Algae on gravel.

[ND120883]

Tank's just getting to the point where I'm getting an algae bloom. It's getting on the gravel in the bottom too though, and I don't much fancy it. Any creatures I can get that will feed on that ish?

[Fish Newbie]

How big is your aquarium? If large enough you could get a pleco

[Rue]

I think plecs are the cutest fish! But I have never found them to be particularily good tank cleaners...

...that, and their propensity to outgrow a tank, means I don't have any anymore...

...however, that was before I 'discovered' the smaller species, such as the bristlenose and rubberlipped, etc. I'm planning on trying one of those 2...

Oto cats are known to be excellent algae eaters...a school of 6+ are known to work wonders...however, they don't like my water conditions for some reason...

[Chrona]

Is this for a saltwater tank? (You posted here)

If it's for a freshwater tank, what color it the algae? Easiest solution is to just maintain good water parameters and keep the lighting period short and the lighting low.

[ND120883]

Saltwater. Can't stand off-topic forum posts myself so I wouldn't do that to ya guys.

35ish gallon? not sure, inherited the tank from the old man.

Keep in mind Tank's only been populated for a few weeks, so its still in the cycling process.

Algae is a dark brown. From what I understand this is good.

[Chrona]

Ah, diatoms then. It happens quite often in new tanks, and it's due to excess silicates. For a saltwater tank, I believe most of the algae eating snails will eat it up. Or you could get a phosphate/silicate removing filter media. Lastly, diatoms usually eat themselves to death after about 2-4 weeks.

[ND120883]

Alright. So as far as the strange-things growing in my tank list goes, so far I've got

Diatoms (brown algae-lookin stuff)= will self-destruct in a few weeks
purple stuff on LR = excessive calcium (right?)

[Rue]

...lol...scratch my post then...

...need to pay more attention to headings...

[Drumachine09]

Alright. So as far as the strange-things growing in my tank list goes, so far I've got

Diatoms (brown algae-lookin stuff)= will self-destruct in a few weeks
purple stuff on LR = excessive calcium (right?)


Is your live rock cured?


MY guess is that the purple stuff is the pretty coraline algae. It adds color, and doesnt harm.

[Chrona]

Alright. So as far as the strange-things growing in my tank list goes, so far I've got

Diatoms (brown algae-lookin stuff)= will self-destruct in a few weeks
purple stuff on LR = excessive calcium (right?)

Purple stuff is coraline algae. It's desirable. In fact, people buy stuff to accelerate it's growth, lol.

Yes, diatoms usually self-destruct, unless you have rocks or something that is constantly leeching silicates, and you still need to remove the brown stuff manually so the dying algae doesn't release the sililcates right back into the water. Better solution is the media I guess.

[unleashed]

Better solution is the media I guess.

or RO/DI water

[ND120883]

Ya so back to my original question, what critters or fish can I get that might possibly help control this growth? They need to be able to survive the cycling process as well.

I'd intended to keep the algae on the back wall of the tank as kind of a background and just keep the floor and the other 3 viewing walls clean, is it cool to leave the algae on the back wall?

[ND120883]

5 blue leg crabs, 5 nassalius snails, and a serpent starfish acquired.

[ND120883]

Update: What I once thought was algae has turned out to be a black slime that I am trying to eliminate from the back wall. Trouble is my fish try to eat the pieces of slime that come off thinking its food. Guy's at my aquarium shop suggested I might have high phosphates, I bought the test and sure enough its at one of the highest levels. Is there anything I can do (other than cut back how much I feed them) to reduce the phosphates in my tank and eliminate the black slime?

[Chrona]

A phosphate removing filter media will work great. Or if you have some place to put them, saltwater plants like mangroves or chaeto will eat up nitrates/phosphates.