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Algae
Causes and Solutions
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The First thing to
do when encountering Algae problems is identifying your
algae.
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Green Hair Algae:
Description: Long strands of green hair like algae
growing on rocks and sand bed.
Causes:
New tank set ups Insufficient cleaning crew Lighting
Solutions: Removal by hand. Decreasing
phosphates & nutrients via protein skimming. Using
phosphate absorbing media. Introducing herbivores.
Herbivores: Hermit crabs, Turbo Snails, Astraea
Snails, Sea Slugs (Seahares), Diadema Urchin, Tuxedo
Urchin, Surgeonfish, Rabbitfish |
Green Bubble Algae (Valonia):
Description: Green spherical or club shaped bubbles
that may be attached to rocks or free floating.
Causes: Often introduced on Indo-Pacific rockSolutions:
Removal by hand and/or siphoning
Herbivores: Mithrax crabs, Kole Tangs
Caution: Do not break bubbles in the process of
removal because spores will be released. |
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Red Hair Algae:
Description: Reddish cotton candy like tuffs
Causes: High nitrate levels
Solutions: Removal by hand. Biological filtation
that removes nitrate. Increasing circulation in tank.
Herbivores: Diadema Urchin, Seaslugs (Aplysia and
Hermaea) |
Red
Slime Algae (Cyanobacteria):
Description: Fine filaments that form
encrusting tissue paper like growths on rocks, sand, and
corals
Causes:c Elevated nutrient levels, Poor Circulation,
Insufficient lighting.
Solutions: Siphon surface. Increase circulation by
adding powerheads to system to prevent any dead flow
spots. Use only actinic spectrum lighting for 24-48 hours to
decrease growth. Elevate alkalinity to 105-125 mg/L.
Chemical solution: Use Boyd�s Chemi-Clean or Aqualine
Busche�s Antired. Medications will help get rid of
cyanobacteria quickly, but you should still address the
reasons it occurred and follow longterm solutions. |
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Diatoms:
Description:
Brown, yellow, or rust colored dusting on the rocks and
substrate. Diatom blooms in newly established aquariums
will usually subside after a few weeks.
Causes:
New tank set ups. Large
water changes using
municipal water supply or disturbances to your system.
Changes in silicate levels in the water supply.
Solutions: Increasing
circulation. Performing more frequent, smaller water
changes as opposed to larger ones. Using silicate removing
media.
Herbivores:
Snails and sand shifting gobies are effective at keeping the
sand bed free of ongoing diatoms in well established tanks |
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Once you have identified the pesky algae the next step is to
take action! Take the appropriate steps against the
algae that match with the causes/solutions from the
description list.
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New Tank Set Up:
How long has your aquarium been running? Aquariums
go through three algae phases after set up. Diatom algae
lasting usually 2-3 weeks, green algae lasting up to 3
months and finally coralline algae ( |
Clean up Crew:
Do you have hermit crabs and snails in your tank?
Having 1-2 hermit crabs/gal and 1-2 snails/gal will help in
controlling unwanted algae growth. The addition of bottom
feeders (i.e: sandsifters, brittle stars, etc) will help
cleanup any food on the sand bed. |
Water Changes:
When was the last time you did a water change? This
should be your first reaction when problems arise that are
related to water chemistry. Small frequent water changes
are the most effective way of controlling excess nutrients. |
Check
your Protein Skimmer:
Is it working properly? Is
it sized properly for your aquarium? Protein
skimmers come in many styles. Choose a high quality skimmer
to begin with and you will increase your success! |
Decrease Feeding:
Are your fish consuming all the food within 1-2 minutes?The
primary cause of water chemistry problems in home aquaria is
overfeeding. |
Check the Carbonate
Alkalinity (kH):
Is the Kh of the aquarium water between 105-125 mg/L (ppm)?
This determines the ability to buffer Ph and decompose
waste. When Kh falls below that level, waste matter does
not decompose as quickly, elevating nutrients in the
system. Kh levels can be controlled easily with carbonate
buffers or the addition of a Kalwasser Reactor. |
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Insufficient Lighting:
When
was the last time you changed your light bulbs? As
light bulbs degrade, the spectrum of light emitted shifts.
Poor quality light, regardless of intensity, will lead to
many problems. Always keep a record of when you installed
new bulbs and change them accordingly.
Fluorescents = 4 months
VHOs = 6-8 months
Power Compacts = 10-12 months
Metal Halides = 10-12 months
HQIs = 12-14 months
You are now the sun to your reef! Changing your bulbs at
regular intervals will maintain the spectrum. Your total
wattage per gallon should be calculated according to your
tank size and type of corals kept.
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Circulation (flow):
Do you have power heads in your tank? The water
should cycle through your filtration 8-10 times per hour.
As well, circulation in & around the reef is equally
important. The positioning of additional power heads will
help to prevent �dead spots� in the tank. If current is low
or nonexistent in an area, nutrients will build up and
unfavourable algae will grow there first. |
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If you cannot find
the answer you are looking for here make sure to ask one of
our knowledgeable staff today!
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