my 20 is running wild

[Jlux23]

My tank is getting a little out of control with algae and certain types of cyano. When it started growing i put in ten blue leg crabs and two snails. I thought that would help control it but hasn't seemed to be making much of a difference. Tank looks pretty nasty. What can I do now ?

 

[TJL]

Large water change and bump up the water flow will help out significantly. Proper light will also help reduce it.

Todd

 

[Jlux23]

I thought they fed on all the phosphates in the.tap water so I picked up some phosphate remover to try to starve it out

 

[TJL]

Yes, there could be some nitrates & phosphates from tap water but, majority is from fish waste frozen food and especially most brands of flake food. Macro algae in a fuge helps alot with export but if you don't have one plants like Halimeda will also work on naturally removing nitrates & phosphates. I could give you some starts if interested.

Todd

 

[Jlux23]

That would be awesome when could we meet up

 

[Dalbery]

I would stop using tap water immediately. You will always be fighting green hair algae using tap water. Phosphate remover is a bandaid. Start using ro/di water and your problem will go away.

 

[mcdonaldjosh7]

I would stop using tap water immediately. You will always be fighting green hair algae using tap water. Phosphate remover is a bandaid. Start using ro/di water and your problem will go away.

+1 for ro/di water. And I dont know how old your tank is, but this could just be the algae bloom stage.

 

[Jlux23]

Well the tanks is just a few months old but I wasn't expecting much of a cycle being that almost all of my rock came out of a two year old tank. How would I switch to ro water just start using it in the water changes? Or just do it all at once?

 

[Dalbery]

Just start using ro for water changes and top off. Your phosphate remover should be able to deal with the tap water you currently have in your tank. Even seasones live rock will go through another cycle in a new tank. What do you have on your tank for filtration? do you have a skimmer? If not I'd be looking into a little skimmer as well.

 

[returnofsid]

I'd definitely consider getting an RO/DI set up. Until you do, you'll be battling nitrates and phosphates, and who knows what other impurities that could be in your tap water.

Also, what livestock do you have in your tank?
What is your maintenance routine?
Do you have a skimmer?

 

[Jlux23]

As for livestock there is only one false percula clown, ten blue legged hermit crabs and two snails. I have not put any plants in the tank at all.