new tank problem...

EB847 · 06/06/2006, 09:55 AM

my tank is 2 mo old... i have slime/hair algae that is slowly getting worse. i've been told this is typical in a new tank and will run its course in a couple weeks without meds? I have some lr that is being neglected by my all snail clean up crew.. taking the majority advice here, i was avoiding hermits. could they be the answer?

Holmie_D_Klown · 06/06/2006, 10:05 AM

Not for hair algae. Big mexican turbos work best. And make sure you are using RO or RO/DI water

RichConley · 06/06/2006, 10:10 AM

My hermits definitely do eat hair algae (the blue legs)

rustybucket145 · 06/06/2006, 10:32 AM

Small Blue Leggs. About .75 per gallon.

reverendmaynard · 06/06/2006, 12:10 PM

I can attest to the fact that algae problems can and do go away on their own. My tank is 5 months old now, and is almost completely free of nuisance algae now. Beginining about 2 months ago, the algae just started dying, presumably from lack of nutrients.

I use DI water, have a fuge with macro, RDSB, DIY CC airstone skimmer, snails (cerith, nassarius, nerite, trochus, strombus), zebra hermits, a foxface, and a yellow tang. All of this stuff was added here and there along the way so I can't really point to one thing that has made the difference, but I feel strongly that the algae was generally not eaten (or at least not in quantities large enough to clean and keep clean the entire tank) but rather that it just started dying and/or failing to grow back after being eaten. Nutrient control is the name of the game, IMO.

06/06/2006, 09:55 AM	#1
EB847 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 146	new tank problem... my tank is 2 mo old... i have slime/hair algae that is slowly getting worse. i've been told this is typical in a new tank and will run its course in a couple weeks without meds? I have some lr that is being neglected by my all snail clean up crew.. taking the majority advice here, i was avoiding hermits. could they be the answer?

06/06/2006, 10:10 AM	#3
RichConley Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bostonian in Chicago going to DC Posts: 9,908	My hermits definitely do eat hair algae (the blue legs) __________________ NO TANKS!!!

06/06/2006, 10:32 AM	#4
rustybucket145 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: valdosta, ga Posts: 3,707	Small Blue Leggs. About .75 per gallon. __________________ 400gals of various tanks in the same system. Current Tank Info: 2 175w MH, 2 VH0 Actinics, Lots of Live Rock, tons of copepods, a Fat Mandarin Goby, Niger Trigger, Yellow Tang, Falco Hawkfish, Bi-Color Pseudo, numerous soft, SPS and LPS Corals

06/06/2006, 12:10 PM	#5
reverendmaynard Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: RI Posts: 1,490	I can attest to the fact that algae problems can and do go away on their own. My tank is 5 months old now, and is almost completely free of nuisance algae now. Beginining about 2 months ago, the algae just started dying, presumably from lack of nutrients. I use DI water, have a fuge with macro, RDSB, DIY CC airstone skimmer, snails (cerith, nassarius, nerite, trochus, strombus), zebra hermits, a foxface, and a yellow tang. All of this stuff was added here and there along the way so I can't really point to one thing that has made the difference, but I feel strongly that the algae was generally not eaten (or at least not in quantities large enough to clean and keep clean the entire tank) but rather that it just started dying and/or failing to grow back after being eaten. Nutrient control is the name of the game, IMO. __________________ Think for yourself. Question authority. Current Tank Info: 125 gal AGA, setup on 1/1/06; 29 gal seahorse tank, setup 10/21/06

06/06/2006, 10:05 AM	#2
Holmie_D_Klown Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Land O' Lakes, FL Posts: 247	Not for hair algae. Big mexican turbos work best. And make sure you are using RO or RO/DI water