Still need help with my tank.

overanalyzer

overanalyzer

Active Member
Booya here is what I'd do ....
1. Remove as many rocks as I could to a large rubbermaid with water and a powerhead. Close lid and do not open for several weeks.
2. Pick, pluck, pull, scrap whatever you have to do to manually remove as much of that stuff as possible!!! Do not be discerning - remove everything that looks like hair algea
3. Set-up a refugium. Bob's point of adding plant life is a good one. The key is doing it right so I don't have to end up reading another thread about macro algea running rampant in your tank. A local guy had to pull all his corals and sell back what he could and then Q his LR to get rid of algea ..... another guy sat there with hemostats and spent an entire weekend pulling macro algea's from his main tank ....
4. Use RO or RO/DI water regardless of what anyone says about tap water not being harmful .....
5. Don't just follow one person's advice!!
Good luck - I bought used LR and it was infested with the stuff ... I am doing the Q method and my tank looks barren - my refugium is taking off and I replaced a faulty filter on my RO unit ... so it is possible to get this stuff in check .... just takes - PATIENCE -- UGH - like everything else!!
HTH
 
beaslbob

beaslbob

Well-Known Member
Booya:
As ajwaters posted:
"i feel your pain....
Thats what my tank looks like also. I've been using ro water since the beginging. waters posted : "
You tank has established a viable ecosystem which is processing the waste material. If absolutely no nitrates of phosphates were in the system you would have no algae. then when you added livestock there would be no mechanism in place to process the nitrates and phosphates. So all your tap water has done is help establish the hair algae which is processing the waste products. If you had added desirable plant from the start there would be no hair algae now and you would have pretty plants not ugly algae.
I agree with over. you could experiment to see if the placing a rock in darkness would remove the algae (it will). You also could, if possible, turn off or black the lighting on one side of the tank. Then observe the effects.
 
jscot71

jscot71

New Member
i also feel your pain i'm still new at this, but you're getting great advice. My tank and rocks were covered with hair and I thought I HAD a good crew, but the best way I found was to toothbrush away the algae. Soon after, the hair was almost non-existant and the crew seems to be keeping it under control. I also began adding calcium supplements to promote coralline growth when necessary (its now growing nicely on the back of the tank).
I recently introduced caulerpa to help maintain the balance. I think time, patience and some scrubbing will do the trick.
 
reefnut

reefnut

Active Member
If you had added desirable plant from the start there would be no hair algae now and you would have pretty plants not ugly algae.
This is just speculation NOT FACT. In MOST cases it takes more than throwing macro algae in the tank to control hair algae.
 
booya

booya

Member
Thanks everyone. I think that i have a lot of work a head of me. I think that I'll take a little from each of you and see how it works. When my tank looks nice I'll have to get more pics.
Thanks Jake
 
beaslbob

beaslbob

Well-Known Member

Originally posted by ReefNut
If you had added desirable plant from the start there would be no hair algae now and you would have pretty plants not ugly algae.
This is just speculation NOT FACT. In MOST cases it takes more than throwing macro algae in the tank to control hair algae.
Reef: You have your ways and I have mine. But my statement is not speculation but proven over years of experience. All hair algae can be eliminated by adding plant life and controling the lighting. We have debated this many times so no reason the hijack this thread. what is important is for readers of this board to hear both ways.
 
reefnut

reefnut

Active Member

Originally posted by beaslbob
Reef: You have your ways and I have mine. But my statement is not speculation but proven over years of experience. All hair algae can be eliminated by adding plant life and controling the lighting. We have debated this many times so no reason the hijack this thread. what is important is for readers of this board to hear both ways.
We do have different ways Bob and I'm ok with that. It's when you start spreading false, misleading or irresponsible info that gets me going.
To say someone can control algae with nothing other than other plants is just not correct. Look in your own tank and you can see that. I get film algae & have hair algae in my fuge...
Your experience grows everytime you talk...
BTW, no hijacking here... Just a little warning...
And it is speculation... you can not say what his tank would do.
 
reefnut

reefnut

Active Member
booya, you have got some good info on this thread and don't get me wrong... a fuge with macro algae IMO is well worth having. As is RO/DI water, light bio-load, a good skimmer, water changes, a good cleanup crew, etc.
Here is a pic of my fuge...
 
reefnut

reefnut

Active Member
and my latest outbreak of algae in the display.
I don't mean to discourage because hair algae is beatable... it just NORMALLY takes more than one method to do it.
I have recently introduced a Lettuce Sea Slug in the display which eats this type of algae. I also pull as much out as possible and make sure my nutrient levels stay in check.
 
reefnut

reefnut

Active Member
Here is a simple flow diagram on how mine is plumbed in. There are several ways to do it... They can be very simple to add.
Kind of like a sump but a fuge service as a place to grow macro algae. Sumps are usually reserved for heaters, skimmers, etc. A fuge usually has a slower flow than a sump would to accommodate the algae.
The theory is the water flows through the fuge and the algae takes in the excess nutrient. Once in a while you prune the algae throwing it out and in turn removing the excess nutrient. As Bob has said they serve this purpose well and IMO help a great deal. But they are not a cure all and they do not eliminate the need for good maintenance and good practices.
They are also a great place for pods and other critters to grow and multiply w/o being eaten.
 
beaslbob

beaslbob

Well-Known Member

Originally posted by booya
I see. I will probably have to see one in person before I could build it.
Good idea. I did a thread entitled "my dyi refug" and it had pics and some diagrams. But be forwarned I went through several "floods" before all (hopefully) the problems were ironed out. You are pumping water from one container to another and either or both can overflow and cause a flood.
 
reefnut

reefnut

Active Member
I live in SW Wyoming. About 3- hour from you. If you can make a road trip one day your more than welcome to stop by to see the fuge setup.
 
reefnut

reefnut

Active Member
BTW, the last time I was up there I stopped by Mckee's on Evans Lane. Seemed like a good LFS. Had some nice set ups there too.
 
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