Glass Algae Problems.

[Alan16ac]

I have constant issues with Algae on my glass. It's really annoying. A small film seems to build in only one day. It needs cleaning near enough every other day to give a clear view of the tank. If I left it a week, it gets completely green.
I've reduced my lit hours to 7 a day. I only feed once every three days, and even then I only feed slowly and watch them eat to ensure nothing is left rotting.
It's a Red Sea Max 130D with a Tunze 9002, which produces a fair amount of skimmate. I have Stevie T's media rack which has RowaCarbon, RowaPhos, Purigen and Filter Floss in it. The Filter Floss is changed every other day.
My parameters are as follows with the test kits used listed too.
Phosphates - 0.04ppm (Elos Phosphate HR)
Ammonia - 0ppm (Salifert)
Nitrite - 0ppm (Salifert)
Nitrate - 1ppm (Salifert)
Salinity - 1.025 (TMC V2 Refractometer)
My PH always seems a little low at 7.8, tested again with Salifert.

Tank inhabitants are...
1 x Percula Clown
1 x Royal Gramma
1 x Yasha Goby
1 x Pistol Shrimp
2 x Harlequin Shrimp
1 x Cleaner Shrimp

Yesterday I bought my first Coral, a Euphyllia Torch Coral, which seems to be doing very well.
I bought a Regal Tang too, which is only about 1.5CM in length, never seen them that small. I hope to have a larger tank set up for him when he grows too big. If not I'll find a new home.

Any ideas what I can do to assist with this nuisance algae. My tank does receive sunlight, but all the rooms in my house are very well lit with big windows. There's no escaping it

Meant to add, I have about 25 KG of Live Rock, 21KG is properly matured Live Rock, the other 4KG I added about a month ago as dead rock, which is seeding. I've always had the Glass Algae issue, it's not a new problem.

Along with the green film, this brown stuff seems to grow too. What is it?!
http://s36.photobucket.com/user/Alan16ac/media/RSM%20130D/F0D3F804-8930-441E-B430-2C82D66B9FF1_zpssc0xnqit.jpg.html'>

[Herbie]

Just a few asy questions for you .........

Where is your water coming from ? Do you know the TDS of the water you are adding to the tank ? How old is the tank ?

 

Also, in the picture ..............sorry to say but thats not algae . Looks like flatworms to me.

 

 

Herbie

[sean1986]

Hey there, cant help much on the algae on the glass issue. I have the same problem in my tank but it takes a couple days to get bad. I don't mind giving my tank the attention to keep it clean though.

 

but if my eyes aren't playing tricks on me that picture you posted looks like a lot of flat worms, and im no expert on flat worms. haven't had them in my tank but if I recall correctly the brown ones are bad.

[joy13]

Those look like flatworms eeewww I hate them with a passion.

 

The algae sounds like a growing pain tanks go threw them until they are about 3 to 5 years old I have found. If it is easily scraped off then it is just a film algae it if hard to scrape off it is the beginning of coraline algae.

[Dramad1]

What are your tank temps? Could be a contributing factor

[Alan16ac]

My water is 0TDS made with a 4 stage RO/DI system at home.

Oh dear, what are flatworms?

Ohhh poo. They are actually moving along the glass if you watch long enough, and worse. On close inspection, they're EVERYWHERE. What do I do?

[Herbie]

Flatworm eXit , and have alot of carbon on hand, and prepare to do a good size water change.

 

Or .............

 

Get a wrasse to keep them in check. Yellow Coris will eat them up !

[Alan16ac]

It would seem Flatworm Exit is not available here in the UK. Why do you say have carbon on hand? I'm preparing a water change now as I'm going to try and syphon some of the buggers off.

[ninjamyst]

siphon out as much flatworms as you can. get a fish that eats flatworms.

 

as for algae, what's your CUC? this sounds like a new tank so algae in the beginning is expected. a good CUC will take care of them. what's your water change schedule?

[joy13]

Here in US there is a product called flatworm exit. It does work but it doesn't work really great when you have as many as you do. When the flatworms die they give off a toxin that can nuke a tank. When you do water changes take a piece of airline tubing and use that to suck as many as you can up. Reduce your lights actually does help. The best fish I have had to take care of them is a yellow coris wrasse. My sixline never touched them. I have blue devil that eats them but I don't recommend one for your tank. I actually got a rock that was infested with them, I dosed the tank every 3 or 4 days for a couple of months. They kept coming back I knew I liked yellow coris wrasses so I got another one. They are JUMPERS that is how I lost my first one.

http://www.melevsreef.com/node/651

 

[Alan16ac]

The tank is still fairly new but it has been running for 11 months now. My CUC are about 6 Blue legged hermits, 4 Trochus Snails, 4 Astrea Snails, 1 large Turbo Snail. I water change every week with 0TDS RO/DI water mixed with Red Sea Coral Pro Salt.

[Herbie]

It would seem Flatworm Exit is not available here in the UK. Why do you say have carbon on hand? I'm preparing a water change now as I'm going to try and syphon some of the buggers off.

Carbon with soak up some the toxins when the flatworks die when using Flatworm eXit , and it will soak up the Flatworm eXit when you are done.

 

If you cant get Flatworm Exit in the UK , get a Yellow Coris Wrasse .

[Alan16ac]

Carbon with soak up some the toxins when the flatworks die when using Flatworm eXit , and it will soak up the Flatworm eXit when you are done.

 

If you cant get Flatworm Exit in the UK , get a Yellow Coris Wrasse .

Is this the only type of Wrasse you'd recommend, or are there others?

[Herbie]

Is this the only type of Wrasse you'd recommend, or are there others?

 

Other wrasses are hit or miss .........a Yellow Coris is almost a sure thing that it will eat up the flatworms (and most other foods too) .

[Alan16ac]

Thanks. I've just done a water change, and siphoned loads out!

http://s36.photobucket.com/user/Alan16ac/media/RSM%20130D/3B525F04-9AE3-4A72-8FB1-5F1940AC7061_zpsvcoomfm4.jpg.html'>

[Eisernes]

Holy hell that's a bunch of flatworms.

 

I think most wrasses MAY eat flatworms but no guarantee that the one you buy will. I have a male and female red head salon pair. I got a few flatworms from a coral. The male made short work of them. The female didn't touch them.

[Alan16ac]

If I do decide to order some Flatworm Exit, how do I use the carbon. I'm running an RSM 130D with a Tunze 9002 and Stevie T's media rack. In the rack I have RowaCarbon, RowaPhos and Purigen.

Would I take all these out? Use the treatment, then add just carbon to the media rack? If so, which carbon do you recommend?

[Alan16ac]

Went to my LFS today. I really don't want a Wrasse, they look too big for my tank and it's not in my plans. So I've ordered Flatworm Exit and some carbon...