Hair algae

[findingnemo]

Hi I did a search on this web site for hair algae, I found that some members scrub their live rock to get the hair algae out , my question is if I take the live rock out of the tank to scrub it , is the rock goin to die , is it goin to damage my cycle? The hair algae is on two rocks and on the sand.

I have a 48 bow , 2 clownfish, 1 bubble tip anemone, 1 cleaner shrimp ,1 flame clam, 70 lbs live rock, 60 lbs live sand, about 20 turbo snails, 20 hermits, 1 arrow crab. The tank has been set up for 2 months, I have a fluval 305, one power head, I add the 2 part calcium and alkalinity. My levels have been 9.0 ph, 0 no3, 0 no2, 300 alk, 300 th, 0 amonia. I had an amonia spike already and some brown algae that goes away and comes back I also have some q tip sponges and also my ph got a little low last week but it went up again. My live rock has pink and green on them I dont know when it will be cycle completely I ve been told it can take a couple of months. In the future I will like to add another anemone, a mandarin, and a midas blenny.

 

[Deanos]

my question is if I take the live rock out of the tank to scrub it , is the rock goin to die , is it goin to damage my cycle?

Scrubbing the rocks free of hair algae for 1-2 minutes should not cause another cycle. Just be sure to scrub the rocks in a separate container containing saltwater with temperature and salinity parameters similar to your tank's.

 

[SlamaJama]

u can get urself a emerald crab, they luv hair algea

 

[drunktank]

what is ur current lighting cycle?

you can try to cut back on ur lighting, or leave it off completely for a day or two and you should see some reduction in the algae

 

[mgchan]

Like what Deanos said, but use the water that you are going to toss when changing your water.

Per Slamajama, get the emerald. That'll help with keeping it in check after you scrub your rocks.

 

[andylee]

Anemones, flames scallops, mandarins are basically doomed in your system. Please rethink your plans or wait until you have the proper setup. The algae is just a sign that things aren't the way they should be and to have or plan to keep these animals is not terribly responsible.

 

[ezee]

Findingnemo,

Anemones, flames scallops, mandarins are basically doomed in your system. Please rethink your plans or wait until you have the proper setup. The algae is just a sign that things aren't the way they should be and to have or plan to keep these animals is not terribly responsible.

The key word being "yet". You can get your system to the point where you can support anenomes and mandarins, so don't be discouraged. Just keep in mind if you want to give your animals a decent chance at living certain things need to be in place before you add the animals. And for the record, I think the number of questions you ask and the attention that you are paying to the answers reflect that you are being very responsible with your tank.

Tank sounds like its doing great. I actually think hair algae is not such a terrible thing. Especially because your tank is new and is subject to swings. As others have said you can pull the rock and scrub without a problem, you might also want to look at some other things to control the algae. You might not have enough flow (another powerhead would probably do the trick) and check how much you are feeding.

E

 

[findingnemo]

Ok thanks. The hair algae is not really that bad I just dont want it to get worst, so I will scrub it. I forgot to write that I add phytoplankton for the flame scallop and coralife Interbrate Smorgasbord for anemone.
About the power head should I get another one for the top of the tank ?

 

[ezee]

findingnemo,

Describe your current flow. State what sources (powerhead w/ model, return w/ pump model, closed loop, etc) and where are they positioned/pointing (at the top pointing down across the tank, etc.). It would be good to have a better idea of that first.

E

 

[findingnemo]

Well the power head its on the left top corner, right now I have it in high
flow, when its on low it rotates but when its on high it stops rotating. The power brand is ZOO MED Powersweep Automatic self rotating power head wve maker for up to 75 gallons.

 

[ezee]

Findingnemo,

You need to pick up the overall flow and the number of sources of flow. I would suggest something simple to start. Either go to a petshop or online (marinedepot is good) and purchase 2 Maxijet 1200's.

Also, do a search about how much flow you should have. It is dependant on what you want to keep, the size of your tank, and other variables. It usually goes by multiples.

For example with the maxijets (each 295 gallons per hour) you will have 600 gph + your zoo med, so you should have about 15x your tank volume every hour (acceptable but relatively low for most folks).

When you do the search you should pick up a lot of info. Flow, lighting and filtration are three of the more important parts of the reef tank equation.

E

 

[ezee]

findingnemo,

I am not quite sure how I missed that you already had an anenome. lol

Your tank is a little young for an anenome but it may make it. How is the anenome doing? What kind of lights do you have?

E

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

Instead of asking you how the anemone is doing(alone), I will ask how are the two clowns and the anemone doing collectively. For example, do they live together and did you see the clown bring food back to the anemone...does one of them go under the anemone while the other always stay on top of the anemone or both using the same level? Don't over see the little details-they all contribute to explain the whole picture.

 

[findingnemo]

They are great together I got them all the same day they do bring the anemone food and they both share it the same way. I am waiting until my tank is more mature to get another one so they each have one.The anemone has gotten even prettier than when I got her she eats krill she loves it. She has been in the same spot ever since I brought her home the first day she was given to me by my fathers friend he bought her for a clownfish who believe it or not didnt like her he preffered a condi anemone ,so he told me to take her to my tank the same day I bought the clownfish . I knew that it was a little early to put her in there but he assured me she was going to be fine and she is, she is very pretty, but for the next one I get i will definetly wait at least 2 to 3 months more.

This is my lighting
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36"
1x96 watt
1x96 watt
3
Yes
1
36.75" x 8.25" x 4.5"
192
1.56
E
11 lbs​

http://fins.actwin.com/species/anemone.html
Easier to keep anemones

Entacmaea quadricolor, Bulb, bubble, bubble-tipped, maroon anemone Recently obtained individuals will usually have unmistakable swollen ends on the tips of their tentacles. Specimens in captivity will often lose their bubble-tips for periods of time and just have long straight tentacles. The tentacles usually have a green color especially when exposed to only actinic light. The tentacles may also have a frosty white ring around the tip. The base is often rusty-red but may also be purple or just tan. The Rose anemone is a color variation of this anemone.

Good Points- Normal reef lighting is enough (above 4 watts per gal.) for this type of anemone and may be more than enough. Nitrate levels below 20 ppm are preferred. Small ones may reproduce asexually in your aquarium by dividing into two smaller anemones. Their sting is rather weak and won't harm your other fish. They are accepted by Clarki-type clowns, all the different tomato-type clowns, maroon clowns and sometimes, although very rarely, percula and ocellaris clowns.
Bad Points- These anemones tend to wander around the tank more than others, sometimes causing their own deaths from lack of light or being sucked through a powerhead. They like to have their foot shaded inside a crevice in the rock or coral with their tentacles in the light. This preference might be met by placing a short piece of PVC pipe, sized to the anemone, where you want the anemone to stay and putting its base into the pipe. They seem to be sensitive to being shipped. Make sure the one you pick out has a tight mouth and is firmly attached to something in the dealers tank. Any anemone that is not attached to something in the dealers tank is probably not healthy. In addition, when the dealer tries to remove the anemone from the tank the anemone should show some type of reaction, usually they contract.

 

[tosiek]

Emerald crabs and lettuce nudibranches do the trick. also make sure ur phos is at 0. I had a small problem but got a phos bag and i don;t have hair algae anymore. + the lettuce nudi takes care of whatever algae i do get quick.

 

[findingnemo]

I should get only one emerald crab??

 

[findingnemo]

ezee I have seen these at petsmart, I could go and get them on saturday morning. Where do you suggest I place them?



1) Maxi-Jet Powerheads http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/pumpssetup/tp/tppowerheads.htm

Users have found that the Maxi-Jets by Aquarium Systems are not only excellent units for any aquarium job, they are also one of the few units which can withstand the constant on/off strain of being used with a wavemaker.

 

[212jay]

FindingNemo the Maxi-Jets are great but you should try and find the 1200 series not the 600. I would get no more than 2 Emerald crabs.
Jay

 

[Dace]

I should get only one emerald crab??

you can get two or three, just make sure there not too big because they tend to become alittle agressive

 

[Dace]

ezee I have seen these at petsmart, I could go and get them on saturday morning. Where do you suggest I place them

I would place it directly across from the other powerhead you have in your tank. (rightside)