When is it too much of a good thing

[microview]

I have a relatively new system currently with live rock and a few fish. I even have a few fern-like plants and green 'worms' (plants) growing on the live rock which are very desirous (I think), but I also have a sincere problem with algae and browish/purple cyano. I know it is normal for a new tank, but it is ugly and covers all the beautiful colors of the corraline that is forming beneath. Anyway, I have purchased a clean-up crew of brittle stars, hermits, clams, and snails to help clean up the mess. My question is how many are too many cleaners?

 

[coraljunky]

How new? How often do you feed? How long are the lights on? How often do you do water changes?

 

[perfectdark]

If you have cyano no cleaner crew will take care of it. what you first need to find out is what exactly you have. Diatoms, brown like covering on your sand, green hair algea, green mat like substance with hairs waving in the current. Or Cyano which isnt an algea but a bacteria, scooping it out, reducing the length of time your lights are on and directing your flow to the affected area are all methods to help rid your tank of cyano. Depending on how new your tank is diatoms are normal.. if you could post a pic it would help alot.

 

[microview]

It was established in March of this year. I have two 55w 10,000k actinics that I leave on from 11:00am to 8:00pm To reduce nitrates, I feed only once a day for the fish and the anemone gets 1/2 silverside q other day. I try and change 20% q month. What changes might you suggest?

 

[microview]

I know some recommend reducing how often the water is changed. Others suggest reducing feeding. Others recommend no more than 2 hours of light per day (for awhile). I eventually want to begin to introduce corals and want the 'system' acclimated to the light and stable so as to avoid an algae bloom when I give full light to the corals. Does that make sense?

 

[coraljunky]

Try 5-10% weekly. Cut back on feeding too, but dont starve anything.

 

[coraljunky]

If you dont have corals yet, try the lights out for a day or two.

 

[mcbdz]

Originally Posted by Microview
It was established in March of this year. I have two 55w 10,000k actinics that I leave on from 11:00am to 8:00pm To reduce nitrates, I feed only once a day for the fish and the anemone gets 1/2 silverside q other day. I try and change 20% q month. What changes might you suggest?
Do you use ro/di water or tap. What are your levels reading, actual numbers please. On a new tank it is best to do about 10% a week. Helps keep things more stable. And if you are having issues it isn't stable somewhere. list size of tank and livestock. This info should help you get better answers.

 

[microview]

The way you describe it, it is cyano. If I reduce the lighting periods to two hours and regularly 'clean' (Is weekly enough), can I expect this to 'cycle' and not be a problem later on down the road? As far as flow goes, I am confused there as well. I have tried both ways; heavy direct flow onto the live rock and flow over and down the sides (more indirect) but it doesn't seem to make a difference. Most of the cyano growth appears to be high on the live rock where as the green hair algae is more along the sides and bottom. I can deal with that.

 

[microview]

I will try the 10% weekly. The tank is a 34g (actually 29 with a 5g sump) Red Sea Max reef tank. I use only RO water. I apologize, I don't have my 'numbers' available right now, but at last testing, all was wnl. I was concerned the nitrates were high, but they were good. For stock, I have (1) BTA, (2) clowns, (1) coral banded shrimp, (1) Blennie, (1) blue hippo tang, and an assortment of cleaners (2) brittle stars, (10) hermits, (20) snails, (2) emerald crabs.

 

[grubsnaek]

wow you have a hippo tang in a 29. not going to flame you like some might but that tank honestly is small for a hippo. as per fish in the tank your good. do you have macro in the sump.