Tips For Algae Control

[Dquad18]

So i've noticed that the algae in my tank (profile pic) is really starting to overgrow pretty bad, and since I plan on getting more corals very soon I want to start completly eliminating all the algae, I was wondering if you guys had any tips on how to control algae in the tank so far I've taken a few approaches

1. I reduced the amount of red light coming out of my lights

2. Im thinking of adding more clean up crew, right now i only have 2 trochus snails. Should I add more? are hermit crabs effective? I was also consdiering a tail-spot blenny but being a 15 gallon with 2 clowns already that might be overstocked.

3. I've added a small portion of chaeto to my HOB filter

4. Been keeping up with water chnages, and trying to be very diligent on feeding carefully

Any tips and tricks you used to defeat algae is greatly appreciated!

 

[NotFishyFishGuy]

More snails, weekly water changes, and a refugium would all help

 

[Dquad18]

More snails, weekly water changes, and a refugium would all help

Thanks cust curious, msot of my alage problems are the hair-like algae attached to the rock itself, any particualr species of snail/ CUC that targets the rocks? The snails I have now help but they mainly stick to the glass

 

[BeejReef]

you didn't mention your parameters... particulary phosphate and nitrate.
That can be a rabbit hole, but it's still helpful.

Not many clean up crew for a smaller tank will eat tufts of algae. They're good at getting it when it's young and tender. They tend to avoid big pieces. I notice you don't have much coral yet. I'd get in there with a nice stiff bristled brush... like a small toilet brush.. and go after the rocks and let your filter socks collect the carnage. Then add in some more CUC.

Taking a turkey baster to your rocks once or twice a week to blow crud out of the crevices can also help if you stick with it. You just got to keep them presentable until they get caked in coraline. The whole system is a fair bit more forgiving then.

 

[Dquad18]

you didn't mention your parameters... particulary phosphate and nitrate.
That can be a rabbit hole, but it's still helpful.

Not many clean up crew for a smaller tank will eat tufts of algae. They're good at getting it when it's young and tender. They tend to avoid big pieces. I notice you don't have much coral yet. I'd get in there with a nice stiff bristled brush... like a small toilet brush.. and go after the rocks and let your filter socks collect the carnage. Then add in some more CUC.

Taking a turkey baster to your rocks once or twice a week to blow crud out of the crevices can also help if you stick with it. You just got to keep them presentable until they get caked in coraline. The whole system is a fair bit more forgiving then.

Thanks again BeejReef! I've been looking into phosphate test kits so ill most likely be getting one in the future. As for nitrates i've become a little lazy lol but last time a tested (few days ago) they were between 0 and 5ppm (color chart sucks lol). I just did a water change so i dont expect high levels but ill defitely be testing later in the week

Also I've found the turkey baster very helpful, especially in sturing up the sand bad. Yesterday I scrubbed a decent amount of the algae off and ill probably look into getting a heavy duty brush to really kill it. I also plan on getting more corals and CUC and my LFS tomorrow!

 

[BeejReef]

Thanks again BeejReef! I've been looking into phosphate test kits so ill most likely be getting one in the future. As for nitrates i've become a little lazy lol but last time a tested (few days ago) they were between 0 and 5ppm (color chart sucks lol). I just did a water change so i dont expect high levels but ill defitely be testing later in the week

Also I've found the turkey baster very helpful, especially in sturing up the sand bad. Yesterday I scrubbed a decent amount of the algae off and ill probably look into getting a heavy duty brush to really kill it. I also plan on getting more corals and CUC and my LFS tomorrow!

sweet! yeah, I don't know what it is either. Some snails seem to really prefer the glass. I like a few hermit crabs and an emerald or two, but you'll get lots of opinions on those. Another trick is to starve the snails off the glass by scraping it more often. Looks like it will be a killer reef real soon!

 

[Paul B]

I would stop changing the water, don't add any more CUC, don't reduce lighting and add an algae scrubber.
Algae is not a disease and can't be cured. But we can use it for the health of the tank because it is actually healthy to have. You just want to convince it to grow someplace besides your corals. Tanks with absolutely no algae are not that healthy no matter what you may read. It grows on every healthy reef in the world as it should.

 

[Lorenzo Angotti]

What helped me if you have hair algae was a sea hair it’s like a slug and they do a good job as they only eat hair algae they are Reef safe but if you have a cleaner shrimp you must! if you have a refugium is to place him there until your sea hare has done the job because your cleaner shrimp will probe the sea hare‘s rear and will be its demise.it happen to my first sea hare, once the hair algae has gone you take the sea hare back to your local marine shop and get back a little credit, it’s like having him on loan.