[antoniohorta]

Having a tough time with alge covering all of my LR and LS. Tank is 2mth old, but 1\3 of rock and sand came from established 55 gal that was going for 1 yr. The alge has lots of air bubbles trapped under it and is even hanging in hair form off some of my corals. Did a 1\3 water change and scraped alot off last week. already came back. It's not a cycling issue, I use ro\di and my water perameters are- 1.023,nitrite 0, nitrate 0, PH 8.3, dKh 10,calc 420, phos .03. Perfect! I'm racking my brain here. My halides are on for 8hrs a day. help please!

[jvharding]

Hi Ant

You mentioned you have stock from a old 55G was that yours? Also if so Have you changed your RO filters or tested TDS? It could be a Silicate Issue these need to be tested for as well. The water change should help if water source is free of contaminants. Can you post Picture of your Algae? Depending on what you have in the tank. Here are some options. Increase flow rates in areas of growth. Leave lights off for a few days! Do you have a clean up crew? Your tank is suffering from New Tank Syndrome and this is just a part of it cycling. What livestock do you have in the tank? If Red Slime is the problem. A turkey baster should be used to siphon the algae out.

[dreamerfaerie]

Dragon Goby - Go get one immediatly. He worked wonders on the algae on my sand. It was gone in 1 week. Also snails, snails, snails!! Get a ton of snails - all sorts - to start scrubbing your rocks, tanks, etc.
If you have Green hair alae a tang would eat all of it up within mins of being in the tank. My yellow has worked miracles. You also have to have the lights off for a while. (I know it will be hard)

Algae was a big problem for me but not anymore.

[nolagunnesch]

My tank is being over run by red slime algae. Nothing eats it. I have tried removing large portions with turkey baster and sucking it out with water change. It just keeps coming back. Does anything get rid of it completely. If I leave the lights off for a few days will it die? Will that damage my corals?

[dreamerfaerie]

nolagunnesch-

You cant keep your lights off completely if there is coral - They need light on - I was told atleast 6 hrs a day.

Have you tried snails? For a 180 gallon you would need ALOT -

[swinginbeef]

I doubt you'll have a problem turning your lights off for a few days to help get the algae problem under control, even with corals. Think of it as a few day long tropical storm. Every reef in the world goes several days without sun multiple times per year.

Find the reason behind the algae growth and stop that, don't just try to remove the algae. Algae feeds on nutrients in the water. End the nutrients, end the algae.

[dreamerfaerie]

hmm - I was told atleast 6 hours a day. Coral is diffrent in a tank then in the ocean, but im sure everyone has there own idea on these things.

[nolagunnesch]

The snails don't eat the red slime algae

[antoniohorta]

Thanks for all of the responces, I've been out of town a few days so I could not reply. I took the advice and shut off my MH's completly and only left on the PC's for two hours a day while I was gone for 3 1\2 days. When I came back the tank was spotless! I have no dought that it will return, though now I known how to control it.

I do have lot's of snails, clean-up crew, etc., but they haven't helped. I wasn't too concerned about the alge because my water perameters were perfect and all my fish and corals were healthy, except for the Xenia. I've only had it about 3 weeks and it started to retract and not come out at all witch made me think the alge was giving off some noctius chems that didn't show up during reg water tests.

150gal\55gal sump,72" outer orbit, A.C. ev 180 skimmer, 160lbs LR, 200lbs LS

2 scooter blennies, 2 midas blennies, 2 firefish, 2 percula, coral beauty, yellow sailfin tang, hippo tang, long tipped anen, 3 bubble-tipped, anen crabs, orange sponge, gonipora, zoo's, mushrooms, colt, xenia.

[jvharding]

Test for Phosphate and Silicates! Are you using RO?DI Water if so Test TDS. May need to to do a good water change with known good water source! Glad to hear that it cleared up some. Lets see some pictures of your system.

[unclejed]

Hello Nol, as far as the red slime, there is a product called; "Red Slime Remover", it absolutely works! Just stick to the dosing guidelines and you will be amazed. Also they tell you to keep a check on your PH. I have used it when necessary with no ill effects.

[e_baer]

Like mentioned around this forum before, the red slime remover is only a band-air to the problem. YOu need to find the source of the nutrients first in order to get rid of the algae.

You may want to look into getting a little more flow in the tank, especially in the areas that the lagae is growing.