Need Help with Hairy Green Algea

[kurt]

I have a small 26 gallon tank to put my new fish in, my live rock is really growing green hairy algea. I bought 4 blue legged hermit crabs and one green crab about 2.5" in diameter. They are doing ok but it seems they are struggling to get rid of a lot of it. What else can I do to help speed up process of getting rid of a lot of it?


thanks,
Kurt

 

[Krish]

Welcome to RF! 4 hermits won't do the job...Only so much their stomachs can hold How old is the tank and what are your waters parameters (nitrates, ammonia, nitrite etc) ? Something is fueling the algae to grow and if the tank is still young, then chances are it is still in the cycling process. Are you using ro/di water as well and what do you have for filtration and what is your water change routine like? Just a few thoughts and questions to get the ball rolling. It is always better to get to the root of the problem first than to try and solve them with chemicals and critters. We'll figure it out

 

[kurt]

Thanks Krish75, the tank is a little over 5 moths old. The levels are pretty much normal with weekly water changes. The water does have that smelly live rock odor like when you first bring it home lol. I'm using tap water to refill the tank after water changes.

The green crab has done better getting rid of it then the hermit crabs that is for sure. I was thinking of getting another one to help out more.

 

[Fishead77]

I have a small 26 gallon tank to put my new fish in, my live rock is really growing green hairy algea. I bought 4 blue legged hermit crabs and one green crab about 2.5" in diameter. They are doing ok but it seems they are struggling to get rid of a lot of it. What else can I do to help speed up process of getting rid of a lot of it?


thanks,
Kurt

What type of filters do you have? If you're using tap water your phosphates are probably high, feeding the algae.

 

[NaH2O]

Welcome to Reef Frontiers!!!

I agree. Tap water isn't always the best thing, depending on your location in the country. Not only can it be high in phosphates, but nitrates, too. Algae cycles are normal in a new tank, but keeping your nutrient inputs at a minimum will help to combat the problem. You can check your water change water for nitrates and phosphates and see if you are fueling the problem with each water change. Are you skimming?

 

[MikeS]

Listen to Nikki...she's an algae expert, she has lots of experience with it....:lol: (sorry, but I still owe you a few Nikki...:lol: )

All kidding aside...the above advice is good. Also, lots of microalgae are proximity based...meaning they will exploit areas of favorible conditions. Likely your new live rock itself is releasing lots of nutrients, and that's part of why you'll see growth of algae on it. Time will help solve this, but in the meantime, you can combat it with water changes using nitrate and phosphate free water like RO/DI or distilled in a pinch...limit feeding...skimming, activated carbon, phosphate removers, ect....and when cleaning the tank, manually remove as much algae as you can, that way you are exporting the nutrients bound up in the algae out of your tank...

MikeS

 

[kurt]

thanks everyone, only filter I'm running is a hang on the back filter, I'm planning on getting a protein skimmer in a few weeks. I'll check my tap water, probably is high since we get our water from Lake Erie.

 

[NaH2O]

kurt - let us know how things go! If you get a chance, post up your test results!

MikeS -

 

[Krish]

Yeah...You'll need a skimmer on there and if not, you'll have to keep up with a lot of water changes using ro/di water only (if that tap water sucks) and possibly set up a refugium to keep some form of macro algae that will out compete the hair algae in your tank, but the skimmer is the best bet or even both Tap water sucks usually. I used tap water on my first ever saltwater setup and it made me leave the hobby for a few months because I was so frustrated with the algae problems I was having...You flush out that old tank water with ro/di water and start skimming and conitions will get better and algae should subside. Also, if you don't have much flow in the tank, I'd try adding some in there. What are you using for flow now? If detritus is allowed to settle on the rocks, then it will fuel algae as well

 

[MikeS]

MikeS -

I'm disappointed...I expected a better lashback....:lol:

MikeS

 

[NaH2O]

You expected a better lashback or backlash? Let's get it right there turbo! I'm out of practice, Mike! Haven't had the opportunity to razz you lately.

 

[Krish]

You guys are always going off topic on the general forum! I don't understand where you guys get it from??? :lol:

 

[kurt]

right now I have one powerhead, the rock near the powerhead does not have much algea but the other side of the tank the live rock is full of algea. That must be a dead spot

 

[NaH2O]

Definately could be. The powerhead may also be pushing detritus over to the other side where there is no flow making the problem worse. A powerhead on the opposite side would be a benefit.

 

[Krish]

I'm a bit extreme, but I have a 38gal "cube" (just 12 gals more than you) and I have about 4,000 gph of flow in there to keep detritus in suspension and keep my corals happy. I basically turn over my tank's volume about 104 times per hour (minus whatever headloss I have). I kept changing up things until I got it right and I think I finally got it, but I'm just adding 2 more "Y" adaptors on my closed loop at the bottom and that should do the trick. Flow is good...

 

[ronj]

some better flow along with RO/DI water will help the algae problem!! also, what kind of lighting are you using???using the wrong spectrum and using old bulbs can affect the algae growth!!