Green Algae (non-hair like)

[CC-Star]

Everytime I research Green Algae, Green "Hair" algae comes up. I have green on my tank walls, rocks, and hermit crab shells, that does not look "hairy" just looks like a green dust on everything. We never had a problem for a year and then some but now since getting the new lighting system..bang green algae. I dont know if its harmful (all the levels seem fine, all fish and inhabitants seem fine).

Does anyone know what it is? (Probably my new lighting system) And if so is it harmful? ANd if so how do I get rid of it? (I have done water changes, skimmer works alright, cleaned the tank).

Or will it all balence out, and stop producing green algae once it gets used to the more intense lighting (PC vs Flourescents)?

 

[Len]

I get it all the time, but it's almost all on the glass and rarely on the rocks (or whatever is on the rocks is grazed off by something). It's not harmful as much as it is unsightly and could be diatoms (that's what I think I have in my tank) or something else. The only way to get rid of it is to limit nutrients but controlling what you put in and increasing what you take out. I'm guessing with the new lights, certain algae has more energy to reproduce and that's what you're seeing. If you can make nutrients the limiting factor (whereas before it was the lights), you should be able to stem the algae bloom over time.

 

[CC-Star]

Thanks Len,

Ya found two good sites that sort of explain 2 things that will be making this algae grow.

1. Lighting
Seeing that we have enquired more intense lighting in the past week and the durationg we are leaving them on is to long, is one reason that algae is growing. This is one way we can contro the algae by having the lights on for less of the day, just would be sweet to find an powerbar that had 4 timers built in.

2. Water Quality
The fact that we do not treat our water. Apparently our city water is one of the better ones around the area, but still would be sweet to own a RO/DI sometime. Since we have had the tank running for a long period of time w. just city water and no issues we are just going to concentrate on the lights and hopefully that will do it for now ... hate to go and spend more money right now (we just bought the lights).

Reference sites:
http://www.aquarticles.com/articles/management/Aquariumpros_Nuisance_Algae.html
http://www.aquarticles.com/articles/saltwater/metelsky_algae.html


Question:
Which invertebrates can attribute to less algae growth, not by much but some? We have blue-legged hermit crabs, and a Chocolate Chip Star fish.
I have heard snails (but dont care to have a kazillion multiplying), cleaner shrimp? Yellow Tang?? (Nothing that will have issues w. Anemones or Corals)

 

[Len]

Definitely get some snails. You won't have a problem with mass reproduction (any offspring will quickly be food for others). Get a wide variety, from Trochus to Astrea to Turbo to Nerites and Cerith. That way, they will help cover most algae.

Tangs do help with algae as do Rabbitfish and many blennies with "comb" mouths (Sailfin blennies, for example) Cleaner shrimps will not.

RO/DI, while another expense, is one of the most worthwhile investments IMO. If you have an algae problem, the RO does a lot to fix it.

 

[Anonymous]

If you don't have any corals in your tank, kill the lights and turn them on only when you are viewing the tank. The fish\hermitcrabs\stars\snails,etc do not need any lights. That will cut down on algae, big time. Ultimately you may want to find the source of how you are feeding the algae. The algae is simply the symptom.

hths,
~wings~

 

[CC-Star]

I wish it was that simple :/ unfort. I have 2 anemone's in my tank that require some lighting time.

But man i scrubbed the walls bare sat - today full of green dust EVERYWHERE -rocks, shells, sand, glass...
I even cut down the photoperiod to like 6-7 hrs...does not seem to make a difference.

Suxs never had this problem at all never had to clean it for years until we got this new lighting... :/

Really the only thing it could be is water quality...but it was fine be4 never did anything only change is the lighting, but maybe w. more intense lighting and the nutrients available (as always has been) has now the optimal conditions to grow.
Its the only thing...as much as everyone hates Prizim skimmers....we have one and it picks up so much stuff.... once we get our bigger tank a couple years down the road (and use the 55 as a refrig) we will get a better and bigger one, but for now its doing its job so that isnt the problem.

 

[CC-Star]

I know nothing is ever a certain...but I would hate to go spend the money on a RO/DI, and then turn around and that isnt the problem, but the skimmer.

So anyone w. expertise in this area/have had this issue/similar circumstance before can lend me some ideas on how to mitigate this issue, so I can keep my lights on for at least 7hrs to make my anemone happy, and so i dont have to be scrapping every second day.

 

[ChrisRD]

Not knowing the quality of your tapwater it's tough to say, but it's very likely that it's contributing heavily to the problem. Considering how cheap RO units are today, personally I'd go for the RO. IMO, you can somewhat compensate for a lack of skimmer performance with frequent, large water changes, activated carbon use and other means of export, but you really can't compensate for poor source water...

 

[CC-Star]

Thanks, I was leaning that way.... ebay it up bc here in Canada they are NOT cheap like 3x more like 4x the price here sad really ...

 

[CC-Star]

Ok came home 2nite and nothing but GREEN...i spent an hour + doing water changes, cleaning and to come home to nothing but green...oh grrrrr...so ordering that RO/DI after xmas w. xmas money ..that better solve it ...or i will be highly disapointed. I miss not ever having to clean the tank...silly new lighting.

 

[Anonymous]

OK, did we already do the beaslbob thing with the macro algae?

Seriously.... they are growing on something. I would rather grow something visually stimulating and worth trading than green glass algae, hair algae or cyano of one kind or another.

IF you have the time/space/$$, I might recommend a 'fuge with macro in it. It does make a significant difference when used in conjuction with other proper husbandry options as discussed in other threads here. I know it made a huge difference for me. That and letting the tank mature. I actually have the opposite problem. My softies are having a really rough time of it because I have 15G of macro eating all the nutrients in the tank. I have the same problem that people have who aggresively skim their tanks.... Softies are bummin.

Just a suggestion and, no it won't keep you tank miraculously clean and stable but it can be a significant contributor when used with water changes and skimming (in SPS tanks, I don't skim the softie tank)

 

[danmhippo]

Is your tank acrylic? If it's glass, then I would recommend a small urchin or two. The rapid growth rate of the algae in your tank indicates there are abundant nutrient in your water. either phosphate, nitrate, or iron. Except the iron, what is the current reading on the first two?

To control nutrients in your tank, the easiest way is to control the nutrient input, eg. food. Are you using any vitamin supplements regularly?

 

[CC-Star]

-Its a glass tank
-nitrate minimal
-not sure about the others...dont have a tester for that stuff
-food: flake spurlina(fish), and krill (anemones)

(Current have: 1 chocolate chip starfish, 7 blue-legged hermit crabs, 2 anemones, 2 clowns, 1 firefish golby)

 

[GOGO]

I also had a green alge experience, as I spent money and time on Lighting, Snails and critters, test equipment , and racking my brain with all the questions of how what when and how long , a friend of mine who owns an aquarium shop concluded it was my water quality! undetectable by the test equipment I had. Get the RO you will not be sorry! GOGO

 

[CC-Star]

Thanks totally plan on it Hopefully when I do get it, I do 15-20% water changes every week for a bit, the tank will have good water quality, less nutrients for the algae to feed upon and grow.

I have also cut down the photo period which has helped, and way more LR, and some new snails which are having a feeding frenzy as we speak.

but ya 110 GPD RO (5stage) + DI hopefully I will be ordering soon...But first I just wanna do some research be4 I buy something off ebay and find out that in a year from now getting filters for it will be next to impossible. Would be nice to see if I can get the RO system from Ebay but have suppliers in Canada that supply the filters for it, when change is required. The RO system in Canada through Big Al's is sooo crazy in price versus what is available through ebay/states....so hopefully I can find one that Canada also has and I can get replacement filters here.

So anyone from Canada(S. Ont) with some advice/ideas on that would be helpfull.

 

[dodo99]

Try www.jlaquatics.com They're in BC. I just ordered some new lighting from them. It arrived on the third business day that I ordered it. And, about $150+ less than Big Al's. Excellent service and prices.

As for Big Al's... I'll never shop there again, based on some emails I had with the owners of the Canadian site regarding the rediculous price differences between the USA/Canada websites. The retail outlets have even -higher- prices, and are inconsistent between stores in the same town (Ottawa). Crooks all around, IMO....

DoDo

 

[CC-Star]

Ya I agree I can not believe the price difference. Unforunt. there are no other Marine stores around for us to buy live stock from, so I still have to deal w. them on that level...will hate it when I start to get into corals bc they have so bland dissapointing corals. Especially LR I can not believe how much money i have sunk into getting LR, and how little the states pays...I pay $10/lb and that was on sale at boxing day for 5.88 finally but that is the best I have ever seen it. Makes it hard to build up your tank...so suxs..in that regard would be sweet to live in the states and have such cheaper prices/better selection on live stock, and closer to the ocean to recieve shipments that will happen in a day and you know they will arrive at your door alive.

But yes not the place to go for equipment (Big Als).

Thanks I will check out that site for sure That is nice and fast...
Ya wish there was more fish stores around here other than Big Als they have the only market and no competition ..doesnt help.

 

[dodo99]

You can also get some livestock from www.Aquaria.ca They're based in the Ottawa area. I haven't purchased any livestock from them yet, but have only heard good things.

I need an RO unit too. I've been getting RO water from the supermarket. It's less than 10 TDS, and almost cleared up my algea problem, but it's kindof a pain to lug around all that water from the store. I was using a DI unit from Aquarium Pharm., but it's just not the same as good RO water. They use a 6-stage unit at the grocery store.

 

[Tackett]

what kind of skimmer do you have? I would suggest getting a massive skimmer, hugely oversized skimmers do wonders at removing excess nutrients in the column.

 

[CC-Star]

Re: Tackett,
I have the worst PS out there but it actually pulls off a LOT of stuff (Red Sea Prizim) I know its not the best but its doing its job and makes sense to me to cut the nutrients from the souce (being the water from the tap) first. Then I wouldnt have to worry about how much the PS is pulling off. To get rid of the nutrients we plan on getting an RO/DI to start with, then when we upgrade to a bigger tank from our 55 (hopefully a 200-220 gal) then we will sink some money into buying a massive skimmer.

Re: dodo99,
Hmm ya I will have to check that out...man my fear is that the Live stock shows up to my house dead, and not getting my money back. That is what I like about Big Al's they have that so many days garuntee.

Ya we looked into getting RO/DI water from Zerhs but like you said the pain from lugging it etc is not worth it and as well over time you will spend more money getting jugs then the cost of a 6 or 5-stage RO/DI unit. So now we just to order one that we know is a common company and will be there for years to come to order replacement filters etc, and can find replacement filters around town.

Ottawa has so many saltwater fish stores I was surprised...wish we had more. We were going to look into checking out what Toronto has other than Big Al's...but then its still an hour drive home (KW) eee...perhaps for live rock, but I dont know about carting live stock that long. Especially hard to fill our tank w. live rock when the cost is so crazy high someone has to have it for cheaper bc if not we will never be able to upgrade to a 200gal we would never be able to fill it on $10/lb.