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Brown Algae


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  1. #11
    eldiente - Reefkeeper CR Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Idaho
    Posts
    82

    Default

    I would say the green algae on the conk shell is normal, It appears that it is also a type of corraline algae. Some grow better with certain type of lights and also due to the water perameters, Ca and Alk. More live rock would be good but don't add it all at once as it can spike your ammonia in the tank. It would take quite a while for the base rock to be covered with purple coraline algae with what you have there. A skimmer should help with the brown algae as will regular small water changes until you get the skimmer and more live rock. I wouldn't add more fish till you get the skimmer. Good luck with the tank. Also siphon the crushed coral as melev said. I have a 40 G with crushed coral and I pull the nastiest looking stuff out of it.
    Brian
    Twin Falls, ID
    210 AGA
    40 AGA

  2. #12

    Default

    I have an Aqua C Remora skimmer on my 20g and have been pleased with the performance, but I felt it was a little pricey. I have a Coralife Super Skimmer on my 90g and (again) have been pleased with the performance, and the price was extremely reasonable.

    I don't know about anyone else, but with every tank I have set up I have had two diatom blooms (brown algae). There was always one within a couple of months of start-up, and then there has been another quite a while later. I never did anything other than scrape off the glass, and it always cleared up on its own over a few weeks. For example, My 90g is a year old this month. There was a diatom bloom in January, and then another one back in October. I hadn't made any changes to the tank - no new livestock, lights are on timers, etc. My feeding of the tank has changed, but I am feeding a bit less than I used to.

    I always use a cube of mysis and a cube of some other frozen food (alternating for variety) that I split between the three tanks that have fish in them. This mix is enough for two feedings for all of the tanks. I used to feed every other day, but now I am only feeding every third or sometimes fourth day.

    I wish I could help you with the coralline. From what I've seen over the past 2 1/2 years, some people have it with no trouble and others struggle to get it. I have always had it in my tanks without any effort; it was even growing in my QT tank on the PVC (no rock in it at all). I'll see if I can find some specific information on what exactly is needed for coralline to flourish, but perhaps someone else here can give you an answer sooner.


  3. #13

    Default

    If you maintain Alk, Cal, and Mg at normal levels, coralline will grow.

    To ward off the green algae, you need more snails. The recommendation is 1 per gallon, but even just 20 hungry snails right now will help immensely.

    Live rock that is purchased locally should be smelled for freshness. It it looks clean, smells somewhat salty and has no bad odor to it, submerge it in a bucket of water and bring it home. It will not cause an ammonia spike as long as it remains wet. Your tank needs more LR. Baserock is just a decoration at this point, and does little to nothing for your tank's filtration. Someone mentioned you don't have a protein skimmer, so what filtration do you actually have on the tank currently? (No DSB, not enough LR, and no skimmer)
    Marc

    Visit Melev's Reef

  4. #14
    dberrong - Reefkeeper CR Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Hiawassee, Ga.
    Posts
    157

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    I have two Millinium 3000 filters that hang on the back. I also have a UV sterilizer that I purchased to try to stop an ick problem that seemed to have worked for several months now. I didn't realize that I needed that many snails. I had purchased two at the LFS and one of those died within a week. I only have one for the 90g right now. I'll be adding about 50lbs of LR and a Protien Skimmer by Christmas. I think this will solve my problems. I've been told by others that the diatoms use up everything they need to survive and they simply go away after a little while. I'll just keep scraping the glass and give it another month.

  5. #15

    Default

    You definitely need more snails. Unfortunately many sold in the hobby are not long-lived, and I think that is on purpose so that we keep buying them. Odds are they live in cooler waters and our tanks are warm. The snails metabolism runs at a higher rate, reducing their livespan. Just a guess on my part.

    I buy 50 to 100 snails at a time for my tank, maybe twice a year. Buying them online in a group buy with others is the best way to get a bargain. Recently I bought 50 with overnight shipping and it cost me $38. The order was double that (price and volume), but two of us split the expense and that was my share. Had I bought snails at my LFS, I would have gotten 10 for that price.
    Marc

    Visit Melev's Reef

  6. #16
    dberrong - Reefkeeper CR Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Hiawassee, Ga.
    Posts
    157

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    Where do you buy them online? I haven't checked ebay, but my LFS is charging $3 a piece for some fairly large Turbo's. As far as my algae issue, I've cut my light time down to around 8 to 9 hours and I now only have some build up on the glass every 3 days or so. I'm not seeing it on my crushed coral or rock at this point.

  7. #17

    Default

    We bought 100 Astrea snails from etropicals.com, shipped to Ft Worth Tx overnight for $76 total. Divided between two tanks, we each got 50 snails for $38.
    Marc

    Visit Melev's Reef

  8. #18
    dberrong - Reefkeeper CR Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Hiawassee, Ga.
    Posts
    157

    Default

    Their prices seem to be a bit higher now, but I think I have found some good snails on ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA:IT&ih=010
    Can someone tell me if these snails are good for a clean up crew?
    Also, I've been using purple up in my tank for around 3 weeks and just two days ago I started seeing some purple popping up on my baserock. It seems to be getting more and more each day since then. I feel like my tank is on the verge of turning the corner and really exploding in coraline algae. I think it is due reducing my light time and reducing feeding so the brown algae has disappeared every where but on the glass on occasion. Thanks for all the advice and education on this thread.

  9. #19

    Default

    That shoulds very promising. Purple Up will definitely fuel coralline growth as long as you have some in the tank in the first place.

    I can't remember if those are the good snails or not. I remember hearing about some sold on Ebay that are really either: 1) a cold water snail and thus not suitable for our tanks, or 2) they might be predatory as in carnivorous to some of our livestock. These particular snails tend to live in the sand, which won't help keep the glass and rockwork clean.
    Marc

    Visit Melev's Reef

  10. #20

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    Did a little double checking, and it appears they are better suited for colder tanks. Since our water is warmer, they don't live long. You can read comments in this thread:

    http://www.dfwmas.org/Forums/viewtop...=335988#335988
    Marc

    Visit Melev's Reef

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