Lawnmower Blenny needs more Algae

[xiong.s2460.mccd]

12 g Aquapod
9 lbs live rock
1 1/2 inch live sand(have never stirred the live sand before)
Gold Stripe maroon clownfish (juvenile)
Lawnmower Blenny
Turbo Snail
0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 20ppm nitrate, 82 F (API Saltwater Master test kit)
Stock lighting(set to turn on for 12 hrs to create enough algae for Lawnmower Blenny which seems like not enough algae is growing for this hungry blenny) and filtration
Seaclone 100 (which don't know if it is working properly :<)
Water changes (4 gallons) every week to keep nitrate levels down, which I don't know why my nitrate levels keep going up so high.

I purchased my Lawnmower Blenny on the 11th of March. Today, the Blenny has cleared up 95% of the diatoms. Now, there is not enough algae, it seems, for the Lawnmower Blenny. I leave the lights on for 12 hours with a light timer in hopes that Algae or Diatoms will grow fast enough to provide food for my Blenny. As a result, the algae/diatoms doesn't seem to grow fast enough for my blenny. I know there is other food that I can try but have read that some blennies will not take nothing but algae/diatoms. What else do I need to do to help bloom algae/diatoms?

 

[bettafish2816]

there's no such thing as a dumb question

I don't keep saltwater tanks but if it's possible to get your tank some more natural light that should give you lots of algae.

 

[sirdarksol]

Welcome to Fishlore!

You really need to give the right people time to get to your post. 8 hours isn't all that long, and, while 25 people had looked at your post, that doesn't mean that any of them actually had an answer to your question.

Now, on to your question:
Part of the issue may simply be the age of the aquarium. Young aquariums don't always produce a lot of algae. As time passes, the aquarium may start producing more algae.

For the short term, you can try feeding the blenny a small bit of a sheet of nori.

 

[xiong.s2460.mccd]

Mangrove Plants??

12 g Aquapod
9 lbs live rock
1 1/2 inch live sand(have never stirred the live sand before)
Gold Stripe maroon clownfish (juvenile)
Lawnmower Blenny
Turbo Snail
0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 20ppm nitrate, 82 F (API Saltwater Master test kit)
Stock lighting(set to turn on for 12 hrs to create enough algae for Lawnmower Blenny which seems like not enough algae is growing for this hungry blenny) and filtration
Seaclone 100 (which don't know if it is working properly :<)
Water changes (4 gallons) every week to keep nitrate levels down, which I don't know why my nitrate levels keep going up so high.

Question: I just received my 7 8-12" mangrove plants. However, I just ran accross a website saying that it should be 1 per 10 gallon. My tank is a 12 gallon, but I have 7 mangrove plants! I did the proper acclimation, however, I threw all 7 of them into my tank(with the leaves out of the water of course) because I didn't want them to die. Will I have a problem in the oncoming future with these plants, like it dying? Will nutrient deficiency be a problem? Anything else that I do not know of or mentioned?

Thank you sirdarksol. Sorry, but I am in the merge of "panic" mode because I don't want to see anything bad happen to my Lawnmower Blenny. Thanks again.

 

[offminded]

I am going to have to hop on board with sirdarksol...my buddy has had a lawnmower ever since his tank was up and running. he used norI on an algae clip until the tank was producing algae on its own...try not to panic

 

[sirdarksol]

I am going to have to hop on board with sirdarksol...my buddy has had a lawnmower ever since his tank was up and running. he used norI on an algae clip until the tank was producing algae on its own...try not to panic

Excellent. Confirmation that my idea can work. (I was surmising based on the fact that norI is just sea vegetable and is easy for most algae eaters to eat).

 

[agsansoo]

So what was your reason for buying mangrove plants ? Looks or nutrient export ?

 

[xiong.s2460.mccd]

nutrient export.

 

[Butterfly]

In the 2004 issue of aquarium fish magazine Julian sprung did an article called "Beautify Your tank With Mangroves". From what I understand they require brackish conditions and lots of room. They require their roots to be submerged and the leaves above water as you have stated. I believe they will need much more room very shortly
carol

 

[travie]

I would say give 6 of them away to a fish store or to people you know that have a Saltwater tank. Then just make sure the one has adequate lighting. And it is possible to trim back the leaves if I'm not mistaken.

 

[offminded]

those lawnmowers seriously attack algae...and they look like they have so much fun doing it. maybe its time I get one myself

 

[cerianthus]

How about cutting down water changes (nitrate and phosphate being nutrients for algae and silicate for diatom outer shells) if it helps with growth of algae along with increased duration of light. This may also promotes algae growth on the glass but keep wiping down until some takes hold on the rocks. I really don't know if what you had growing in the tank was Diatom as I have yet to see any algae blenny going after diatom. I don't know the name of algae off hand which have similar appearance as Diatom but they do feed on diatoms. Perhaps that was algae your Blenny mowed down. At least your blenny goes for algae as mine only looks for handouts (loves sinking pellets given for Hemits)when there are tons of numerous different varieties of algae growing on the rocks (intentionally trying to grow as many, as much algae as I can).
As soon as you noticed increase of algae, may want to increase water changes unless Bleeny does its job mowing down.
Hope this helped.

 

[slamddakota99]

hmmmm maybe I should get me a lawnmower blenny! one side of my aquarium has no algae! the otherside does......one side of my aquarium has my protein skimmer the other side has my skimmer for my canister filter and my hang on filter LOL! maybe I should put my hang out filter on the other side....I got tons of snails also they just seem to be eating it alil slow....

 

[xiong.s2460.mccd]

Thank you everyone. I just ordered some norI on ebay yesterday and hopefully it comes FAST lol because in the mean time I have nothing for him. I noticed his stomach shrinking also. In the mean time, I hope he does accept the nori. Thanks again!!

 

[sirdarksol]

Have you checked the local grocery stores? In my area, they carry norI in the Asian section of the store. If you've got an Asian market near you, chances are pretty good that they'll have nori. Co-ops and whole food markets often carry it, too.
Even if you get two packages, the stuff lasts forever, so it doesn't need to go to waste.

 

[xiong.s2460.mccd]

Thanks, but I didn't think of the Asian markets. However, to update the status of the Lawnmower Blenny, I received the NorI shortly after purchasing it on ebay, however, he did not take it for several days to the point where he was "starving" to death. It got way out of handle so I returned him to the LFS. Kind of sad that I had to return him because he had great personality and was "always" so busy munching on the rocks and glass. So, I purchased a firefish to replace him. As a note, now that Blenny is gone the diatoms has come back:< It is like a never ending battle with the diatoms. I even purchased 7 mangrove plants which also seems like they are dying :<

Please see my youtube video:

Thanks.

Is my mangrove plants dying? They look worst than when I first received it (march 19, 2009)

Purchased Iron supplement this past weekend, however, wasn't sure how much to put into my tank so I just did "one drop." Is that adequate enough?

 

[au01st]

Never dose anything you're not testing for. Why did you get iron? What reason do you have to think it's low?

As for the mangrove, research has shown that they aren't that great for nutrient export when compared to the numerous other macro algaes out there. A buddy of mine ran a dedicated 40 gallon mangro fuge for his 140 display. It was a 2x2 setup with a deep sand bed and about 36 mangrove plants with about 200gph flow. He said he noticed no significant drop in nitrates over a 6 month period, but when he took the mangroves out and put in chaeto, the nitrates dropped significantly within 2 weeks to near undetectable levels. He had the mangroves because they looked nice, but kept the chaeto because it works.

I honestly wouldn't even bother with mangroves.

 

[xiong.s2460.mccd]

"The general care for these plants includes; wiping excess salt from the leaves with fresh water a few times per week, and trimming the growth tip of the plant to control growth. These plants will benefit from the regular addition of an iron supplement, and trace elements. " ()

That is why I purchased an iron supplement assuming it will help the plants grow. I added the iron not because it was low.

I am confused now. Maybe I will go purchase some chaetos tomorrow. Thanks au01st, I didn't realize that I shouldn't be dosing anything that I'm not testing for.

By the way, the LFS said that if the chaetos die in my tank it will release all toxins, phosphates, nitrates back into my tank. Is that correct?

 

[au01st]

I've never heard of anyone killing chaeto and having it nuke their tank. They may be thinking of caulerpa which can go sexual, dye, then poison your tank.

 

[Matt]

ANy updated vids of the mangrove plants?

Thanks ALot,

Matt

 

[xiong.s2460.mccd]

Matt, yes, the video above is the updated vid of the mangrove plants taken jus 2 days ago. I will post again another video within a wk or so. As for the Chaeto, I will go back and ask LFS. Thanks.

 

[Matt]

Ok cool

Matt

 

[agsansoo]

I agree with au01st that mangrove plants are not that great for nutrient export. I also agree with your LFS, that if chaeto dies (from lack of light). It can release phosphates and nitrates back into the water. Not sure what toxins he is referring to.

 

[xiong.s2460.mccd]

Yes, I think they were referring to just phosphates and nitrates being released into the water if the chaeto dies. I will keep the mangrove plants in the mean time to see if it wakes up and grow.