Nutrient export

[Burrower]

I'm in the phase of my tank now where the diatoms have passed and the green hair algae is taking over. I have read the numerous threads on algae control, and have thought quite a bit about what/how to help control this. I realize patience is key, but I like to fiddle around in the tank anyway, and if I can expedite the deprature of the green carpet all over my rock so much the better.

I have an AquaC Remora Pro skimmer and LR for my filtration, and I've installed a Phosphate reactor to help as well. My water paprameters are great....zero ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, and phosphate. I guess all of the nutrients like nitrate and phosphate are in the mass of algae. I know about the argument of reef cleaners to help eliminate algae. In a sense, they just relocate the position of the elements in the water column/system, but part of me also thinks that I'd rather look at snails than algae. Ultimately, I want to tackle the source and reduce my algae population by taking the nutrients out. Right now, given that my water rests at zero, in order to lower them I need to physically remove the algae, correct? Water changes wouldn't really help to starve out the alage for nutrients given that there aren't any detectable in the water, right? (Don't worry...water changes are still part of my SOP and I use RO/DI water). Physically removing the algae is a royal pain. Given the morphology of the algae, it's not feasible to just reach in and pull out in any appreciable amounts. This past week, during one of my water changes, I saved some of the water I siphoned out in a bucket, and took out some small, easy to reach pieces of LR and scrubbed them with a toothbrush. That's easy to do for some rocks (like small ones and others that have little "life" on them), but some of my large pieces can't be handled this way, and I honestly don't want to scrub them down because a toothbrush doesn't care if its algae or a small featherduster. I love all of the little organisms covering my rock, and I'd rather find a less destructive way to reduce the hair algae. Any recommendations or suggestion?

Thanks for any and all replies!

 

[Curtswearing]

Right now, given that my water rests at zero, in order to lower them I need to physically remove the algae, correct? Water changes wouldn't really help to starve out the alage for nutrients given that there aren't any detectable in the water, right? (Don't worry...water changes are still part of my SOP and I use RO/DI water).

Correct.

Physically removing the algae is a royal pain.

And it will always remain a pain.

Given the morphology of the algae, it's not feasible to just reach in and pull out in any appreciable amounts. This past week, during one of my water changes, I saved some of the water I siphoned out in a bucket, and took out some small, easy to reach pieces of LR and scrubbed them with a toothbrush. That's easy to do for some rocks (like small ones and others that have little "life" on them), but some of my large pieces can't be handled this way, and I honestly don't want to scrub them down because a toothbrush doesn't care if its algae or a small featherduster. I love all of the little organisms covering my rock, and I'd rather find a less destructive way to reduce the hair algae. Any recommendations or suggestion?

You're going to have to pick and choose here. It might be worth it to you to save your featherdusters and deal with algae a little longer. Or you might be like me and scrub the living daylights out of this rock and let whatever worms that are strong enough to survive....survive.

 

[Krish]

I agree with Curt or...Use the algae to your advantage and harvest some of it and toss it in your sump/fuge (if you have one) with more watts per gal down there on a longer photoperiod from the tank (meaning the conditions will be more suited for it to grow there not the tank) and allow it to do it's thing for you out of sight. I did basically the same thing, but used cyno at my advantage. It grew like mad there and not in the main display. Eventually when things balanced out, it stopped growing alltogether. Nikki (NaH20) did the same thing (harvested the algae that was growing) at her advantage. Nothing better than what will grow on its own

In any event, it will eventually subside...All a part of cycling. I wish you the best man because I know it can be a pain to look at

 

[Paul B]

It is part of a cycle and you are correct that animals just move nutrients around but don't eliminate anything. I use a shallow trough that is above my water and to the rear of the top of the tank. It is the length of the tank and on a slight angle. It is also partially under the lights. There is a plastic screen in the trough that is rolled up and cleaned when it fills with algae. The algae grows there and very little is in my reef where it used to be. This tank is very old and used to get cycles of hair algae every year. It still does but almost all of it grows in the trough which has better growing conditions.
Paul