Algae Growth

[Myka]

Originally Posted by Jaws

Checked phosphate and nitrate tonight. This time phosphate was 0.00 using a Hannah checker and nitrate was unmeasurable using a Salifert kit.

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If that's the case, then the algae is doing an excellent job utilizing the nutrients that are available. So I would recommend you boost up your clean up crew. You didn't answer my questions about your clean up crew. I'd recommend some large Tuxedo Urchins, a plethora of Scarlet Hermits (they won't go after snails like typical hermit do), and some abalones. Abalones have huge appetites. I also really like Ring Cowries because they won't fall on their backs and die, and they are nocturnal so you don't see a mess of them in your tank during the day, but you need to buy lots of them because they are small. I wouldn't bother with Turbos or Astraea Snails in a tank that size because they'll be falling on their backs and dying all the time, and I doubt you want to flip them over everyday. Once the clean up crew eats the algae they will poop it out and the nutrients will be back in the water column where your skimmers and filter pads/socks can remove them. Just make sure you have enough flow in the tank to keep the detritus from settling.

[Jaws]

Sorry Myka. I do have a bit of a cleanup crew but they honestly don't seem to do anything. I have 5 large mexican turbos, 1 tuxedo urchin that doesn't seem to ever come out or move at all frankly, and an abalone that I haven't seen since adding to the tank. I'm a little shy to add anymore cleanup crew because I've added 100 snails in the past and they all slowly died. I'm not a fan of hermits because they can be nasty and kill things you don't want them to kill.

Does it seem weird that the hair algae would out compete the chaeto algae until it died off completely too? And why wouldn't there be hair algae in the fuge and frag tanks if they're all connected?

[gobytron]

I swear, a sea hare will help.

You'll be amazed at how much and how many different kinds of algae they consume.

It's a control, not a solution but try adding one or two...it might help save a coral or two while you search for a cause and solution.

One sea hare will do the work of 20 snails and 20 hermits...maybe more.




Myka, anything against them or just not one of your go to's to recommend?

For me, they have been infallible (especially with HA) but maybe you have some experience with them that differs?