How to solve/reduce bad algae problems

[Cookiemunster]

I was asked by a reefer for help on how to reduce his problemetic algae (cyano and diatoms). Decided to share my reply to him here with all who have similar problems.

Ok here I will briefly explain how to prevent algae problems. Can you also give me some specs of your tank, eg skimmer used, lights used (what kelvin), tank inhabitants, overflow method, filtration method (using refugium sump?) what you feed them, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and phosphate level.

First of all I need to know what kind of algae problem you have. Is it red, brown or green? And what does it look like? Hairy with air bubbles or slimy? The red type and brown type is the worst as these are known as cyanobacteria and diatoms respectively. The green is inevitable and every tank has them growing on the glass in thin layers. But the green type should not cover your sand bed or rocks.

Algae needs a few things to make them grow well.

1)Iron

2)Lights

3)Phosphate

4)Nitrate

5)poor circulation

So the best thing is to reduce as many of these items as possible not including lights as these are necessary.

Phosphate can be reduced or removed using phosphate absorbers like rhowaphos (available from edmund of www.eaquanature.com) Its not cheap but its the best compared to seachem. Its proven.

Nitrate is contributed due to high bioload and inefficient skimmer. So getting a good skimmer like HnS can and will help to reduce the nitrate levels. A high bioload can be reduced by keeping less fishes and feeding in small amounts only what they can eat.

Lighting is necessary but use the right colouration kelvin. Lights of 10000k and less tend to give algae the boost of growth as they absorb such wavelengths better and thats why planted tanks use 5000k or lower kelvins. I suggest using 10000k and above lighting. (more white or blues)

Iron comes in the form of iron fillings in the sand. When you started the tank if you did not wash the sand and use a strong magnet to remove the iron fillings, these will act as fertilizer for the algae. However if its already there, theres not much you can do. Perhaps using polyfilter can help. This is available cheaply from Petmart.

Poor circulation allows the cyano and diatoms (making your tank look like a planted tank with tiny air bubbles raising from sandbed) to form and settle on the sand bed. Use powerheads or best would be a TUNZE wavemaker such as 6060. Cheapest available from Paradiz Reef. Using this wave maker you will see an immediate improvement the next day.

Lastly, the use of a refugium where you can grow good algae like caluerpa or commonly sold algae plants is a good practice as these help to absorb the nutrients needed by the bad algae. And they help to reduce nitrate too. Use a strong set of lights (at least 2x36W depending on sump size) in the sump and you will soon find all the algae concentrated in the sump which is a good thing as its better for them to be in the sump where you can trim and remove easily than the main tank.

Ok hope these help. Following all of these advises will surely help to solve your algae problems or prevent it from getting worse.

Cheers

[ah^siao]

good piece of information.. btw.. wad are the sand shifters around?

[Cookiemunster]

good piece of information.. btw.. wad are the sand shifters around?

Oh yes, how could I forget.

A good point ah siao brought up.

Useful inhabitants of the tank!!!

There are a few good fishes and invertibrates to keep to help out too!

1)Kole tang (cheap) or Chevron Tang (ridiculously priced) as these are bristletooth tangs and like to scrape algae off the walls and rocks (green algae only as they don't eat cyano or diatoms)

2)Turbo snails eat green algae from the glass walls and rocks and every bloody else where it grows.(I use 30 snails in my 4ft tank)

3)Nassarius snails eat uneaten food and waste dropping on the sandbed. They also help to digest and eat dead fish before they rot and pollute the tank (I use 50 in my 4ft tank and can never find any of my fishes whenever they die on me)

4)Black donkey dung sea cucumber. This guy is your best friend!!! He diligently cleans the sandbed shifting and stirring the surface of the sand inch by inch for bacteria. In the process its digestive system releases a little calcium from the sand provided you using coral chip sand and not silicate sand (not very significant) and prevents algae forming in sheets.

These inhabitants are guaranteed and proven. There are other creatures such as red legged hermits, emerald crabs, bumblebee snails etc but these have their risks and are not totally reef safe.

[ah^siao]

are any of the bennies reef safe that can help to get rid of the algae?

[Cookiemunster]

blennies are not very recommended except for the algae blenny which looks kinda cute but ugly. It only eats the commonly sold algae plants and not green or red/brown algae films

[CKS]

Very good point Cookiemunster!

I'd like to highlight that urchin is quite effective too .. especially long spined urchin..which helped me won the hairalgae war

[sinner]

whao so much snails would it contribuite anything bad for that amount of snails? otherwise i'm getting more

[dradttg]

Instead of DSB (Deep Sand Bed) go for DSB (Deep Snail Bed).

[edwincis]

LOl if too much snails the tank looks ugly too. All snails.....

[shiok]

i am keeping a 2 feet tank (2 mths old) now with...

Dsb abt 3 1/2" from front to 4" at the back, LR abt 8kg

Skimmer using air type the A-A ones

Lighting using 14w X 2 T5(white) and 14W x 1 T5(blue). Light was turn on from 7pm to 7am everyday

Water Parimeter was ph 8.3, no2 <0.3mg, No3 abt 40 (10% water changes every 7-10 days)

Liverstock : one 6-line wrasser, one african clown, one Fire-fish, a few crabs that comes with the LR, 4 clams, 2 rocks of mushrooms, 4 tube worms

Feed fishes everyday once wif bs soak with garlic and twice a week feed clams and mushroom with coralife target feed(abt 5ml)

using phosguard since i saw cyanobacteria in my tank... now its slightly seem control... only at some area not spreading

algae i've manage to id by comparing fm internet was Bryopsis, Caulerpa, Halymenia sp, brown algae, cyanobacteria....

can pls recommend wat could be done so that i can do some budgeting

there a question i always wanted to ask am i overfeed my fish?

[shiok]

btw i am thinking of diy-ing led moonlight for my tank ( turing on during 7am-7pm) is it advisable? will it cos more algae growth??

pls advise 2?

[bawater]

Your tank is in its 2nd month, algae outbreak is also part and parcel of young tanks- during the 1st yr is when the tank adjusts to its environment and bioload. 95% of new tanks will get cyano/hair or some kind of algae within the first year. This is the period that you need to go slow.

Nobody said it would be instant. You made something out of a empty glass box

but you can help take off the load by employing a better skimmer- something that can skim twice your volume.(this would be because of feeding...that you have to do).You may also want to employ some chemical filters like polyfilter or a phosphate media constantly.

Your DSB at 1/2" will not do anything so u can only count the 4"area-and it will take nearly a yr for it to actually mature.

Although i don't know what is in the coralife target feed.

No i don't think you are over feeding.

No the moonlight will not increase algae growth.

Budget: look into a better skimmer and a PO4 test kit.

Excess budget: look into a hang on refugium which may help.

[shiok]

Dsb abt 3 1/2" from front to 4" at the back, LR abt 8kg

Gee thanks bawater...

i mean 3.5" in front, yes i know dsb takes 1 yr to mature

could some1 pls recoomend a brand/model of skimmer for a two feet tank, must be able to place inside the tank not too heavy cos my present tank is only 6mm thick and i have already hang 2 hang on filter

thanks in advance...

[littleclownfish]

hai sinner!...is ur skimmer effective...cost i oso bought a same one as urs...n in the first few dats...very little bubbles r form...

[Cookiemunster]

Guys I really recommend you upgrade the skimmer. Its the most important accessory in the tank next to lights. Its actually the life support system of your tank.

Good skimmers for your 2ft would be a hang on AquaC Urchin.

Check www.eaquanature.com for pricing.

If budget is a concern then I think the weipro is the least. But I seriously advise you to save up to get the better skimmer because you would waste more money upgrading later.

Secondly, seachem's phosguard is next to useless from the reports I've heard. Why not switch to contraphos sold at Paradiz Reef or if $$$ is not a concern the best would be Rhowaphos also available from eaquanature.

Cheers

[ozy]

I have a pretty bad case of cyno whenever I change water at my office tanks. I work in a JTC flat factory, so dunno if water quality is compromised there. I have tried phosguards, but not too useful.

Currently I am using a prizm hangon skimmer on the tanks due to space constraint. Is that enough? The tanks have been around for a while, about 8 months liao. There was a time when the tank was doing well, but when I change the routine water change, the cyno is back.

Anything else I can do?

[shiok]

AquaC Urchin too ex

pls recommand a suitable weipro

btw i have search Rhowaphos from eaquanature but there's no such product can some1 pls check if the product name is correct?

[Cookiemunster]

I have a pretty bad case of cyno whenever I change water at my office tanks. I work in a JTC flat factory, so dunno if water quality is compromised there. I have tried phosguards, but not too useful.

Currently I am using a prizm hangon skimmer on the tanks due to space constraint. Is that enough? The tanks have been around for a while, about 8 months liao. There was a time when the tank was doing well, but when I change the routine water change, the cyno is back.

Anything else I can do?

Hi Bro,

you did not specify whats the size of your tank. But I would say the prizm is only sufficient for low bioloads or 2ft tanks only. I feel any bigger and it can't really handle well.

If you get cyano when you change water, it is highly likely that there are high nitrates and phosphates in the water. Which makes sense since its a flatted factory. I won't be surprised if they use portable water and not drinkable water. Better get the test kits to check the water. It may have some heavy metals in it too.

Cyano is supposed to be less active after water change.