Nano Q's

[Demjor19]

So I finally got the desire to try my hand at a reef tank and decided to go with a nano reef. It is only a 2.5 gallon w/ live rock a few small hermits, micro stars, and some soft corals.

This tank has been setup for about 6 months now and seems to be doing very well, but recently I started noticing some red algae on the glass and some on my live rock. Is there anything I can do about this without hurting my coral? I'm far from a newb to FW fishkeeping, but I will be the first to say I have much to learn about SW. I'll also admit that I am having more fun with this project than I anticipated (I was sort of an anti-marine tank person). :14:

Any advice or tips are appreciated!

[brandon429]

this will fix your tank...
the 6-9 month mark is a challenge, most picos wreck with algae at this point and you have a chance to save yours

this is only one way to fix it, but there is no other way I would use.

-when changing water, change all of it, stop doing partial water changes its storing up nutrients in your tank. tidal reefs are exposed for hours and hours in certain places, corals don't mind quick emersion during these changes.

wipe off the red algae on the glass during the next full change.

-take a blue jet flame lighter and singe the algae on the rocks while the tank is empty during the change, then wipe off with a paper towel and fill up. Get all the algae out in one cleaning, and when it comes back do the same.

not any time for explanation at work but this is what I do!
B

[Demjor19]

Thanks! I'll give just about anything a shot. Will the algae ever not come back?

[Michael Milligan]

The algae is simply the result of dissolved nutrition in the water. Water changes get rid of that. If you never let the nutrients build you will never get algae. Easier said then done, I know.

In the interest of your inverts, let me suggest that you that these changes be done "acclimation style". Meaning, that you have a large container of salt water siphoning into your tank through an airline hose. At the same time you have an airline siphoning out of your tank. Your tank is so tiny the extra water use won't be that much. The idea is that the water chem changes slower in the tank. I don't know about corals, but I've had a number of things die due to large water changes.

[sheamurai]

Different algae blooms are simply stages most SW tanks go thru. Usually diatoms, then cyanobacteria, then hair algae.
Continuing proper tank maintenance with partial water changes and reducing excess nutrients, proper water flow and proper lighting, will get you by. For cyano, you want to vacuum as much of the stuff out as you can when you do your water change.
As Michael mentioned above, large water changes can kill critters that aren't from those tidal zones. Unless you know where your stock is from, I wouldn't risk large water changes.

[brandon429]

getting twenty responses is the tough part of a reef forum lol enjoy your information cherry picking lol

those are excellent origins for the algae. my thoughts were that unless you were going to hook up a giant skimmer, large water changes and a timed feeding could be your only approach to real nutrient control.

also, the flame is excellent because it physically removes algae, even after it would still be present in your tank by resetting your values to low nitrates and no phosphates, algae doesn't just go away when you reach those, it has to be sustained. You can wait all that time, or have it done in one hour and your tank will instantly look great, then you rezap the popups that are naturally emerging as said above, and in time they will lessen due to the large frequent water changes.
In nano reefs, large water changes are inconsequential because the environment is already so harsh. How is it my delicate tanks of twenty genera get 100% changes for years and not die...you need to adapt animals to clean water to begin with it works

;)

either way you choose, post pics, we need at least cell phone pics for this outcome its a good buildup. no one chooses the fire way so at least post pics of all the snails you buy
B

[brandon429]

obviously I don't mean press and hold the fire to the rock, you quick pass it and get a mass dieoff its harmless to the undersurface. the rock is so wet and nonconductive that after you try it, you'll see its the only way to go in algae removal. Mowing your lawn with goats is always an option too but I choose the toro.

[Demjor19]

Thanks guys. I'm not exactly sure which way i'll go yet. I hardly ever feed the tank...Just a few shrimp pellets or some brine once in a while for the crabs. Then I use calcium and iodide for my corals. I normally do one gallon per week or every other week as a water change. I really didn't expect an algae outbreak because I felt I was taking pretty good care of the tank. Like I said...This is new to me. (blush)

[sunfishman]

a tank that size is really considered a pico reef. a ten gallon would give you more room for error, but nano reefs are by nature, fragile. what kind of lights do you use? can we see a picture? the blue spectrum is better to use because it is more natural and cyano and hair algae seem to explode under warmer colored lights. even if you don't physically feed the tank very much, the corals produce NO3 and other elements as a by product of the photosynthetic algae colonies inside them. most algae loves NO3 and this can lead to a bloom, but it can also happen when you change the nitrate levels too quickly. on one of my tanks, i saw the trates shoot up, paniked, did a major WC, and the next day the algae went crazy. i lost a good sized green star polyp colony. not a happy reefer. but if i were you, i'd try what everyone else is saying, and seriously think about a slightly bigger tank for more elbow room. or a sump, they are great as well.

[Demjor19]

I have a 20 long that I could probably make available, but I'm not sure how far into the "reef" thing I want to get. I mean, I like it alot, but I have plenty to keep me busy between all of the herps and my FW pred/comm tanks. I appreciate the advice and will keep you updated.

I'll check the info on the light/fixture when I get home. I think it's just a 12" strip, but I forget the specs on the tube itself.

Thanks,

[brandon429]

I should say though in defense of small reefs that the problem with that water change above is that you let nutrients store up in the system then disturbed it all.

if you start the system athletically via the water changes it adapts, and excels because of that and nitrate will never be elevated by a water change, only lowered.


agreed however that I don't disturb the bed when changing, theres no stirring up in each change. The worst thing you can do to one of these tuned picos is stop the work, but there is no overdo like you mentioned.

moving up to a large tank is ok, but for a pico this is your only hope of getting it up to 2 or 3 yrs old.

[sunfishman]

i know it dounds odd, but the bigger tank will be less wokr to keep in the long run, because you have a larger area of water and therefore somewhat more stable parameters. the more of a buffer you have, the better you are in the long run. but what ever you are able to get parts fore will work provided you are diligent about the maintanence such a tiny tank requires.

[brandon429]

the best part of a big tank is the fish!

[sunfishman]

^that too!:hmm3grin2orange: Go naso tangs and goldstripe clowns!

[Demjor19]

I wound up doing a full waterchange last night and scrubbed the algae from every surface I was able to. Now I will just watch for any regrowth and deal with it as it comes. Everything seemed to have made it through just fine. I'll post some pics later.