RED ALGAE!! AHHHH helo asap

[zemuro114]

I have an aggressive tank and red algae is exploding and driving me crazy. I bought 50 turbo snails and hermit crabs to try and help 2 days ago but nothing yet (i no it has only ben 2 days) what causes it, and how can i prevent it from coming back... What eats it also??? i didnt think snails or hermits ate it.. ? please help, i leave soon for college and want to make sure it doesnt get out of control....
DJ

 

[chandler04]

Its probably cyano algae which is caused by poor water quality+ poor water flow+too much light and also if u use tap water. You should just vacuum up wat u can, do a water change, put the rocks in front of a pwoerhead in a tub or sumthing (filled with sw, or even in a 5 gallon bucket filled with tank water) Get powerheads and aim them at the problem areas. I used to have problems like that, but powerheads just blow it away to the point where the rocks are pure cleanness!! U might also want a protein skimmer if u dont already have one, cuz waste is also a contributing factor.

 

[barry cuda]

I've had great success battling cyano with a combination of decreasing lighting, cutting back on feeding, and adding critters to keep the sandbed cleaner. If you don't have any photosynthetic inverts you could try leaving the lights off and not feeding the tank for about 3 days...then slowly start turning the lights on for a few hours a day and feed the tank less. Nassarius snails and a fighting conch or two will help keep detritus (read: nutrients) from accumulating in the sand.

 

[russianspy]

I bought cerith snails, they eat the cyano, But i have a 45 gallon and they arn't helpping for 12 of them, next time i can i'm buying 24 more

 

[zemuro114]

thanx for ur help... the stuff is just so ugly!! I'm going to the ocean to get some snails and grass shrimp... ITs great living near the ocean!!! Maybe that can help also... thanks again

 

[chandler04]

You should try removing it though. THEN keep it away. You cant really keep something out if its already in there, ya know. Like having a disease. You can get rid of it, then take mdeications to prevent it happening again, but if u dont get rid of it, you can still take meds, but itll always be there.... Just brush it off and scoop it with a net, then flush it. Its that simple. For the snad, use a siphon vacuum that u can get at an lfs.

 

[zemuro114]

There is none on my sandbed, but i have blueleg hermits so maybe thats why. It is only on my rocks and glass. But my snails that i bought are all dying.. i thought snails could live through a lot of changes in water quality..???? It seems right when i bought them most of them died... that and imnot even sure if they cam alive... does poor water quality kill snails??

 

[badkharma]

It can, but it's most likely your blue-legs.