red algae

[rkhlk]

I have a pretty bad breakout of red algae in my tank. I'm mixing water for a good water change, but in the mean time would it be a bad idea to remove the rock into another salt water filled container, clean it, and then put it back into the display tank. I'm pretty sure that trying to resolve the problem with water changes is gonna take awhile and I'm not sure about going the chemical route.

 

[sickboy]

Yes, water changes help. It occurs because of excess dissolve organics in the water, but here is what i did. The stuff was driving me nuts, so:
I cut back feeding- didn't noticeably help
Cut back on light- didn't noticeably help
Constant water changes and sucking it out- helped temporarily
Took all rock out and 'washed' it- helped temporarily
Put a phosphate pad into filter- haven't seen it again!
Now, all of the things were good as it contributes to the problem, but it seems like once I got rid of it with the filter pad, it was gone for good.
Hope this helps.

 

[flip_x]

what i did was put a powerhead right where it was growing from overnight it went away...

 

[m0nk]

Lack of flow, excess lighting, and excess nutrients are the main causes of cyano outbreaks, but it's also common in new tanks in general. There are a bunch of things you can do to get rid of it, but something that always worked for me was shutting the lights off for 3 days. None of my coral minded that time in the dark and it really does get rid of it. Of course, if you don't address the causes, it could come back.

 

[wfd1008]

i agree with the other suggestions, need to find out what is causing the outbreak, but to get rid of it, red legged hermits, and sand sifting conchs will eat it. if you have a sand bed, then try nassarius snails and a sand sifting star to help stir up the sand bed. again, find out what is causing the outbreak.

 

[m0nk]

Originally Posted by wfd1008
http:///forum/post/2826886
i agree with the other suggestions, need to find out what is causing the outbreak, but to get rid of it, red legged hermits, and sand sifting conchs will eat it. if you have a sand bed, then try nassarius snails and a sand sifting star to help stir up the sand bed. again, find out what is causing the outbreak.

I have never heard of either of these eating cyano. Could you provide a source for this information?
As for sand sifting critters, yes, nassarius snails and conchs will help keep the sand bed stirred up slightly so the cyano can't lay (sorta along the same lines as the flow).

 

[wfd1008]

i made a mistake, i meant the scarlet hermits, i keep calling them red legged. i have both and they really knocked the slime algae out of the tank they're in. so i guess i should say-personall experience. i did however google red legged hermits and these are some of the things i've found. i don't know if these sites are allowed, but i'll try:
http://www.garf.org/algae2/janitor.html
http://www.peteducation.com/article....+2213&aid=2109
and then there's this:
http://www.fishlore.com/Profiles-HermitCrab.htm
i think this is saying it's a bunch of bunk, but oh well
if you google fighting conch, or sand sifiting conch, some of them that say that they do eat red algae. i didn't post them, cause i don't want to get in trouble be those meddeling mods!!!!!

but it mostly comes from what they both did in my tank.