I didnt want to HJack the other fuge questions so
Q:
I have really RED long haired algae that sticks to the walls of my fuge. I had a fuge cleaning party and got it all out but it just took a couple weeks to come back. The main tank has no issues.
I think it also going inside my ASM skimmer. I have a light on all the time that indirectly lights the skimmer.
Whats up with the red stuff and could i get a CUC in there to work on it?
:think)
Careful with the CUC in the fuge. Wrong animals could eat every bit of algae in the tank and dump all of the nutrients back in your tank in no time. One of our members had a real bad experience with this. Avoid long spine urchins and caulerpa… A couple small snails(like cerith or asteria) may help though.
Step one is trying to ID what you have and figure out what it is there. Try to run your fingers through it and describe it. Does the red come off of what is actually a green thing?(cyano bacteria coating something else?) Is this a slow flow fuge or is it significantly slower flow then the main tank? Pictures or video would be very helpful.
If it grows that fast keep yanking it out as a method of nutrient reduction.
I agree, Since it is growing in the fuge its eating food that is in the DT. Remove it completely and it may appear in the DT
Sorry no pic yet…
i had caulerpa and chaeto when i started the fuge but the chaeto won that battle. The chaeto grows really fast. The Chaeto “ball” looks like it is burnt around all the edges with red and long red hair growing on the side of the fuge.
Good point about the red using nutrients in the fuge and staying in the fuge. That stuff looks really nasty and i dont want it in the DT.
I will try to get some pics
Are you using any phosphate removal media yet?
I was using phosphate media but recently stopped because I need to go shopping. I threw a bag of carbon in the fuge today and will start the phosphate media again this weekend
abcd
i had the same problem, never had it before i tried 24/7 lighting in the fuge, i stopped that and only light the fuge from 7 am to 10pm and the cheato and calurpa stopped being invaded by the microalgae (it was literally choking it)
i tried the 24/7 lighting because i’ve heard it works well, but there is something to consider, all plants must respire (oxidation) when the lights are off, for you nerds out there (C6H12O6 + 6 O2 => 6 CO2 + 6 H2O + Energy) its the opposite of photosynthisis.
You’d be better off lighting your fuge on the opposite schedule of your main tank (like 10pm to 7am, 7am-10pm)
i just bought a few orange chestnut snails , and man are they tearing through the cyano like crazy!!! best snail ive ever bought
leave the algea in the fuge! algea in the fuge meen less in the dt. also it works as nutrient reduction. just wipe it once a week and ull be fine. if ur running a fuge, with light, it is only prone to grow algea, esspecially if the bulb is between 3-7k. i run a 6500l and a colormax(pink) bulb and my cheato/caleurpa is going gangbusters, so is my algea. i have reds/greens. algea + fuge = happy dt!