getting green gone

[darklight2ooo]

GGG! well here is a picture of my tank and im not all that happy with all the green that is there. I have been doing my water changes and I just recently bought an emerald crab to try to combat the growth. what else can i do?

stats
12 gallon tank
96watts of 10k
protein skimmer
power head
temperature is at 78
10 pounds of live rock
1 clown
1 cardnal
5 blue toed hermits
1 emerald crab.
2 small snales

Tank is about 4-5 months old.

 

[mcvicker]

Make sure you are using good quality RO/DI water and the filters are not too old. How much, what, and how are you feeding? You can place Cheatomorph in the sump as competition. The key is limiting what you are adding and improving your waste removal (cheato, skimmer, water changes, etc.).
-chris

 

[NC2WA]

Darklight,

What are your Nitrate and Phosphate levels??
How old are you lights?

More times than not, hair algae is caused phosphate levels being too high. Typical culprit of phosphate levels being high, is poor water quality. I would do a series of small water changes over the next couple of weeks.

Unforuntatlely there is not a quick fix for this, it will take time to get the algae under control.

Kirk

 

[mmkeeper]

Cut back on feeding. Increase water flow. Check nitrates. Take out each rock and scrub it off. cut back on lighting.

 

[darklight2ooo]

ok we will see how things go.

 

[darklight2ooo]

well moving all my rocks around didnt make my animals and fish happy but i eliminated about 90% of the green. ill be doing some small water changes and we will see how things go.

 

[roblou]

darklight: you didn't mention if you're using rodi water or not. If you're not, then your water source may very well be contributing to your P level, especially if you're using tap. If your water has high TDS, then doing small water changes will likely just add more phosphates.

Another thing you can do to help lower P is to use phosban, but it's better to eliminate it before it gets into your tank rather than trying to get it out.

Good luck,
rob

 

[Bainic]

Let the algae grow, then just buy a fish that is an herbivoure (sp?), you'll have an enless supply of food for it and it'll be fat and happy!!

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

A couple folks have asked about nitrates. Have you tested? Levels?

Just my opinion, but a cardinal and clown in a 12 gallon is just too much fish. Without water changes at least a couple times a week, I think you're going to have algae issues no matter what.