Saltwater Fish and Algae Control

[PoolGate]

I have kept freshwater and saltwater fish for most of my life. I have never been too successful with the saltwater fish. I am trying to get back into the hobby and resurrecting my 120 gallon tank. It has been running for the past 10 years or so but I have done nothing but feed it for the past 5. 0 water changes. Amazingly, I still have 2 clown fish and a couple inverts still alive. The reason I got discouraged was algae and Aiptasia. Today, for the first time in 5 years, I totally cleaned out the sump and added 25 fresh gallons of saltwater. Mostly because I had a handful of Aiptasia in the sump and am hoping dumping everything in the sump will finally rid me of these pests. Well, if the fish survive perhaps I will keep trying to change 25 gallons 3-4 times per week until I get what I assume is sky high nitrates down. Any other tips for algae control? I have no coral and never will again I never had any luck with them. The tank was algae free for 4 1/2 of the last five years because the heater was broken and water temp was 68 and I did not turn on the light at all. The past few months I got a new heater and started the light on a 4 hour a day cycle. Needless to say, I now have algae everywhere. I'd use copper based algaecides but I want to keep inverts and know they cannot tolerate copper.

 

[Orion7319]

I have kept freshwater and saltwater fish for most of my life. I have never been too successful with the saltwater fish. I am trying to get back into the hobby and resurrecting my 120 gallon tank. It has been running for the past 10 years or so but I have done nothing but feed it for the past 5. 0 water changes. Amazingly, I still have 2 clown fish and a couple inverts still alive. The reason I got discouraged was algae and Aiptasia. Today, for the first time in 5 years, I totally cleaned out the sump and added 25 fresh gallons of saltwater. Mostly because I had a handful of Aiptasia in the sump and am hoping dumping everything in the sump will finally rid me of these pests. Well, if the fish survive perhaps I will keep trying to change 25 gallons 3-4 times per week until I get what I assume is sky high nitrates down. Any other tips for algae control? I have no coral and never will again I never had any luck with them. The tank was algae free for 4 1/2 of the last five years because the heater was broken and water temp was 68 and I did not turn on the light at all. The past few months I got a new heater and started the light on a 4 hour a day cycle. Needless to say, I now have algae everywhere. I'd use copper based algaecides but I want to keep inverts and know they cannot tolerate copper.

It’s been a very long time since I kept a reef tank (over 20 years) so I know there have been tons of changes. I remember a good protein skimmer being essential. I also had my own RO filter and tank under my kitchen sink to add fresh water. Clean the tank a lot, do frequent water changes. Also put a lot of peppermint shrimp in the tank. I also vaguely remember having some sort of phosphate removing filter media that I used, but can’t really remember what it was. Also lighting is important. I remember having lights that the coral liked, but the algae didn’t supposedly. But a large protein skimmer and cleaning it several times a week and mixing up fresh salt in the RO water was the most important thing. It was way too much work, and took up way too much time, and was way too expensive, which is why I gave them up. Way way harder then keeping up a pool.

 

[Woodstock1234]

It's been a long time since I had fish and I never had saltwater. But I never changed the water. Get a fish or two that will eat the algae.

 

[PoolGate]

Algae eating fish doesn't really work. When you get algae especially in a saltwater tank, it covers every square inch of everything.

I have an RO station making up to 75 gallons per day. I also have a phos-ban reactor for removing phosphates. And I have a protein skimmer but don't use it. No corals so lighting doesn't matter but I do have an $800 ATI T5 coral light. Algae likes all light especially poor light like if it is near a window. Really, massive and frequent water changes are key but that is a lot of work.