Help! So much Green algae!

[Sean Hartnett]

My 20 gallon long has recently started growing an excessive amount of green algae in my sand. I've read up a little on what causes it and how to make sure it doesn't happen.

But does anyone have examples of what they did to rid it quickly? I've considered scooping off the top layer of sand but I don't want do anything that would be harmful to my ecosystem.

Thank you

 

[Bensadork]

Reach in with your fingers and pull it out of the sand to get most of it. but you really need to figure out what the root cause of the algae is. What kind of lighting do you have and how often are you doing water changes?

 

[twilliard]

Your sand is loaded with nutrients this is why it is growing there.
Careful removal of the algae will help.
Try not to get it free floating.

 

[Sean Hartnett]

It's black box lighting white at about 50 percent blue at 65 percent at about 12 inches above the water. Doing water changes every 3 weeks

 

[twilliard]

How deep is your sand?

 

[kendavjac]

manually remove and get control of the nutrients. It will take some time, but it will go away. I assume this is a new tank and this is a fairly normal stage in for a new tank. Watch how much you feed your fish.

 

[Sean Hartnett]

Sand is 2 inches.

Alright thank you

 

[steve&mari]

Syphine it off sand is best to keep it from free floating and spreading.

 

[twilliard]

On your water changes use a sand vacuum and try to clean the sand up.
Try not to stir up too much in the tank take it slow and sections at a time.

 

[Ryengoth]

Fine sugar sand is the worst at trapping detritus and holding nitrogen pockets (especially under rock). I'd suggest gradually replacing it with crushed coral/aragonite where you can. Once a month, use your fingers to break up the packed areas and let the junk out. You'll probably see lots of nitrogen bubbles come up.

 

[chelltom]

also how often do you feed overfeeding can do it. I have also found a diamond goby can prevent algae from growing in the sand as he is constantly sifting it

 

[tmac18]

Is it hair algea? I also have a 20 long. I had a bad breakout of hair algea. Not really on sand bed but on rocks and glass. I have a lawnmower blenny that is a monster at removing it. Also reduce amount of hours of lighting maybe and feed less. I also have an emerald crab that picks at everything.

 

[Davileet]

I had a lot of green algae growing everywhere from the white Cree LEDs I am using. If you are using an LED fixture, you should turn the whites off and remove as much of the algae as you can. Give it a week or two and see if it improves. The corals do not need the white light to grow, but the algae does.