How do you cope with algae?

[foxhound]

Hi all,

Kinda new to this forum. Recently ventured into SW after swimming in FW for awhile.

Got poisoned by my experienced uncle to start my own SW tank!

Quick question: How do you guys cope with algae? For now I am doing weekly-biweekly water change plus glass cleaning.

What other ways to reduce their growth rate? Any algae eating SW fishes / shrimps?

My livestocks for now are 1x blue tang, 1x yellow tang, 2x peculia clown, 2x black damsel and 2x cleaner shrimp in a 3ft tank.

Cheers!

[diki88]

I shall assume your tank's rather new thus brown algae or diatoms would be normal as the tank slowly settles in and it should be gone soon. U can get clean up crews like turbo snails for algaes on the rocks and nassarius snails for the sand bed to consume any uneaten food. Sometimes ur live rock may have beneficial hitchhikers like brittle starfishes also. Algae consumes phosphate to grow. U cut their supply of phosphate and their growth will be retarded. This can be done by using GFOs like rowaphos. On ur part,feed sparingly and continue the good work of weekly water changes. Have a good time in this addictive, money sucking hobby

[foxhound]

Yes its a relatively new tank, about a month.

Thanks! I will try to get those snails. Any recommendation on where to get there? I usually get my livestock from Iwarna but not sure whether they have snails for sale

[blondmyth]

try CF, they have a wide variety of snails.

feed lesser, control ur nitrates and phosphates, have algae clean-up crew, a magnet cleaner for the tank walls, i find these work for me

[foxhound]

try CF, they have a wide variety of snails.

feed lesser, control ur nitrates and phosphates, have algae clean-up crew, a magnet cleaner for the tank walls, i find these work for me

Cichlid Forever at Kovan? I did a quick google search and it seemed that they closed down..

Anyone can confirm?

[Evolutionz]

CF is coral farm.

[rekian]

If east side is nearer for you, ah beng should have some.

[idle69]

Algae benny, star fishes, sea urchin lah all eat algae..if not use algae turf scrubber, a "algae garden" 2 eat up all de nutrients b4 de algae can get them thus stopping algae growth. Right now my sump is full of fine grass algae n display tank is quite clean!

[smokediver]

Hi,i'm new to SW too.initially the algae was pretty bad till i got a uv steriliser,helps alot tou.not much glass cleaning require this days.

[troyjbon]

Mine is also abt 2mnths old tank brown algae is common even when i use rodi water

I normally scrap the algae with tooth brush during weekly water change. Scrap then change water.

[liquidnoise]

i also did have the problem. now i think its more controlled but not ideal. I use UVC plus shorten the number of hours for the lights. Snails to clear the brownish stuff sa well but i think i need more. just a pic to show if you have the same thing we are toking abt below:

Will construct algea scrubber next week to also help the situation

[foxhound]

i also did have the problem. now i think its more controlled but not ideal. I use UVC plus shorten the number of hours for the lights. Snails to clear the brownish stuff sa well but i think i need more. just a pic to show if you have the same thing we are toking abt below:

580236_10151537476862928_711487332_n.jpg

Will construct algea scrubber next week to also help the situation

Yyup this is the same situation.. But my tank stabilizing already I think.. Algae blooming rate is slowing.

Just a check - Ah Beng is which one? is it AquaEmpire (opposite C2)?

[Polypterus]

Opposite aqua empire.

[Patrick]

Opposite aqua empire.

Aqua empire is a Marine LFS?

[foxhound]

Aqua empire is a Marine LFS?

they have a small section of marine stuff. mostly FW thou.

But their showcase tank is worth the trip in!

[Patrick]

they have a small section of marine stuff. mostly FW thou. But their showcase tank is worth the trip in!

Thanks bro

[Melwood1978]

Algae benny, star fishes, sea urchin lah all eat algae..if not use algae turf scrubber, a "algae garden" 2 eat up all de nutrients b4 de algae can get them thus stopping algae growth. Right now my sump is full of fine grass algae n display tank is quite clean!

My sump full of grass algae, red bamboo, chaeto and using algone from madpetz, but my main tank bottom still have patches of green algae but my sand n LR dun have diatom or algae...

[Melwood1978]

My sump full of grass algae, red bamboo, chaeto and using algone from madpetz, but my main tank bottom still have patches of green algae but my sand n LR dun have diatom or algae...

Attached picture of tank bottom infested with green algae...

[OneStopReef]

Algae Scrubber is the a good natural way to deal with nuisance algae or phosphate. (For scrubbers built in the sump itself) Just be sure to construct one that is only able to grow algae on the scrubber itself, not on the sump tank glass and floor. Coz if that happens.... then weekly cleaning will be a chore when you scrub them off... they will float in your water and you will have another problem. Another way would be Rowaphos. Nice tank btw!

[Stanley Ng]

I am having the same problem on my nano. Does algone work?

[Melwood1978]

I am having the same problem on my nano. Does algone work?

Algone does not work instantly my nitrate even running chaeto was crazy like close to 100ppm unless I really misused the no3 test kit and take the reading wrongly. But after using 6 weeks, my no3 drop to 25 ppm can see that my display tank has lesser brown algae, no more red slime algae on my sand and diatom on my LR. But I still get green algae at the bottom of my tank and magnet cleaner is difficult and useless to scrub off.

[epicfish]

for nano tank, i used to religiously water change and control nitrate and phosphate using media. until i got a sump for it, using a rowaphos reactor helps alot in reducing the phosphate level to impede algae growth