BIG problem with algae

[kam]

Well.. Ive been reading and learning a whole lot on Canreef and have never really needed to post much as I didnt have a lot to say... until now.

I have been working a terrible amount lately and have neglected my tank. I have had a cousin looking after it as ive been in and out of town. Well im back now and all hell has broken loose.

I have a mass algae growth which i believe is diatoms and cyno.
Its almost like short bushy hair algae. I am in the middle of switching my FOWLR over to a reef tank. My skimmer has been down for a couple weeks as it was overflowing on my cousin and she didnt want it to flood my bedroom.

Im rather embarassed to show pictures but I will tonight when im home from work. I desperately need help to correct this and am going to be purchasing the right equipment needed as I can. Im thinking a phosban reactor is probably close to the top of the list at this point.

I will try and take pics at lunch from my phone and post them when I return.
My fish, leather, kenyii and GSPs seem to be doing fine.. but man it looks ugly.

Thanks! :biggrin:

[Gripenfelter]

Lawnmower blenny will eat hair algae.

I run a refugium with chaeto algae breaking the surface of the water. Greatly cuts down on the amount of algae I see.

[kam]

My lawnmower blenny is quite obese from eating a lot of it. Hes probably in heaven. Im thinking that I obviously have a lot of excess nutrients in the water feeding all this. I did a 30 gal water change a week ago. will do another one this week.

I have a 6ft 125gal tank btw

[Gripenfelter]

My lawnmower blenny is quite obese from eating a lot of it. Hes probably in heaven. Im thinking that I obviously have a lot of excess nutrients in the water feeding all this. I did a 30 gal water change a week ago. will do another one this week.

I have a 6ft 125gal tank btw

What sort of fish do you have?

I have a container in my tank in which I'm growing certain corals that my keyhole angel would normally chomp down on. The container has some hair algae on the inside because the tangs can't get at it. Otherwise even regular tangs will eat the hair algae. I have a ton of crabs and conch snails that eat the rest of the algae off the glass.

[bvlester]

firstly try alarger water change remove as much as you can when taking water out of your tank vacume your sand you will be amased at how much chap is in it. your cousin may have been over feeding, what I do is use a auto feeder that way that way I know how much they are getting. also clean as much off your rock as you can. What you can do is take 1 piece out and scrub it and using boiling water slowly poor it over the bad area but not the whole rock this will kill the root but keep most of the rock alive. Do not do this to all your rock at one time just one piece every day or 2. and do lots of water changes and vacume the gravel every time. get a sand sifting star they work wonders as long as they have food. I nolonger have to vacume most of my gravel. I do the areas the sand star does not like to go.

Bill

[i have crabs]

are you using tap water or ro/di? a uv sterilizer might be a option to get it back under control and you really should get the skimmer up and running in a way that it wont flood things

[naesco]

A sea hare will mow it down in no time.

Just remember to acclimate her very slowly and trade her back to lfs or another reefer that has a problem before she starves to death for lack of food.

I would not recommend you move to a reef setup until everything if running ok for you

[intarsiabox]

Do you have a reactor to run a phosphate remover in? I take it you never had a problem with your water source giving you algae problems before? Do a few water changes and manually remove as much algae as possible and test for phosphate. It doesn't sound like you have cyno, this stuff is usually red in color and just sort of sits on top of everything. It can easily be blown off or sucked up with a turkey baster.

[philg3]

While i was away this summer, same thing happened with my roommate. He ended up disconnecting most of my sump from the system and running a HOB skimmer while i was away. Crazy Cyano outbreak when i got back. Havent seen my lawnmower since either..

Water Changes, Water Changes, Water Changes. Get the skimmer running again ASAP. Get the tank back to normal before you start adding stuff again would be my advice. If it was fine before you left it should be able to make it back.

[kam]

It hasnt been maintained for a few months so i have my work cut out for me. I feel like an ass and used work as an excuse. I dont plan on adding anything until this gets under control. I've looked into buying a better skimmer, something more reliable. I think that the coralife 125 is an entry level skimmer and just doesnt cut it. I'll be purchasing a phosban reactor and hopefully a mp40 to help with my existing powerheads to get better water flow. In general I have been working on upgrading most of my equipment. Bulbs in my lighting setup will be changed tomorrow as I have just received my new 14k's. The 10Ks were original.

I took pictures with my phone so hopefully it can give you an idea of whats going on. Please, be gently..

http://thumbp9-bf1.thumb.mail.yahoo.com/tn?sid=2104763109&mid=ALDTi2IAAFo%2FTpe9tQlt6nmawT4&midoffset=1_449656&partid=4&f=1612&fid=Inbox&w=637&h=480&httperr=1

leather doing well

http://thumbp9-bf1.thumb.mail.yahoo.com/tn?sid=2104763109&mid=ALDTi2IAAFo%2FTpe9tQlt6nmawT4&midoffset=1_449656&partid=3&f=1612&fid=Inbox&w=637&h=480&httperr=1

I have a few tangs (hippo, yellow tang and a naso tang), they have been eating the algae since ive slowed down on feeding a lot

http://thumbp9-bf1.thumb.mail.yahoo.com/tn?sid=2104763109&mid=ALDTi2IAAFo%2FTpe9tQlt6nmawT4&midoffset=1_449656&partid=2&f=1612&fid=Inbox&w=637&h=480&httperr=1

And... an "epic fail"

http://thumbp9-bf1.thumb.mail.yahoo.com/tn?sid=2104763109&mid=ALDTi2IAAFo%2FTpe9tQlt6nmawT4&midoffset=1_449656&partid=5&f=1612&fid=Inbox&w=637&h=480&httperr=1

[CandyCane]

I think sea urchins are fun for eating tuns of algea

[kam]

What are the main things that are going to help me here? I know that physically taking what I can out is the start. I have sunday and monday off and plan on spending my days cleaning my tank.

Getting rid of phosphates has to be high on the list of things to start with..? Phosban?
Skimmer up and running should help, what about lighting? I have turned down the time frame that my MH will be on for and I know the bulbs in there are just about shot so the new ones will be going in today.

[Gripenfelter]

Drop in a couple of bags of Chem Pure Elite.

Buy a UV sterilizer.

Run a refugium with Chaeto algae plants breaking the surface (algae scrubber).

I do all of these.

I clean my glass once a week or so.

[Skimmerking]

A sea hare will mow it down in no time.

Just remember to acclimate her very slowly and trade her back to lfs or another reefer that has a problem before she starves to death for lack of food.

I would not recommend you move to a reef setup until everything if running ok for you


well said

[kam]

Drop in a couple of bags of Chem Pure Elite.

Buy a UV sterilizer.

Run a refugium with Chaeto algae plants breaking the surface (algae scrubber).

I do all of these.

I clean my glass once a week or so.

UV Sterilizer is on my list for sure. I had great luck not having all the equipment before and just doing water changes with cleaning, but I dont have as much time anymore and feel that I will need these things to ensure the health of the system.


well said

I dont plan on adding anything until I have it under control.. Im feeling more patient now as I know that If I had a tank stocked with coral I would probably be out a great deal of money at the moment. :wink: