How to get rid of Algae

fishaman · 05/23/2010, 03:14 PM

I've been dealing with hairline algae for at least 2 months now. I'm doing regular 20% water changes every 2 weeks (RODI water). I have 3 250 watt halides, which I'm only running for 3 hours per day. I'm also feeding 1x day and water params seem to be in line. Any ideas / recommedations? Are there any good products on the market that might help?

sobes94 · 05/24/2010, 02:42 PM

Could need new MH bulbs, check TDS levels on RO/DI unit. There are a lot of reasons. Please post all tank parameters.

Lyfey · 05/27/2010, 01:02 PM

I would run the tank for 3-5 days without the lights. Worked great for my dino problem.

RA · 05/27/2010, 04:04 PM

If you have a sand bed in your tank, you should siphon a portion of the sand out into a bucket. Then rinse it in new salt water several times and then put it back into your tank. This would get rid of any build up of detrious in your sand bed.

dkirchoff · 05/27/2010, 09:16 PM

a thing i like to do is get a sterile tooth brush and scrub the rocks and syphon the water out right next to the scrubbing tooth brush during water changes.
IMO...that seems to work along with phos/ carbon, ecotech Mp40ws (or proper alternating flow)

and my tank is smaller (120gl) and has more fish

7 chromis
4 tangs (purple, yellow, yellowbelly hippo, and sailfin)
2 flame angels
2 cardinals
2 clowns (and anenome)
2 firefish
2 ornate leopard wrasses
3 other wrasses (melanrus, cleaner, checkerboard)
2 gobies (watchman, engineer)
1 royal gramma
-(and a rediculous amounts of crabs, corals, snails, and shrimps)

if you do this with the toothbrush everytime during a water change i think it makes a hugh difference in the developement of the coraline algae since it seems to take so long to grow (just keep chipping away every week and suck it all out)

sobes94 · 05/29/2010, 11:48 AM

Still need more info to properly diagnose the cause of the algae.

Zedar · 05/30/2010, 08:16 PM

HA means PO4
Doesnt matter if you test for it or not, its there or you wouldnt have HA

Use GFO to lower the P04.

Phyl · 06/03/2010, 08:09 AM

Up your water changes to 30% every week, run phosban ASAP, increase your turbo/mexican snail population (I find that overloading with snails really kills the HA). Pull out as much as you can, especially when it starts dying off. If not it puts the PO4 back into the water, feeding the problem you're working to get rid of.

If you're feeding frozen they try rinsing the foods first. In any case try cutting back to feeding every other day.

Are you running actinics along with the halides? Old bulbs definitely help the algae grow more.

05/23/2010, 03:14 PM	#1
fishaman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: New Jersey Posts: 163	How to get rid of Algae I've been dealing with hairline algae for at least 2 months now. I'm doing regular 20% water changes every 2 weeks (RODI water). I have 3 250 watt halides, which I'm only running for 3 hours per day. I'm also feeding 1x day and water params seem to be in line. Any ideas / recommedations? Are there any good products on the market that might help? __________________ (1) Foxface (2) Skunk Clowns (4) Osc Clowns (Nemo) (1) lawnmower blenny (1) Orange Goby (1) bullet goby (1) yellow tang (1) hippo tang (1) firefish (2) purple firefish (1) blue damsel (1) fireshrimp (4) peppermint shrimp (2) emerald crabs (1) engineer goby A few (10) pieces of corals (all frags) A host of snails and blue leg crabs If I had it my way, I would spend half my day fishing and the other half watching my fish! Fishaman Current Tank Info: 180 Gallon Saltwater

05/27/2010, 09:16 PM	#5
dkirchoff Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: north Jersey Posts: 561	a thing i like to do is get a sterile tooth brush and scrub the rocks and syphon the water out right next to the scrubbing tooth brush during water changes. IMO...that seems to work along with phos/ carbon, ecotech Mp40ws (or proper alternating flow) and my tank is smaller (120gl) and has more fish 7 chromis 4 tangs (purple, yellow, yellowbelly hippo, and sailfin) 2 flame angels 2 cardinals 2 clowns (and anenome) 2 firefish 2 ornate leopard wrasses 3 other wrasses (melanrus, cleaner, checkerboard) 2 gobies (watchman, engineer) 1 royal gramma -(and a rediculous amounts of crabs, corals, snails, and shrimps) if you do this with the toothbrush everytime during a water change i think it makes a hugh difference in the developement of the coraline algae since it seems to take so long to grow (just keep chipping away every week and suck it all out) Last edited by dkirchoff; 05/27/2010 at 09:26 PM.

05/29/2010, 11:48 AM	#6
sobes94 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: New Jersey Posts: 94	Still need more info to properly diagnose the cause of the algae. __________________ "Scientific truth is too beautiful to be sacrificed for the sake of light entertainment or money. Astrology is an aesthetic affront. It cheapens astronomy, like using Beethoven for commercial jingles." -Richard Dawkins

06/03/2010, 08:09 AM	#8
Phyl Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: NJ Posts: 2,713	Up your water changes to 30% every week, run phosban ASAP, increase your turbo/mexican snail population (I find that overloading with snails really kills the HA). Pull out as much as you can, especially when it starts dying off. If not it puts the PO4 back into the water, feeding the problem you're working to get rid of. If you're feeding frozen they try rinsing the foods first. In any case try cutting back to feeding every other day. Are you running actinics along with the halides? Old bulbs definitely help the algae grow more. __________________ Phyllis Current Tank Info: 180 RR

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05/24/2010, 02:42 PM	#2
sobes94 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: New Jersey Posts: 94	Could need new MH bulbs, check TDS levels on RO/DI unit. There are a lot of reasons. Please post all tank parameters.

05/27/2010, 01:02 PM	#3
Lyfey Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 842	I would run the tank for 3-5 days without the lights. Worked great for my dino problem.

05/27/2010, 04:04 PM	#4
RA Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: S. Jersey Posts: 976	If you have a sand bed in your tank, you should siphon a portion of the sand out into a bucket. Then rinse it in new salt water several times and then put it back into your tank. This would get rid of any build up of detrious in your sand bed.

05/30/2010, 08:16 PM	#7
Zedar Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Phila,Pa Posts: 877	HA means PO4 Doesnt matter if you test for it or not, its there or you wouldnt have HA Use GFO to lower the P04.