Macro-Algae and agressive snowflake eel

I've got a big problem. I have 55 gallon tank with a bunch of live
rock, matel haylides, Red Sea skimmer (the big one), powerheads,etc.
The water parameters are fine. I've had this tank for 5 years with no
problems. I've had a Hippo and Powder Tang for about 3 years and they
took care of the algae. All was fine until -stupid me- introduced a
baby snowflake. He was fine when he was little, but about a month ago,
he killed both Tangs and a lawnmower blenny. He's about 1 1/2 feet long
and I feed him 3 times a week, so he isn't starving. Since Percy
killed the fish, my tank looks like a kelp forrest unless I pull it all
out. Are there any algae eating/bad tasting fish out there? I would
really appreciate any ideas.

To control the macro-algae,

1) reduce or eliminate feeding to get rid of phosphates (having the eel
makes this tricky).
2) change any old flourescent lamps that shifted to the red spectrum over
time, or minimize the lighting period for a while.
3) crank up the protein skimmer to export phosphates and organics.
4) add "good" kinds of macro-algae to the tank to compete with the hair
algae for nutrients.
5) physically pull out as much as possible of the hair algae with tweezers.

the most effective - give away all the fish and eliminate feedings entirely
for a while.

People will often recommend blue legged hermits, tangs, snails, etc to
control hair algae, but in my experience these things don't work.

The water parameters look fine because the hair algae is taking up excess
nutrients before the test kit can detect it.

Dan
www.komaromi.com




wrote in message
oups.com...
I've got a big problem. I have 55 gallon tank with a bunch of live
rock, matel haylides, Red Sea skimmer (the big one), powerheads,etc.
The water parameters are fine. I've had this tank for 5 years with no
problems. I've had a Hippo and Powder Tang for about 3 years and they
took care of the algae. All was fine until -stupid me- introduced a
baby snowflake. He was fine when he was little, but about a month ago,
he killed both Tangs and a lawnmower blenny. He's about 1 1/2 feet long
and I feed him 3 times a week, so he isn't starving. Since Percy
killed the fish, my tank looks like a kelp forrest unless I pull it all
out. Are there any algae eating/bad tasting fish out there? I would
really appreciate any ideas.

Hi Dan,
A protein skimmer will not export nutrients, if it did
nobody would have an algae problem, lights are not the cause of algae
although they can contribute to the growth, algae is caused by excess
neutriants, caused by incorrect filtration, or from the water supply,
or overfeeding. The best nutrient control, after you have eliminated
the main source is a deep sand bed 4" to 6" in the tank or the
refugium.
regards,
unclenorm.

unclenorm -

John Tullock, the famous reef expert, writes,

"One important algae nutrient is Dissolved Organic Matter (DOC). Removal of
DOC by means of a protein skimmer is one of the simplest techniques of algae
control."

Also see the section on Lightining - I believe he is in agreement with what
I said, it's just a matter of "chosen words."

http://www.amdareef.com/ho_algae.htm

Dan




"unclenorm" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi Dan,
A protein skimmer will not export nutrients, if it did
nobody would have an algae problem, lights are not the cause of algae
although they can contribute to the growth, algae is caused by excess
neutriants, caused by incorrect filtration, or from the water supply,
or overfeeding. The best nutrient control, after you have eliminated
the main source is a deep sand bed 4" to 6" in the tank or the
refugium.
regards,
unclenorm.

Hi Dan,
Ask John Tullock to explain why protein skimmers (and I mean
good ones) seam to have little or no effect on most peoples algae
problems, in a well run system the amount of DOC should be quite small,
if the tank is over fed then it isn't well run. The main nutrients
fuelling algae in the vast majority of tanks with an algae problem are
nitrate and phosphate, nitrate being far and away the main offender. A
protein skimmer will not, I repeat will not remove nitrate. So how can
you justify the claim that a protein skimmer will control algae ?. It
will help a little for those people that have a lot of DOC but will but
will do nothing to eliminate the main problem,and high DOC usually
means high nitrates. Don't misunderstand me I'm not anti Protein
skimmers in fact I consider them essential. I'm just trying to quell
the misconception that Protein skimmers will remove nitrates. I'm
finding a lot of people that think biological filters i.e. bio wheels,
canisters, wet & drys etc., (all of which are nitrate factories) are ok
because they have a protein skimmer that will remove the nitrates not
so.
regards,
unclenorm.

DD wrote:
unclenorm -

John Tullock, the famous reef expert, writes,

"One important algae nutrient is Dissolved Organic Matter (DOC). Removal of
DOC by means of a protein skimmer is one of the simplest techniques of algae
control."

Also see the section on Lightining - I believe he is in agreement with what
I said, it's just a matter of "chosen words."

http://www.amdareef.com/ho_algae.htm

Dan




"unclenorm" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi Dan,
A protein skimmer will not export nutrients, if it did
nobody would have an algae problem, lights are not the cause of algae
although they can contribute to the growth, algae is caused by excess
neutriants, caused by incorrect filtration, or from the water supply,
or overfeeding. The best nutrient control, after you have eliminated
the main source is a deep sand bed 4" to 6" in the tank or the
refugium.
regards,
unclenorm.

Protein skimmers remove proteins. No proteins No amino acids ...No amino
acids No ammonia ...No ammonia No Nitrite ... No Nitrite No Nitrate its
that simple just like catalytic converters don't remove ozone they remove
the stuff that will ultimately form the ozone.

Kevin




"unclenorm" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi Dan,
Ask John Tullock to explain why protein skimmers (and I mean
good ones) seam to have little or no effect on most peoples algae
problems, in a well run system the amount of DOC should be quite small,
if the tank is over fed then it isn't well run. The main nutrients
fuelling algae in the vast majority of tanks with an algae problem are
nitrate and phosphate, nitrate being far and away the main offender. A
protein skimmer will not, I repeat will not remove nitrate. So how can
you justify the claim that a protein skimmer will control algae ?. It
will help a little for those people that have a lot of DOC but will but
will do nothing to eliminate the main problem,and high DOC usually
means high nitrates. Don't misunderstand me I'm not anti Protein
skimmers in fact I consider them essential. I'm just trying to quell
the misconception that Protein skimmers will remove nitrates. I'm
finding a lot of people that think biological filters i.e. bio wheels,
canisters, wet & drys etc., (all of which are nitrate factories) are ok
because they have a protein skimmer that will remove the nitrates not
so.
regards,
unclenorm.

DD wrote:
unclenorm -

John Tullock, the famous reef expert, writes,

"One important algae nutrient is Dissolved Organic Matter (DOC). Removal
of
DOC by means of a protein skimmer is one of the simplest techniques of
algae
control."

Also see the section on Lightining - I believe he is in agreement with
what
I said, it's just a matter of "chosen words."

http://www.amdareef.com/ho_algae.htm

Dan




"unclenorm" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi Dan,
A protein skimmer will not export nutrients, if it did
nobody would have an algae problem, lights are not the cause of algae
although they can contribute to the growth, algae is caused by excess
neutriants, caused by incorrect filtration, or from the water supply,
or overfeeding. The best nutrient control, after you have eliminated
the main source is a deep sand bed 4" to 6" in the tank or the
refugium.
regards,
unclenorm.