Got a little algae problem...

[seanoman]

Over the past couple of weeks, our tank has started to develop some gha...or at least I think that's what it is. It started on just one rock but has now spred to several other rocks in the tank. It isn't super bad yet but how do I keep this from getting out of control? Checked the tank parameters and phosphates are reading 0 but our system is fairly new and something must be feeding this algae...any thoughts?


Here's a couple pics of the rock where it originated and where it's the worst:
http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj152/seanoman44/FragsFish112.jpg
http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj152/seanoman44/FragsFish111.jpg


There's also another kind of macroalgae growing on the rocks that I've never seen before...anyone know what it is?
http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj152/seanoman44/FragsFish119.jpg

[Black Phantom]

I've got tons of thoughts. How do they get that big ship in that little bottle. Why is it always darkest before the storm. Why did..........whoops, oh ya, your question. :lol:
If your tank is new then algae is usually a given. Most people will tell you that they have had the same thing. Watch how much you feed, that can really add to your problems. Cut back on your light period for a while and that will help as well. Almost everyone goes through the same thing for a while.
Lighting can also add to the problem.

[niloc16]

the thing with checking po4 is that the algae is using it up so fast in the tank your test kit wont catch it. i would test all water being used for the tank and see what you have there. hopefully its a new tank syndrome and should reside but syphon as much of it as you can. arent the tangs eating it. the 2nd pic is i believe dictoya which can be a major PITA. how often are you feeding? do you use RO for changes and top off? what type of food are you giving? how much are you skimming a day?

[TJSlayer]

Lawnmower blenny....

Ours attacks the stuff on sight.....

Had a whole bunch growing on overflow box, power heads, return lock lines etc.

He took care of it all...

Cool little fish too!

economical as well....

Better than any algae eater I ever had in freshwater........

good luck
TJ

[Phoenixfrag]

What else do the blenny's eat besides algae?

[seanoman]

thanks for the replies...

niloc...unfortunately the regal is showing no interest in the algae. I will check the water tomorrow again, we use RO water and all of the cartridges and ro membrane were replaced when we started the tank. We are feeding a few things, we are mostly feeding frozen mysis, one cube a day and also some formula 2 flake. As for skimming, we are probably pulling out between 1-2 cups a day. We are doing weekly/week and a half water changes as well.
I will look up that other type of algae as well. I hope we will be able to get rid of it.

As for the lawnmower blenny...we're not sure if we want to go that route yet.

[niloc16]

i would suggest finding the problem before throwing livestock at it like you said.

[seanoman]

I think I will be putting a phosphate reactor on right away here and see if like you said, that there are phosphates but they are just getting used up right away by the nuissance algae.

[seanoman]

So after doing a little bit of research, the algae that is growing on the rocks is in fact Sargassum hystrix and not dicotoya as Colin had suggested. It is a type of kelp...anyone ever had it? If yes, how do you get rid of it? We keep pruning it back but can't seem to completely remove it.

[Keri]

What else do the blenny's eat besides algae?

Mine eats everything BUT algae!

[dsaundry]

maybe a Sea Hare???

[seanoman]

I thought sea hare's are mostly used for hair algae...

[kdpuffer]

well i just went through the same exact thing the person i bought my established reef off of did not know how to work the lights so they had the actinic as the night moon lights and as a result the only thing to grow was algae and that kelp you have. i talked to a lfs employee about options and he suggested sea hare however they are ugly as sin instead i went with an emerald crab and an urchin, i got a snowball urchin with shorter spines and combined they work miracles. i still have a couple spots of algae but nothing near what it was (every rock was covered) and its only been two weeks and from what i have read once the algae is gone the urchin will readily take lettuce. the best part is they look much more appealing than a hare

[dsaundry]

Not sure...if thats all they eat, but "Maybe"
I would have said a Lawnmower Blennie as well but someone else did that already...You would think there would have to be something out there that eats it..

[seanoman]

kdpuffer- thanks for the info. I have to agree, sea hare are horrible looking and I don't really want to put one in our tank. An urchin may be a better alternative.

dsaundry- I hope there's something as well. I guess I'll keep on doing some more research and see what I come up with.

[Keri]

maybe a Sea Hare???

yup, mine worked like a charm, it's almost all clear, I'll have to bring him back soon.