Algae choking AGA reef ready overflow

[300ZXNA]

My recently acquired 75 gallon came with one of those slick overflows that AGA/Aqueon has been making for a while now. As with most fresh setups, there were some algae problems, but it appeared as though that had died down. Until I looked in the overflow. It is a veritable swamp of bryopsis. I tried hand removing a lot of it as it appeared to be actually kind of choking the standpipe. Has anyone ever fashioned some kind of lid to block the light? However, I don't want to just put a flat cover over it lest some unfortunate fish leap up there and be stranded. So it would need to be some kind of "alpine roof" type thing.

My previous setup did not have algae troubles and I think that this one will also die down with some more time, but in the meantime, crikey . . . any suggestions appreciated!

 

[mfinn]

I made a flat acrylic cover for my overflows and I haven't had that problem with fish getting stuck up there. If a fish were to jump in that direction they would most likely bounce right out the back of the canopy.

 

[ajnweb]

High flow with lots of nutrients passing by, I think some algae loves the high flow. I never had an algae problem blocking the standpipe, I am guessing it will die down with time. I did have to clean the overflow slots every couple of months though....

 

[TWallace]

I have a similar situation going on in my 120. Both overflows are bryopsis/bubble algae farms. Neither algae grows in my display. I remove it from the overflows every couple of months. I see it as beneficial. The algae removes nutrients from the system and is easy to remove from the overflow.

 

[300ZXNA]

yeah, I should just probably view it as a mini refugium/algae scrubber. What worries me is that my starry blenny has been spending a lot of time trying to get the bryopsis on the other side through the slats, I fear he might just jump back there and never come out, lol, he'd be in paradise . . .

 

[ajnweb]

Getting fish out of there is never easy!

 

[300ZXNA]

Getting fish out of there is never easy!

yeah, and from what people tell me, its going to happen inevitably. I've actually got an idea though, I'm going to see if I can extend a "fish guard" up from the top of the overflow to hopefully mitigate that possibility.

 

[SaltyDog2]

I had a problem like that in my fuge and I placed a small piece of styrofoam over it to block the light and it solved the problem...my lights aren't hot enough to melt the styro even if it floated away. one always wants to think about the flame problem-ya know.

 

[estanoche]

I had the same problem in the overflow on my 90 - cept with hair algae. I would manually pull out the algae every month or so, but the real problem was that as the algae grew in my overflow it slowed my return, and the water level in my display would move up - eventually leaving a nice little waterfall onto my floor in spots (yay, ruined floor again!)

Eventhough its a nice algae scrubber I'd try to find a way to eradicate it.... no light, hand removal, physically scrubbing and cleaning all the parts you can reach, etc.... Otherwise you could spell trouble.