Algae Invasion

[bugapash]

I'm early in a tank setup; have two hermits and two damsels, all doing fine, levels 'leveling' out, and was planning on adding a cleaner shrimp and horseshoe crab friday, but my lfs didn't get in any of their supplies...and today, i've had a bloom of brown algae...should I drive out of town (to the nearest sf store, an hour and a half away) to get some more cleaners, or just wait til friday when my stuff comes in locally? (The algae is spreading fairly quickly). Thanks!

 

[suv]

I had that same problem and I Got a biger cleanup crew, but it cleared up on its own befor they ever got here. Yours will probly do the same.

 

[bugapash]

thanks. I had a fish die, and just now 'fished' him out from under a rock(i'm getting good at these plays on words), so maybe that will help it clear.

 

[b-town]

I had brown algae on my cycle from the 2 to 3rd week and it went away on its own.

 

[chipmaker]

Unless you have a huge tank forgfet the horseshoe crab.........I owld be looking into why I have algae to beigin with and not looking for a critter to eliminate it it right off. Are yu usuing rodi water? What lights do you have and what is the duratio of yur lighting schedule. Are you feeding excessively? The problem is assocated to nutrients in the tank and also lighting.
Big problem with arbitrarily adding cleanup critters to a tank early on to "solve" a so called problem is that later on they usually starve when there is insufficient food for them to eat due to being over populated for what is really needed.
Brown algae will go away on its own......its all part of the new tank syndrome.....All other algaes are created by too much of somehting all of which is easily controlled by the tank keeper. Even a water change helps? Have you done any water changes lately? Throwoing more critters ata self induced problem is not a cure.........Reduce fieeding, take a look at what your feeding and the amount and frequency your feeding, use rodi water, and reduce lights on if they are on 10 or more hours. I would start off at 8 hours if you do not have corals in the tank....perhaps add a phosphate sponge to reduce phosphates. Lights, phosphate and nitrate is what it takes for algae...eliminate or reduce one and it goes away.

 

[cymbal67]

brown algea is normal during cycling. it will go away. a phos reactor will help keep other types of algea from getting out of hand down the road. did that fish die between your first and second posts? bummer..... dont add too much of a cleaner crew yet, start small...you might not have enough to keep them all fed if you go with a big crew so early.