Alage algae everywhere!!

Discussion in 'Algae' started by colcol79, Jul 27, 2010.

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  1. colcol79

    colcol79 Feather Duster

    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2008
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    Location:
    GLASGOW,SCOTLAND,U.K.
    Hi i made the mistake of leaving my bulbs in too long before replacing them, ( a lesson has been learned here)
    and as a result most of my corals have died and the tank is overrun with algae.
    i changed the light bulbs 2 weeks ago ( twin 55w t5's)
    and added more hermits to my cuc.

    The algae just seems to get worse by the day!!

    All my params are where they should be!

    Im running po4 media in a reactor and active carbon.

    If i didnt have caulerpa growing in my tank i would turn lights off for a few days to kill back the algae.

    Any advice guys??

    Im seriously considering giving up, my tank has gone from being full of beautiful coral,and looking like a stunning wee reef to a barren stack of live rock with hermit crabs and a pair of clownfish swimming around!!

    im so depressed :cry:

    i need a hug :cry:
     
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  3. ReefBruh

    ReefBruh Giant Squid

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2010
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    Location:
    Clearwater, FL
    Worse case scenario(IMO):

    1) Scrub all the rocks if possible

    2) Do a water change and suck algae off the sand lightly

    3) I know of someone who used Algaefix and the problem went away in a week and he had a bigger tank.

    NOTE: Thats what I would do. Any other input?
     
  4. ccscscpc

    ccscscpc Millepora

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    CT
    You could also kill all the lights for a couple of days while you clean all the rocks/glass.

    Increase flow in the tank too!!!
     
  5. colcol79

    colcol79 Feather Duster

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    Location:
    GLASGOW,SCOTLAND,U.K.
    I have done total light depravation before but I have caulerpa growing in main tank and cutting the lights will cause it to go sexual.
     
  6. Otty

    Otty Giant Squid

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    Never turning the lights off is what I recall making it go sexual. Problem may be with feeding too much also. You need to get the nutrient levels in the tank down.
     
  7. tgood

    tgood Sea Dragon

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    Location:
    Annville, PA
    I used algaefix and it works like a charm... safe on reef too

    my tank is 120 w/ 90 gal. sump
     
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  9. blackraven1425

    blackraven1425 Giant Squid

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    I heard the opposite about caulerpa going sexual. That's why, I thought, the recommendation with caulerpa was to leave the lights on for the fuge (when it's a fuge algae, of course) 24/7.
     
  10. Nightstick

    Nightstick Purple Spiny Lobster

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    Location:
    South Elgin,IL
    Buy a foxface, do weekly water changes, scrub algae with toothbrush. I just went through the same issue, not changing the bulbs is a huge mistake. Even if you cant afford the expensive ones go on ebay and get cheap ones. I cant tell you how important bulbs are! Oh yeah cut back on feeding, I only feed once a week and the foxface is 100x better than my hermits.... If you use the algaefix cut the does in half, you dont want to stress your tank...
     
  11. colcol79

    colcol79 Feather Duster

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    Location:
    GLASGOW,SCOTLAND,U.K.
    Won't a foxface be too big for my tank?
    It's a 130 litre nano tank.
     
  12. blackraven1425

    blackraven1425 Giant Squid

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    Yes, it would be. I would consider getting an elysia crispata slug, as they eat caulerpa, and letting it go to town to get rid of that stuff.

    also, if it's on the sandbed that you have the problem, stir up the sand.