Green film algae

[James5214]

So I'm having a green film problem on my rocks and sandbed. I already have a bunch of blue legged hermit crabs and 2 trochus snails and a few assassin snails. Any thing else I could add to help with this? Here is a picture of it under white light. You can't even notice it under blue lights.

 

[Jekyl]

Looks like normal ugly phase to me. What size tank? What's your parameters? There's ways to lessen it, however it's nothing to really freak out over either.

 

[James5214]

20L it's been running for 6 months now. It has some premium LR from @LiverockRocks I have a clown fish a RG and a firefish in there with my zoas garden my torch my branching hammer and Duncan. Everything is fine tank is doing great just wondering what I could do or add to help maybe remove this.

 

[Lavey29]

I have green film algae on my rocks in 19 month old thriving tank. I think it is part of a healthy ecosystem and feeds my inverts too. You can diversify your cleaner crew and cut lights to 6 hours with blue and uv only no whites. Siphon out the sand but in my opinion a light coating on the rocks is good for the tank.

 

[Jekyl]

20L it's been running for 6 months now. It has some premium LR from @LiverockRocks I have a clown fish a RG and a firefish in there with my zoas garden my torch my branching hammer and Duncan. Everything is fine tank is doing great just wondering what I could do or add to help maybe remove this.

Add a more diverse clean up crew. Some cerith, nerite, nassarius, dose live phyto, remove what you can by hand during normal maintenance. That's all there is to it.

 

[James5214]

Yea it isn't over taking the tank by no means it's just like you said a light coat but it's just ugly to my eye my white sand bed seems to be like a dark color but it's food for my crabs and snails as you stated.

 

[James5214]

I want to order some pods from algae barn I think I will do a eco jar from them once I get this week's paycheck. I've been watching brs about bio diversity and the biome and those pods and phyto make a world of difference

 

[James5214]

The LR I have came loaded with pods and much different diversity but would still like to add more

 

[Jekyl]

I want to order some pods from algae barn I think I will do a eco jar from them once I get this week's paycheck. I've been watching brs about bio diversity and the biome and those pods and phyto make a world of difference

It's next to impossible that pods already aren't in your tank. Just get the algae barn live phyto instead.

 

[Absolutely Fish]

Get some sand movers. We love using Conchs for this.

 

[James5214]

It's next to impossible that pods already aren't in your tank. Just get the algae barn live phyto instead.

Yes there is definitely pods in my tank

 

[LiverockRocks Verified Sponsor]

Couple thoughts:

Lights- might adjust the lights a tiny bit by either lowering intensity or decreasing the time.
Feeding- might lower the quantity of fish food.
CUC- diversifying types of snails
Parameters- look at phosphates and nitrates
Water quality- RODI top off water?
Maintenance- stir a section of sand, toothbrush rock, turkey baste debris around, weekly water changes

It will clear up with time. Phyto could help, just go slow.

 

[EricR]

Personally, I like to syphon at least some portion of the sand with Python sand/gravel vacuum tube -- that basically is my water removal method for water change.

Was going to say a conch and a couple/few nassarius snails but I now see 20L tank size so you don't want to go overboard, probably.

 

[James5214]

Couple thoughts:

Lights- might adjust the lights a tiny bit by either lowering intensity or decreasing the time.
Feeding- might lower the quantity of fish food.
CUC- diversifying types of snails
Parameters- look at phosphates and nitrates
Water quality- RODI top off water?
Maintenance- stir a section of sand, toothbrush rock, turkey baste debris around, weekly water changes

It will clear up with time. Phyto could help, just go slow.

I have the David Saxby light setting from AI signature series and have been running for months so corals are.use to it and I don't want to go changing to much on the schedule and plus I can't figure out how to shorten the light period on a already preset light schedule if you.know what I mean. I feed twice a day when lights first come on and before I go to work at 2pm and I feed LRS reef frenzy and on like the 3rd or 4th day I toss in some new life spectrum thera A+ pellets. I use the Walmart "reverse osmosis water" I put in quotes because who knows how true that is and if it's actually 0 TDS. But it has worked so far and is 1$ and some change a gallon.

 

[James5214]

Personally, I like to syphon at least some portion of the sand with Python sand/gravel vacuum tube -- that basically is my water removal method for water change.

Was going to say a conch and a couple/few nassarius snails but I now see 20L tank size so you don't want to go overboard, probably.

I try to siphon my sandbed as well but I end up sucking all the dang sand out of the tank smh

 

[EricR]

I try to siphon my sandbed as well but I end up sucking all the dang sand out of the tank smh

I don't have that problem with the Python 2" x 8" tube, personally.

Suck sand up about halfway up the tube then crimp the hose to let the sand dump back out,,, release tube to suck up the lighter gunk suspended in the tube,,, repeat continually.

EDIT -- that's for 40 gallon breeder with a fair amount of open sand surface,,, for smaller tank with smaller sand surface areas you'd want smaller vacuum

 

[James5214]

Yes that's what I do but still i get sand I always have my second hand pinching the tubing part to stop the siphon

 

[EricR]

Yes that's what I do but still i get sand I always have my second hand pinching the tubing part to stop the siphon

Interesting -- what size tube is on your sand/gravel vac?
Works perfectly for me and I only end up with a light sprinkle of sand at the bottom of my discard bucket.

Anyway, good luck...

 

[James5214]

It's a big thick tubing that does the gravel vac I got it from Petco 2 years ago for my freshwater tanks but yea the piece I do water change with it's like easily a 2-3 inch diameter opening it's big

 

[Timfish]

As mentioned above what you're seeing is normal and nothing worry about. I like urchins as they will scrap algae completely off the rock and not leave a thin will that will grow back quicker. As far as the sand, I would siphon off just the surface layer that is green and soak in in H2O2 for a day or so, rinse well and let dry then return it to the system. Here's a couple links you may find informative:

Establishing a Healthy Microbiome in a New Aquarium Using Live Rock

Studying the effects of live rock in a newly established aquarium shows that high-quality live rock promotes the rapid establishment of an effective biological filter and a microbial community similar to those found in mature reef tanks.

www.reef2reef.com