Green algae-New To The Hobby-3reef Forums

Polly Plankton · 03-12-2008, 05:41 PM

My tank just finished cycling (5 weeks old), diatoms seemed to be going away and green algae was going away. I have 4 dwarf blue leg hermit crabs, and 2 green chromies. All of a sudden the green algae seems to be taking over - no more needing mowed..it's just flying in the current. I bought a zebra turbo snail and 4 other snails last night and added them to the tank. The turbo snail is just hanging out on a rock and the smaller snails seem to be grazing a little, but not much. The guy that sold me the snails told me they'd probably have my tank cleaned up in a day or two...but I don't think they're hungry. Should I be doing something else to get rid of the green algae? Also...The turbo is just sitting on a rock - should I move him down to the bottom rocks and sand where the green algae is (and how do you move them when they're on a rock)?

I had cut back on lights when the algae seemed to be going away on its own, but now it's flourishing again.

Any help would be appreciated !!

ReefSparky · 03-12-2008, 06:02 PM

If you're finished cycling, and you're sure of this--no ammonia, no nitrites, and nitrates are beginning to accumulate, then it's time for a water change. Are you using RO/DI water? If not, consider getting an RO/DI unit. Are your lights in need of changing? There are many contributing factors to algae, but most are attributable to nutrients in the water on which nuisance alga thrive.

The trick is to not provide the algae with sustenance. Get rid of nitrates for starters with a water change. If phosphates are present (if you're using tap water, they probably are), consider a Phophate Reactor which can be had for less than $50.

If you don't have a refugium, maybe start one up with a ball of chaetomorpha, and a daylight type lamp, burning when the day's over and the tank lights are out. This chaeto will compete with tank algae for nutrients, and if you play your cards right; the tank nuisance algae will lose the battle.

You have a long road ahead of you, but if you ask questions and take the advice of the many experienced folks on this site, you can't lose!

Good luck, Polly!

One last thing, why not draw up a signature with all pertinent tank specs, so those who respond to your questions will have some information and not have to ask so many questions of you.

Polly Plankton · 03-12-2008, 07:08 PM

I thought I did have that information in there....I'll have to figure out how to do it. I am using RO water. My tank's a 45 gallon tall. I have an Odyssea 36" black dual compact flourescent fixture - 192 watts, and also actinic and moonlights. I think I have plenty of movement - a maxijet 1200 and also a fluval 305 canister. I cycled the tank with about 60#'s of live rock and 20#'s of livesand - also added the green chromies.

Do you think I should be cutting way back on the lights, or is there a combination that I should be using them in? I started just turning the actinic on for about an hour in the a.m. and an hour at night, and also cut the daylights back to about 10 hours a day 3 days ago. Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates are all 0.

ReefSparky · 03-13-2008, 01:05 PM

I don't think that lights play as big a role as some might have you think. I have a lot of ambient, albeit non-direct sunlight hitting my tank for all the daylight hours each day. I don't have an algae problem. I attribute this to my habit of not feeding them! Algae need nutrients; they can't survive on photosynthesis alone.

Second point, if your nitrates are 0, your tank is not finished cycling. Don't change the water until your tank is through cycling.