Need lots of advice for my 10g reef

[sk716]

Hi all,
I've been putting together a 10g reef for the last three months and I have a few questions since most organizations don't supply info for the nano tanks. I'm starting to develop hair algae, and the thing is, most hair algae eaters are not suitable for the nano environment, Yellow Tangs, Lawnmower Blennies, Manderin Gobies. I have a Turbo Snail, but he doesn't eat any of the green algae which is probably why it's starting to take over. I have had some interesting growths on my LR and I'm afraid the algae is stealing all the light and preventing the new growth from sprouting. I've already got 8 lbs of LR in the tank, I add it in stages so I have time to discover which hitchikers I've picked up. Also living in the tank currently are 2 bristleworms, one starfish arm, 2 yellow-tailed blue damsels, and once I saw what I think was a ghost shrimp. So my questions are: What can I get for a nano to eat the algae? Should I go to the trouble of trying to make a skimmer for a 10g? And what would be appropriate to encourage the growth on my LR?
Thanks for any help, I'm pretty new at reefing and although I read as much as I can I tend to find most of my questioned go unanswered.

 

[brandon4291]

Hello sk716 and Welcome to reefs.org! I think you will find plenty of active and reliable advice on this particular site. Please check out this link to tons of algae-related info, and stick around here on our nano site for personal responses. http://www.reefs.org/library/

First of all, Id like to ask you a few things about your setup then we can begin to chip away at algae troubles.

1. How long was your setup set-up before fish were introduced?
2. Have you ever used skimmers, and if not what form of export/filtration are you using (cannister filters/floss/carbon etc)
3. Was this you total fish load for the life of the system, or have you ever had different fish before in this tank?
4. What do you supplement and what do you feed your fish?
5. What are your water change habits?

This will be a good place to get started on a Nano algae problem--
Welcome and Good Luck!

Brandon M. brandon429

 

[sk716]

1. How long was your setup set-up before fish were introduced?
2 weeks just the damsels were introduced, I added live rock 3 weeks later

2. Have you ever used skimmers, and if not what form of export/filtration are you using (cannister filters/floss/carbon etc)
No skimmers so far, Carbon filter system
3. Was this you total fish load for the life of the system, or have you ever had different fish before in this tank?
When I set up the tank I had 4 damels, two yellow tails, and two four stripes, the four stripes both died within 24 hours
4. What do you supplement and what do you feed your fish?
No supplements as yet, still trying to determine what I need. frozen brine shrimp occasionally, and a standard marine food
5. What are your water change habits?
bi-monthly 10-20%

 

[investigator1]

I suggest that you ditch the damsels because they will harrass each other and everything in the tank. Then get yourself an emerald crab. They love hair algae to death.

You should have only 1 SMALL fish for a 10 gallon tank.

 

[Anonymous]

You should have only 1 SMALL fish for a 10 gallon tank.

While it is advisable to understock (especially on a first tank), this is more a matter of opinion than an actual rule. I have one small goby in my 6 gallon but I plan on adding more. I've seen awesome nanos with 3 fish in 8 gallons of water....

 

[brandon4291]

I will agree that lack of export and fish overstocking is the likely cause of this particular bloom. Add to that PO3 maintenance through water changes (unless it can be ruled due to distilled or good RO setup) and this will also make for one nasty green forest! But, this can also be compensated for by doing larger water changes and definately putting a skimmer on the setup--Id almost always recommend a skimmer on a nano if it will house fish, especially more than one. Of course you could get around this with one heck of a bright/active refugium, but on this particular setup I think the fish load sounds okay (nitrogenously speaking, don't know about the interactions of the fish as far as personality) if you bump up the export of these primary nutrients through heavy skimming along with 50% water changes until things are under control. I would physically remove all possible strands of algae, then all the fish, and just re-establish the setup (just LR and water) for a few weeks with all the new equipment. Then the fish can be re-entered after the new cycling period where you find a particular nutrient balance for your 10g setup.

There are many other ways of getting it fixed, fish removal is just my own op, but I think most will agree to either lessen your fish bioload or start the heavy skimming! Post us pics as time goes by please, neat thread you have started here. We all need lots of input on controlling algae in nano reefs and Ill be glad to find out what it takes to get your system cleaned up.'
My LFS also keeps a nice 5g nano with a clown/anem pair, several corals and two gobies for the sand. There is also a red linkia, and after several weeks the system looks great (I see it almost every day as I shop for frags) but they are skimming it heavy--with a reefdevil designed for a 55g. They do not dose anything (not recommended for nanos with SPS/LPS) so it seems the regular water changes are keeping the heavy export in check.
B

 

[UnderGrad]

Without skimming... I'd recommend water changes bi-weekly (minimum) of no less than 25% in your situation. What are your plans for the tank? Are you going to keep it a FOWLR or do you plan on introducing some corals soon (if you haven't already)? Is the LR you've been adding fully cured from already running tanks?

-AM-

 

[sk716]

Are you going to keep it a FOWLR or do you plan on introducing some corals soon (if you haven't already)? Is the LR you've been adding fully cured from already running tanks?

Been considering corals, but honestly at this point I am still learning about the reef environment and don't want to rush with sensitive corals.
The live rock was fully cured by the LFS.
BTW, I have discovered that turning off the light for one hour everyday around mid-day really cuts back on algae growth.

 

[Sigmund1]

I have a 10 gallon reef tank and I have a Rainford Goby that eats some of the hair algae that I get. If you get a Rainford make sure you have a sand bottom as they like to sift feed as well, you will also have to supplement them with meaty foods as well (mine will only eat live foods, unfortunately). Rainford's are colorful and an intresting saltwater fish, 10G is a little small for them but horribly.

I've had much more problems with hair algae in my 10G reef than in my 75G reef because there is much less room for error. I also have been checking my LFS for Sea Hares.

Thought this might help. Good Luck....

 

[Joey French]

This brings up an interesting point...How long is your photoperiod? If you have a FO setup, you could cut back the lighting for a while, then bring it back gradually when algae is in check.
I cannot overemphasize the importance of macroalgae growth to compete for excess nutrients. Since harvesting caulerpa, I haven't had a single problem with algae in any of my systems. Beef up the cleanup crew, you say you only have one snail?
You might not want to add any more fish just yet, if at all, as two fish in a 10 is manageable, but you need some sort of nutrient removal, or pretty good water changes. Again, macroalgae harvesting or skimmer should do the trick, or both. Good Luck!
Joey