Crazy Algae Growth
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IPisces
Well-known member
I think any light is going to contribute to algae growth as long as the other contributors are there also.
Dont think there is such a critter. Snails, an urchin, or a sea hare are the only ones I can think of at the moment. Possibly blue legged crabs and emerald crabs. I would check with some of the sponsors and see what they have in their clean up crews.
I am going to be looking for a sea hare in the very near future myself.
Dont think there is such a critter. Snails, an urchin, or a sea hare are the only ones I can think of at the moment. Possibly blue legged crabs and emerald crabs. I would check with some of the sponsors and see what they have in their clean up crews.
I am going to be looking for a sea hare in the very near future myself.
DTECH07
M.I.A
For Hair Algae a Lawnmower Blenny has worked for me plus a good CUC.
IPisces
Well-known member
Do lawnmower blennies really eat hair algae? How about other algaes?
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DTECH07
M.I.A
I had allowed for hair algae to grow pretty have in my 34gal to test this and within two weeks the Blenny had (at lease the one I bought) cleaned most of it out. That's on the sandbed, rocks, glass, and plumbing. He's in my main display now and I have green hair only on my return plumbing and he has found and removed all of it.
DTECH07
M.I.A
Oh I've dont know about other algae a but he also cleans my glass really well of the brown and green haze you get over a few days. He leaves lip marks all over then they intersect then its clean. It's pretty cool
IPisces
Well-known member
Thanks for sharing your experience with the lawnmower blenny. I just might have to get one. I suppose you can suppliment their diet with algae sheets.
sedrostyle
Well-known member
My sailfin blenny took the hair algae out of my 29 gallon, he did a awesome job. Then when I transferred him into the new tank he would leave little kisses all over the overflow and glass haha
Then after 2 months of having him I noticed one day he started picking Mysis shrimp out of the water when I feed. I was floored. I had no idea he'd eat Mysis. But he sure is happy! And keeps things very tidy
Then after 2 months of having him I noticed one day he started picking Mysis shrimp out of the water when I feed. I was floored. I had no idea he'd eat Mysis. But he sure is happy! And keeps things very tidy
It depends on the lawnmower blennie. I had one that avoided gha, and ate with the other fish. I read an article that said in the wild gha was only a small percentage of their diet. I had a blue tang single handedly destroy a stockpile of gha in my display tank. I had a starry blennie in there and he didn't make any impact on the problem.
tat2z_21
tat2z_21
Though a Benny and some other critter will eat the algae, removing what feeds it would be best. I know that this repeating and could possibly be easier said then done, but being the algae needs light, phosphates, and since you need the light, removing the phosphates or other nutrients from the water would be the best bet. Not sure what your set up is, but adding competitive, and contained algae to absorb and remove the nutrients would be the best.
blk822822
It's only money, RIGHT?
Best thing is a foxface and mexican hermits worked for me.
Airphotog
Love my Nikon
An increase in lighting could result in an increase in algae only if the requisite nutrients were there. Some potential sources: overfeeding, TDS, die-off, new tank, etc. Fix the root cause or this will continue to haunt you. Now, effective cleaners: nassarius and cerith for detritus, hair sea hare for hair algae (they're like lawn mowers and WILL need supplemental feedings after they've devoured it all), turbo snails also work in a pinch.
MAC2
Well-known member
Until you get the hair algae under control, you can use an electric car wheel detailing tool. You can use it under water and it comes with several tools that you can use in the crevices of the rocks. I ended up going to the tool after knocking down several corals when I attempted to scrub the rock by hand. The tool does all the movement (similar to an electric toothbrush), so you don't have to move your hand back and forth.
pandora32
Well-known member
If your looking for a fun fish to watch, my blenny was kinda boring and just sat on the rocks, look into a bissletooth tang, like a kole tang. Be careful with the seahare. If they die, they release alot of waste, also poop alot. Best bet is to get the nutrients filtered out. Dont be afraid to use the turkey baster on your rocks a couple times a week. This removes a food source for the algae.
xximanoobxx
Member
Phosphates could be the problem. I'd try to monitor the phosphates.
tat2z_21
tat2z_21
Just a thought but by using a tool to remove the algea are you not indeed breaking it up and spreading it. From what I have read it only takes a small piece to start growing, which in this case if you are not removing it as you go can cause an overwhelming outbreak. To where if you just remove the base of the growth, then the algea will disappear. My thought has always been "the solution to pollution is dillution"
MAC2
Well-known member
I have not heard of hair algae spreading/attaching after you break it up. It needs nutrients to grow. I had a major die-off when my chiller broke while I was on vacation. I have a 220 with the rock set up just the way I like it. I did not want to take it apart. I did not realize it would take me several months before the hair algae finally went away. I came to the conclusion the rocks were leeching phosphates into the water after the die off (dead bacteria and animals in the rocks). I got a phosban reactor, which helped take care of the problem. The macro algae's will spread like you suggested.
tat2z_21
tat2z_21
Exactly what I was trying to say, if you want to get rid of the algae take the root cause away. Scrubbing it off the rocks will just spread it and cause a bigger out break. Once you got the phosban reactor you were able to take out a part of the growth block, nutrients. Kind of like a fire. If you want to put a fire out you take one of the three requirements away and the fire goes out.
pandora32
Well-known member
When i moved and set my tank nack up, i had a bad gha outbreak. I have a 24" vertex media reactor that i was running pellets in. It still took almost 3 months for the gha to stop growing. I have a few good sized tangs. What i meant by blowing off the rocks was that one of the keys to filtering your water of nutrients is suspension so it can get to the filter system. You dont have to blow them off all agresivly or anything. Just enough to get the stuff floating. Hair algae holds alot of stuff inside of it. What you say bout it spreading makes since though, but ive never had it spread by using a turkey baster. As a matter of fact, i let it grow a bit in my sump. I scrape it off and feed it to my tangs in the display. It hasnt spread in the display doing this, but, the tangs love it!
