What's the secret?

[angelap]

How do you guys keep your tanks so spotless. Some of the pictures of tanks here don't have a speck of agle in them. How do you keep them so clean? And, with no alge growing in the tank, what do snails, crabs, and some fish graze on through out the day?
Thanks,
Angela

 

[nm reef]

I'll confess....I've got a constant battle with algaes of several types. My system may look clean but there are always small amounts of problem algaes to deal with. Actually I've come to believe that algaes are part of the package....in a healthy reef system they are part of the environment. The key I think is to manage/maintain them to prevent them from becoming dominent. It is possible to maintain a system and control problem algaes...thats what keeps the micro fauna and snails/crabs/shrimp busy. I'd bet most reefkeepers would confess to persistent algaes of one type or another. My biggest pest is valonia(bubble algae)...manual removal and emerald crabs help keep it somewhat under control. I also have a small patch of bryopsis that is always present. I do run a sort of large refugium to help control problem algaes in the display ...plus a large assortment of critters to do their part. So far the algaes have been kept in check....but like I said...I confess...they are there...just controlled to the point of not being obvious!

 

[bang guy]

I'm with NM... identical situation. I believe a small amount of algae is not only normal but desired.

 

[elan]

i am glad you both agree... i have algae, but dont really care... when it gets out of control, i just get a few more red leg crabs, and some snails.... just trying to keep a balance of my tank.....
If you didnt have any algae growth, then there would be some serious problems...

 

[glinton]

Angela-
I definitey would agree with the above comments but would add one: don't overfeed your fish. If you have a bunch of extra nutrients in the water, algae might grow much faster than if your water was "cleaner."
I feed my fish every other day and they are very healthy.

 

[richard rendos]

Low nutrient level...low nitrates, consistency of temp, pH,calc, alk, etc. When levels of any of those things sway a lot...that means trouble. Also...keep your light bulbs changed regularly...most MH will go 8-12 months...PC's - 9 months, VHO's - 10 months. If you are running your bulbs past that, they have probably changed spectrum and could be causing problem algae to grow.

 

[nm reef]

Bottom line is if a system is stable/mature/balanced and routine maintenance is kept up then problem algaes will not become major issues. But if the system is neglected or allowed to fluctuate then algaes can be very problematic.Algaes can be a normal part of the reef...and they can be provided for and controlled to a certain extent the same as all the other life forms we keep. If the fish/corals are neglected then they too can become problematic.

 

[angelap]

Thanks for the replys. Most of my alge is on the back glass and it partically covers the blue background. I bet a few more snails would help too!
Angela

 

[leigh]

Snails will help. I have algae problems for sure...but they improved substantially when i reduced my bioload to 2 fish in a 100 gal system. I think part of your problem may be in the 4 chromis, 2 damsels, tang, clown, angel...but of course it's a trade-off...you choose to have more fish thus you have more algae--but you also have more fish to enjoy! all just a matter of preference

 

[fishkiller]

You know you are supposed to clean it off the glass every few days. I let the algae go a little longer on the back glass, then I scrape it off and catch it all by dragging a net through the water for a minute or two. I've always had a little hair algae, but I would not call it a problem. My Emerald LOVES it. Man, he'll lift a rock that weighs a pound or two to get to some of that hair algae. What kind of algae do you have? Some algaes are good signs of a healthy cycle.

 

[stupid_naso]

This is really weird. fishkiller said that his/ her emerald likes hair algae when they're known to eat bubble algae. Well, my sally lightfoot is weird too. He eats mostly bubble algae. I think at this point all of my bubble algae are gone. He does keep the hair algae down. So NM reef, sally lightfoot?
Anyway, the key is to get/ grow more of the desirable algae. I have been fighting hair algae in my tank. However, lately ever since I got the sally it's been so much better, and for some reason coraline algae started to grow like crazy. That's what you want.
stupid_naso

 

[mistylab]

my hair algea is dead I pick it up in clumps and let it sink to the bottom of my tank, then whatever wants it gets it
The only algea I have growing is coraline.(Especially on my heater)

 

[melissa v.]

Originally posted by stupid_naso
This is really weird. fishkiller said that his/ her emerald likes hair algae when they're known to eat bubble algae. Well, my sally lightfoot is weird too. He eats mostly bubble algae. I think at this point all of my bubble algae are gone. He does keep the hair algae down.
You think that is wierd, well my green emerald crab eats hair alge and red slime alge, which i get on a dead spot of sand that has no circulation, and as soon as it forms he scoops it up and drapes it over his claw arm and drags it around the tank periodically stopping to cram some in his mouth until it is all gone.
Melissa V.