removing algae?? Question

[shawnw]

how can i remove all of green hair algae growing on rocks.. and getting rid of the red growing substance that is growing in my substrate?
also with is the input on a uv steralizer?

 

[BennyB]

Hmm...not sure about the sterilizer, or the algae. But, if you don't have any crustaceans (shrimp, snails, crabs, crayfish) you could always try a chemical treatment. Chemical treatments are not always the most suggested thing, but it could work.
Hopefully somebody will come along and know more about the chemical treatments to tell you exactly what to do to avoid hurting anything, but other than chemicals, or taking out your rocks and substrate and scrubbing the algae off, not sure what else you could do.

 

[Naeusu]

hair algae is a nuisance...remove by hand or by getting some crabs or snails to eat it. the only way to keep it gone effectively is to watch your water parameters. as for the red slime (which i am assuming is the stuff on your substrate) you can buy some stuff at your LFS that you can dose your tank with. unfortunately that can cause your tank to need to be recycled but it will kill the stuff. Red slime is very easy to get out of hand. some snails and crabs will eat the red slime as well.

 

[carlos413]

Finding the root of the problem is best solution. Are you over feeding? How long are your lights on? Are you useing RO/DI water? Chemical are only temporary patches, the stuff comes back almost always.

 

[Aquarist]

Good morning,

I'm not a salt water tank keeper, but from past experience with my freshwater tanks and algae issues, I don't recommend any chemicals that destroys algae. Maybe salt is different but I wanted to add my : anyway

I can't fathom having fish and trying to keep them alive while at the same time adding a chemical to destroy something else. That just doesn't sound right. I consider these chemicals to be toxins and can risk the life of your fish.

As mentioned by another member, your good bacteria could very well be at risk too by adding such a chemical.

Best of luck! I hope you get the issues resolved soon.

Good point Carols!

I've moved your thread to the Saltwater Algae Problems section of the forum.

Ken

 

[shawnw]

thanks... i think that i have been leaving my light on to long... from about 8 in the morning till about 10 at night.. it's just a 50/50 bulb. i have been using water from walmart and i only feed once a day... i have snails.. coral banded and skunk cleaner shrimp....

 

[zeddy]

try a phosban reactor, lawnmower blennie, or nudibrach if phosphates and nitrates are high hair algae will flurish

 

[shawnw]

i just did a 30 percent water change.. i just dont want to try something that will harm my fish....

 

[harpua2002]

Are you using RO/DI water? If not, switching would probably be a good idea to help get rid of the stuff.

Also, I agree on not dumping chemicals into your tank. But, there are chemical medias such as Phosban, Algone, etc. that can help you to get the algae under control while you figure out the cause of the issue.

 

[shawnw]

i am using distilled water form walmart.. lfs recommended it...i want to start adding new fish but i just hate to buy something and loose it, i just recently lost a black and white clown and a yellow tang.. so im a lil cautious....

 

[ATP]

distilled is not R/O or RO/DI. That is your most likely its source. You will need to be patient when removing these. It took me 3/4 of a year to completely remove mine.

check lights and see whetehr they need replacements. Check if overfeeding

1st.-find and remove the source. In your case, its the water
2nd-Shorten things algae enjoy like lights. I unly turn mine on 8-10 hrs a day when I had GHA
3rd-Upgrade your filtration. For example I'm using a way oversized skimmer for my 125. It's supposedly rated up to 400g. and super skim. (When I had GHA, I adjusted my skimmer and it gets full everyday)
4th-10% weekly water changes
5th-Remove all the algae possible by hand as much as possible before waterchange (put algae in a cup. Don't toss it into your system)
6th-Buy CUC for small ones that cannot be seen or just impossible to reach. (emerald crabs and turbo snails)
7th-Continue these and you'll be on your way to a clean tank.

The reason it took me so long was because I did it one by one not knowing the next because people post one by one and I read one by one and not knowing what to do next. So now, I made this list and I always post this list to whoever have GHA

 

[shawnw]

so what should i use in place of distilled if i can get r/o water?

 

[harpua2002]

The easiest thing to do IMO is to buy an RO/DI unit. Then you can make your own water. It's so much easier to mix your own water than to go out and buy it.

 

[shawnw]

so some of the algae is leaving.. is it safe to pull out the rocks and finish removing it from the rocks and inside of tank?

 

[Stang Man]

so some of the algae is leaving.. is it safe to pull out the rocks and finish removing it from the rocks and inside of tank?

I strongly suggest the use of ro/di water you can use just R/O but will have little to none of phosphates it should have none! although will have silicates R/O only will not rid of silicates you must use a phosphate remover to do so. You only need 8 hours of lighting and a good skimmer venturi driven preferable! The best thing to use is a Sea Hare these nudibranchs only eat green stuff such as hair algea. The reson i say this is by pulling hair out of tank with your hands is that when you pull it you leave the roots of the plant the sea hare will eat it to the roots . You can find one or order one at LFS or you can order one as well the only down fall is if they have no greens they will die soon after from starvation so it's best to get one at LFS and make sure you can take it back most LFS will have a few just for this reason they pretty much just pass it around if you will.