to large display tank. Display tank is algae free but frag tank grows algae like crazy. Parameters are all good -- anyways- Here is how you fix it.

Your cleanup crew and flow are TOTALLY inadequate. Don't change your lighting/light cycle, waste of time IMO.

First ditch the turbos and get a combination or ALL of these.

1 small yellow tang. smaller the better, plan to sell it/move it to your display tank once it gets too large. This fish will tackle fleshy algae.
1 medium/large lawnmower blenny. this will handle brown/green film algae and possibly also help with hair algae
10 blackfooted trochus snails - they breed and are very agile on frag racks
10 astrea snails - tend to stay on the outside of the tank walls
1 sixline wrasse - pest control
optional(emerald crabs for bubble algae)
optional(peppermints for aiptasia -- return them to the store when their job is done)

this cleanup crew will produce a lot of poop... next step... get the poop out of the frag tank with tons of flow! here is how...

1. First, If possible, increase the amount of flow going through the tank ... biggest return pump your overflow can handle is ideal.
2. Build an elevated frag rack about 4-5 inches off the bottom of the tank. Place at minimum two powerheads underneath the rack JUST blasting the bottom of the frag tank. If any snail poo/food/ditritus gets down here you want it stirred up into the water column constantly so that it goes into the overflow. Really important thing to note--- DO NOT GO SMALL-- 300gph powerheads wont cut it. evo 750/1050/1400 are what your looking for. I highly recommend you have them all on a wavemaker. In your situation with a 2x2 frag tank I would do 2 evo 1050's under the frag rack and 2 evo 750's over the frag rack providing flow for the corals. Depending on what type of corals you are growing you may have to change the 750's to something lower/higher power.

 

[Troylee]

The problem I always see is not enough flow in frag tanks... My friend has a 8 ft tank tied into his display same deal all sorts of algae... First thing I noticed when I walked in his house was all the crap settling in it... Put a couple power heads in there it will clean right up...

 

[jverna1]

I have been in your EXACT situation before - 2x2 frag tank attached to large display tank. Display tank is algae free but frag tank grows algae like crazy. Parameters are all good -- anyways- Here is how you fix it.

Your cleanup crew and flow are TOTALLY inadequate. Don't change your lighting/light cycle, waste of time IMO.

First ditch the turbos and get a combination or ALL of these.

1 small yellow tang. smaller the better, plan to sell it/move it to your display tank once it gets too large. This fish will tackle fleshy algae.
1 medium/large lawnmower blenny. this will handle brown/green film algae and possibly also help with hair algae
10 blackfooted trochus snails - they breed and are very agile on frag racks
10 astrea snails - tend to stay on the outside of the tank walls
1 sixline wrasse - pest control
optional(emerald crabs for bubble algae)
optional(peppermints for aiptasia -- return them to the store when their job is done)

this cleanup crew will produce a lot of poop... next step... get the poop out of the frag tank with tons of flow! here is how...

1. First, If possible, increase the amount of flow going through the tank ... biggest return pump your overflow can handle is ideal.
2. Build an elevated frag rack about 4-5 inches off the bottom of the tank. Place at minimum two powerheads underneath the rack JUST blasting the bottom of the frag tank. If any snail poo/food/ditritus gets down here you want it stirred up into the water column constantly so that it goes into the overflow. Really important thing to note--- DO NOT GO SMALL-- 300gph powerheads wont cut it. evo 750/1050/1400 are what your looking for. I highly recommend you have them all on a wavemaker. In your situation with a 2x2 frag tank I would do 2 evo 1050's under the frag rack and 2 evo 750's over the frag rack providing flow for the corals. Depending on what type of corals you are growing you may have to change the 750's to something lower/higher power.

Cool. Ninjapotamus I will try your recommendations. Thanks for taking the time to answer my question.

 

[mainereefer]

the only problem I see with adding more flow to stir things up is it is connected to the display. if you crank up the flow everything that has settled will go to the display and cause problems there

 

[Larsen]

the only problem I see with adding more flow to stir things up is it is connected to the display. if you crank up the flow everything that has settled will go to the display and cause problems there

Not exactly. My dad has two frag tank tied into his DT and the drain for his frag tanks go into the same filter sock as the DT. So it should get filtered out

 

[mainereefer]

there will be more than solids released into the system.

is there sand,rock in the frag tank or is it bare bottom? could you separate the frag tank from the system,so you can do a do a good cleaning, run a uv, skim and filter then hook it back to the system

the only down side is the algae is filtering the water from the display so you might have an outbreak in the display when it gets disconnected

 

[jverna1]

Not exactly. My dad has two frag tank tied into his DT and the drain for his frag tanks go into the same filter sock as the DT. So it should get filtered out

Thats how mine is set up too. That shouldnt be a problem.

 

[jverna1]

there will be more than solids released into the system.

is there sand,rock in the frag tank or is it bare bottom? could you separate the frag tank from the system,so you can do a do a good cleaning, run a uv, skim and filter then hook it back to the system

the only down side is the algae is filtering the water from the display so you might have an outbreak in the display when it gets disconnected

It is barebottom with no rock. Im gonna try what ninjapotamus suggested a see what happens.