Algae Problem

[Marinesavy]

Need some info on algae control. Can anybody tell me which one is worst, the "green" or the "brown" algae ?

What is the best efficeint way to remove brown algae from the sand ?

[hammy]

green hairy algae and diatom .... to mi both are equally disatrous . but if there is a ranking to which is worse , i think the hairy one is worse .

get some turbo snails to remove the diatom on the sand.

[keithtanbb]

black sea cucumber can help clean the sand beds, short spikes sea urchin for the rocks, fox face fish to help peck on the growing algaes

[cityofangels]

Removing the current algae in your tank is not a long-term solution. You got to think about how to prevent the algae from even growing. Try incorporating phosphate in your tank and perhaps, shortening the light hours too.

[Marinesavy]

Thanks bro for all the comments. I think i will settle with shortening the light hours and get 2 or 3 turbo snails to remove the brown algae from the sand. Currently i am doing water change every weekend to reduce nitrate level and at the same time remove those brown algae from the sand and on the surface glass. I belive for a 24g nano tank... the best efficient way is to do water change.

Heard that turbo snail may tumble your corals, it that true ?

Currently i am stocking my corals. I have a mushroom, a star burst polyp and a frogspawn coral.

[hammy]

Thanks bro for all the comments. I think i will settle with shortening the light hours and get 2 or 3 turbo snails to remove the brown algae from the sand. Currently i am doing water change every weekend to reduce nitrate level and at the same time remove those brown algae from the sand and on the surface glass. I belive for a 24g nano tank... the best efficient way is to do water change.

Heard that turbo snail may tumble your corals, it that true ?

Currently i am stocking my corals. I have a mushroom, a star burst polyp and a frogspawn coral.

yup right , turbo snail do topple coral or live rock if they are not properly placed or they are place in unstable equilibrium. anyway turbo snails should be too much a trouble if ur corals are place firmly .

water change is one of the best solution to bring down nitrate in small tank but be careful of what u add in to ur water change . using tap water more often than not will increase ur nitrate reading since some residential area have nitrate reading of about 50ppm.

[elimmel]

marinesavy, weekly water change is very impt for nano tanks.

for your 24g NC, why don't you hook it up to a fuge?

you can also add some rowaphos and seachem purigen into chamber 1 too.

for the fuge, you can use a external canister filter to do it.

i'm using a hydor canister.

cut a rectangular opening at the back of the hood to allow the inlet/outlet of the canister to be inserted.

place some sand/LR (i use biohome) and macroalgae like chaeto into the canister.

get a small desk lamp to shine light onto the canister. hydor is great cos the canister housing is clear and it allows light from outside to penetrate into it.

if you don't want to cut the hood, you can convert one of the chambers (usually chamber 2) into a fuge.

same thing, sand/LR and macroalgae into the chamber. for the light, cut the black sticker at the back of the tank with a razor blade and peel off.

then place a light there to shine into the chamber.

see here

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=70138

[Marinesavy]

Melvin, thanks for your advice once again... i already hook my 24g to a CL280 chiller, the inlet and outlet to the chiller is located on the back of the hook, i don't think i can squeeze anything in... and my reason for getting the JBJ nano cube is to minimize equipments and cablings.... I have modified by adding a maxijet pump and CL280 chiller.

Hammy.. regard to tap water nitrate.. Currently i am using a filter for my tap, kind of device that you can switch to filtrate and non-filtrate water.... for water change... i am swithing to filtrate water. ... go through filter device before output... you think that help to reduce nitrate ?

[elimmel]

Melvin, thanks for your advice once again... i already hook my 24g to a CL280 chiller, the inlet and outlet to the chiller is located on the back of the hook, i don't think i can squeeze anything in... and my reason for getting the JBJ nano cube is to minimize equipments and cablings.... I have modified by adding a maxijet pump and CL280 chiller.

already hooked up tp chiller? even easier then!

hook the canister outlet to the chiller then back to the tank.

[hammy]

Melvin, thanks for your advice once again... i already hook my 24g to a CL280 chiller, the inlet and outlet to the chiller is located on the back of the hook, i don't think i can squeeze anything in... and my reason for getting the JBJ nano cube is to minimize equipments and cablings.... I have modified by adding a maxijet pump and CL280 chiller.

Hammy.. regard to tap water nitrate.. Currently i am using a filter for my tap, kind of device that you can switch to filtrate and non-filtrate water.... for water change... i am swithing to filtrate water. ... go through filter device before output... you think that help to reduce nitrate ?

sorry bro.. i am not too sure about that .

distilled water would be good enough IMO