TylerMoralez
Active Member
I've had a fully cycled tank for a couple months now, and yesterday a full bloom of algae appeared. What can this be?
Help ID : Algae?
- Thread starter TylerMoralez
- Start date
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Green slime algae, green film algae, Film algae. (It could be any of a number of subspecies, but treatment usually the same)
Cleanup steps.
1. Put that mag float that is being over run by algae to work... clean the entire glass.
2. For the bottom of the tank use a NEW tooth brush. loosen it a bit. (since you are bare bottom it appears in pic)
3. Get it all in the water column and suck up the bottom stuff. 20% or so water change. Get as much algae as you can sucked up.
4. Repeat water change as needed based on test results of water.
--------------
Why did it happen?
1. Could have been over feeding.
2. Could be natural sunlight being allowed into the tank.
3. Could be your filters haven't been changed in a while, judging by your mag float... that seems likely
.
4. Could be tons of other things. no way to know without more info.
What is your filtration system, and your water parameters. Also what is your water change regime? Have you possibly not done a water change recently or perhaps not changed or cleaned your pre-filters or replaced filter media? Maybe you topped off with non RO or distilled water?
--- CUC
Copepods love this stuff. As do most snails. I know that astrae like it as do ceriths. Margarita snails really go to town on the stuff. But don't add more then about 6 margarita snails at a time. Or any medium size snails. Too many at once can lead to lots of dead snails and lots of ammonia, and even worse problems.
Cleanup steps.
1. Put that mag float that is being over run by algae to work... clean the entire glass.
2. For the bottom of the tank use a NEW tooth brush. loosen it a bit. (since you are bare bottom it appears in pic)
3. Get it all in the water column and suck up the bottom stuff. 20% or so water change. Get as much algae as you can sucked up.
4. Repeat water change as needed based on test results of water.
--------------
Why did it happen?
1. Could have been over feeding.
2. Could be natural sunlight being allowed into the tank.
3. Could be your filters haven't been changed in a while, judging by your mag float... that seems likely
.4. Could be tons of other things. no way to know without more info.
What is your filtration system, and your water parameters. Also what is your water change regime? Have you possibly not done a water change recently or perhaps not changed or cleaned your pre-filters or replaced filter media? Maybe you topped off with non RO or distilled water?
--- CUC
Copepods love this stuff. As do most snails. I know that astrae like it as do ceriths. Margarita snails really go to town on the stuff. But don't add more then about 6 margarita snails at a time. Or any medium size snails. Too many at once can lead to lots of dead snails and lots of ammonia, and even worse problems.
Last edited:
Salty1962
Wrasse and SPS Lover
GHA, unfortunate part of a new tank setup.
Clean out as much as you can manually and keep your levels, No3 & Po4 in check. You'll get through it when your tank fully matures.
Clean out as much as you can manually and keep your levels, No3 & Po4 in check. You'll get through it when your tank fully matures.
OP
OP
TylerMoralez
Active Member
Green slime algae, green film algae, Film algae. (It could be any of a number of subspecies, but treatment usually the same)
Cleanup steps.
1. Put that mag float that is being over run by algae to work... clean the entire glass.
2. For the bottom of the tank use a NEW tooth brush. loosen it a bit. (since you are bare bottom it appears in pic)
3. Get it all in the water column and suck up the bottom stuff. 20% or so water change. Get as much algae as you can sucked up.
4. Repeat water change as needed based on test results of water.
--------------
Why did it happen?
1. Could have been over feeding.
2. Could be natural sunlight being allowed into the tank.
3. Could be your filters haven't been changed in a while, judging by your mag float... that seems likely
4. Could be tons of other things. no way to know without more info.
What is your filtration system, and your water parameters. Also what is your water change regime? Have you possibly not done a water change recently or perhaps not changed or cleaned your pre-filters or replaced filter media? Maybe you topped off with non RO or distilled water?
--- CUC
Copepods love this stuff. As do most snails. I know that astrae like it as do ceriths. Margarita snails really go to town on the stuff. But don't add more then about 6 margarita snails at a time. Or any medium size snails. Too many at once can lead to lots of dead snails and lots of ammonia, and even worse problems.
Thank you so much for the info. Right now I only have the Reef Octopus BH90 HOB Skimmer as my filtration, as well as my live rock. My parameters are all in check as well. I keep trying to scrub off what I can and it still comes back within a couple hours.
Water changes are 25% every Monday. I'll try the toothbrush part for the bottom. I wasn't able to reach the bottom with the mag float and figured I would let the turbos go to town. Mine are duds and don't do much. I'll look into margaritas and maybe copepods.
Currently I have a CUC of:
-2 Mexican Turbos
-2 emerald crabs
-2 anemone crabs
-7 blue legged hermits
-2 red scarlet crabs
-5 cerite snails
Trochus snails are the only snails I'd ever use for actual CUC. Nassarius are good for stirring up the sand, and stomatellas are decent but generally only found as hikers, but Trochus is what you want for actual clean-up crew.
Cerith are nice looking because of their shell shape. Turbos are good if you want to knock stuff over all the time.
Add 7-8 Trochus, give it a week, and see how that looks.
Cerith are nice looking because of their shell shape. Turbos are good if you want to knock stuff over all the time.
Add 7-8 Trochus, give it a week, and see how that looks.
Animagus
Community Member
Has anything changed recently? Maybe the link below will help.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/1/aafeature1
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/1/aafeature1
OP
OP
TylerMoralez
Active Member
Currently scrubbing as best I can... not much of a difference yet
