so do they make "algea" killer?

areze · 07/14/2007, 02:07 PM

heh hair algea kill that is. my algea is webbing around the tank; 12" and longer in some strands, bright green stringy algea. I got some turbo snails and a rabbit fish. I assumed they would make fast work of it. but the snails are ignoring the rock... they are staying away from it, I think because its too long.

and the darn rabbitfish is spazzing out in the corner. I dont know what his problem is, maybe he's just a sick fish, or maybe he just needs a few days to get acclimated before his appetite will come back.

but in the mean time, I need this algea mowed! and I dont know how to do that...

I cut the lights hoping itll slow it down again. but I can only cut the lights so often before my clam is gonna get peeved.

Andrew · 07/14/2007, 02:09 PM

I would try to find the cause of the hair algae and solve it that way. What's your water levels? Are you using tap water? What lighting do you have?

Peter Eichler · 07/14/2007, 02:10 PM

You need to get your water parameters and maintenance practices in order rather than hoping to find a quick fix. Why don't you tell us more about the tank and your parameters and we can help you get through this

areze · 07/14/2007, 02:22 PM

oh Ive been through the parameters. this was a "resetup". and I added a ton of baserock recently after 3 months. awesome but it does have alot of junk on it to be worked through. that had over a month to cycle; I got my various algea blooms and theyve all be dealt with in kind.

so Ive been rocking the phosphates like a madman. I have my macroalgea going, skimmer is pumping. got my temps steady and nitrates <10.

phosphates are to .1ppm; which is only encouraging if I convince myself they arent staying low because the algea is cosuming it all. but Im working on that... I mean, I dont feed the tank anything, so any phosphates in there are purely from dieoff on the baserock. but I cant help that other than let it run its course. right now I can only try and get the tank to a point that the cleaners can actually try to keep up with the algea.

Sk8r · 07/14/2007, 03:01 PM

Get a toothbrush, wind and yank: that will shorten it to the tender new stuff the inverts will/can eat.

You have a monstrous lot of phosphate if you have anything measurable after this much algae growth. I trust you're using ro/di, to prevent algae coming in from that source. I would suggest phosphate remover, like phosban, et al, as the algae eaters take after this stuff, because when it goes into poo, it becomes up-takeable, and that is your one chance to grab it before it fuels another round of another kind of algae. A refugium would probably help in this also, running cheato and a 20hr light.

areze · 07/14/2007, 03:06 PM

I have cheato running 24 hour light. phosban is on the list, but to put it simply Im a wee bit poor right now. I just spent 1000$ on some tunze streams. the new setup is bare bottom, and it needs more flow. I know a phosban reactor is maybe 50$, but I need to cut back for a few weeks

the rabbit fish and turbos were already not in the budget.

Peter Eichler · 07/14/2007, 03:17 PM

Chaeto usually does best with some periods or darkness, many have reported it browning out and dying with constant light. If you have measurable levels of phosphate and nitrate that's the biggest part of your problem and you need to fish that if you hope to get rid of the hair algae.

areze · 07/14/2007, 03:30 PM

alright, ill get into the aquacontroller3 and see about setting up a 23 hour period for the fuge light.

Peter Eichler · 07/14/2007, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by areze
alright, ill get into the aquacontroller3 and see about setting up a 23 hour period for the fuge light.

I'd suggest at a very minimum 4 hours of darkness...

areze · 07/14/2007, 03:40 PM

I can do that too, let me change that

07/14/2007, 02:07 PM	#1
areze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,048	so do they make "algea" killer? heh hair algea kill that is. my algea is webbing around the tank; 12" and longer in some strands, bright green stringy algea. I got some turbo snails and a rabbit fish. I assumed they would make fast work of it. but the snails are ignoring the rock... they are staying away from it, I think because its too long. and the darn rabbitfish is spazzing out in the corner. I dont know what his problem is, maybe he's just a sick fish, or maybe he just needs a few days to get acclimated before his appetite will come back. but in the mean time, I need this algea mowed! and I dont know how to do that... I cut the lights hoping itll slow it down again. but I can only cut the lights so often before my clam is gonna get peeved. __________________ current tanks:240g of wallet draining capacity.

07/14/2007, 02:10 PM	#3
Peter Eichler Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Milwaukee Posts: 6,081	You need to get your water parameters and maintenance practices in order rather than hoping to find a quick fix. Why don't you tell us more about the tank and your parameters and we can help you get through this __________________ April 2015 TOTM

07/14/2007, 02:22 PM	#4
areze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,048	oh Ive been through the parameters. this was a "resetup". and I added a ton of baserock recently after 3 months. awesome but it does have alot of junk on it to be worked through. that had over a month to cycle; I got my various algea blooms and theyve all be dealt with in kind. so Ive been rocking the phosphates like a madman. I have my macroalgea going, skimmer is pumping. got my temps steady and nitrates <10. phosphates are to .1ppm; which is only encouraging if I convince myself they arent staying low because the algea is cosuming it all. but Im working on that... I mean, I dont feed the tank anything, so any phosphates in there are purely from dieoff on the baserock. but I cant help that other than let it run its course. right now I can only try and get the tank to a point that the cleaners can actually try to keep up with the algea. __________________ current tanks:240g of wallet draining capacity.

07/14/2007, 03:01 PM	#5
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Get a toothbrush, wind and yank: that will shorten it to the tender new stuff the inverts will/can eat. You have a monstrous lot of phosphate if you have anything measurable after this much algae growth. I trust you're using ro/di, to prevent algae coming in from that source. I would suggest phosphate remover, like phosban, et al, as the algae eaters take after this stuff, because when it goes into poo, it becomes up-takeable, and that is your one chance to grab it before it fuels another round of another kind of algae. A refugium would probably help in this also, running cheato and a 20hr light. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

07/14/2007, 03:06 PM	#6
areze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,048	I have cheato running 24 hour light. phosban is on the list, but to put it simply Im a wee bit poor right now. I just spent 1000$ on some tunze streams. the new setup is bare bottom, and it needs more flow. I know a phosban reactor is maybe 50$, but I need to cut back for a few weeks the rabbit fish and turbos were already not in the budget. __________________ current tanks:240g of wallet draining capacity.

07/14/2007, 02:09 PM	#2
Andrew Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 13,640	I would try to find the cause of the hair algae and solve it that way. What's your water levels? Are you using tap water? What lighting do you have?

07/14/2007, 03:17 PM	#7
Peter Eichler Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Milwaukee Posts: 6,081	Chaeto usually does best with some periods or darkness, many have reported it browning out and dying with constant light. If you have measurable levels of phosphate and nitrate that's the biggest part of your problem and you need to fish that if you hope to get rid of the hair algae. __________________ April 2015 TOTM

07/14/2007, 03:30 PM	#8
areze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,048	alright, ill get into the aquacontroller3 and see about setting up a 23 hour period for the fuge light. __________________ current tanks:240g of wallet draining capacity.

07/14/2007, 03:40 PM	#10
areze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,048	I can do that too, let me change that __________________ current tanks:240g of wallet draining capacity.