Algae how to control, stop and prevent it in your reef tank

ADVERTISING

LuxoGear Emergency Whistles with Lanyard

Shop now »

NOCO Genius GEN5X2, 2-Bank, 10A (5A/Bank) Smart Marine Battery Charger

Shop now »

RHINO USA Boat Trailer Transom Straps (2PK)

Shop now »

LUCKY Kayak Portable Fish Depth Finder

Shop now »

Seaview 180 V3 Full Face Snorkel Mask

Shop now »

Most popular comments
for Algae how to control, stop and prevent it in your reef tank

Live comments
Comments on YouTube

mattkavili - 6 years ago

Awesome video. My issue is the algae on the glass and sand bed. The greenish brown film that tends to crop up over night. The sand bed would be an easy fix if I could get a watchman Goby to stay in the tank but, the glass is impossible. The turbo snails just make tracks through it. It’s very unpleasant to go home to dirty glass everyday. I’ve done everything I can think of to reduce it. My nitrates are less then 5ppm, my light schedule is like 8 hours. The only thing I can think of is phosphate. I got a phosphate test kit coming and just ordered phosguard. Is anyone else having algae on the glass issues?

Miguel Floriano - 6 years ago

Very nice tank. wow

Who said Aqua? - 6 years ago

Hey man I’m setting up a 120, could I have 1 yellow, 1 kole, 1 sailfin?(I Will introduce them as juveniles at the same time.)

DR. Gonzo - 6 years ago

That’s not an ideal mashup. They will more than likely fight, stress, then breakout with ich.

Who said Aqua? - 6 years ago

Maybe a purple

Kyriacos Lambrianides - 6 years ago

thanks ...you are super.....from Cyprus.

MileHighReefers - 6 years ago

Thanks :) so cool to hear from Cyprus!

Phillip Hall - 6 years ago

Fantastic video thank you. I've been suffering with hair algae for a couple of months now but now after watching this I'm thinking is it diopsis algae. Would you say that a kole tang is the best solution? I've already started increasing my snails but doing it gradually rather than dumping loads in at once. I did have a magnificent foxface witch started to thin it out a bit then I got a nice biggish sailfin but that killed the foxface and was trying to kill my regal tang it ate my cleaner shrimp too so that had to go :( any more Ps My tank is 100 gallons. Any more advice would be greatly appreciated.

catherine peck - 6 years ago

do you hafto wash rock with saltwater why cant you just do it with RODI

MileHighReefers - 6 years ago

Thats what I did there's an old video on the channel explaining how I did it.

catherine peck - 6 years ago

i wish tangs stayed 10 cm i could have like 8 tangs in ky 90 beautiful tank is it high maintenance?

res1492 - 6 years ago

i dont even have a fish tank why am i watching this!!

Charles Silver - 6 years ago

Great episode chock full of info, thank you! Any suggestions on getting rid of red algae (other than the little white tube of powder - chemiclean)? I've had my 90 gallon reef for 15 years and have a ton of live rock and an old red sea skimmer. Admittedly, I have gotten lazy with water changes, and testing...not in years.. Contemplating adding a refugium, as I have a 30 gallon sump. And I just purchased two more powerheads and a wavemaker to add flow. Anything else you'd suggest??

MileHighReefers - 6 years ago

I personally hit it with Chemi Clean. It works great and doesn't harm the tank.

10. comment for Algae how to control, stop and prevent it in your reef tank

Johnny Carreiro - 6 years ago

What is that blue fish that looks like a trigger fish?

Johnny Carreiro - 6 years ago

MileHighReefers ok thx

MileHighReefers - 6 years ago

Johnny Carreiro Its a blue throat trigger.

The Salty Tropics YT - 6 years ago

I have a brown sail fin tang in my anemone tank

XxDestroyerXX - 6 years ago

Are there any fish or invertebrates that eat algae or that will clean it up?

XxDestroyerXX - 6 years ago

MileHighReefers thx

MileHighReefers - 6 years ago

Tangs, Blennies, fox face fish all eat algae. There are ton of inverts out there.

Aerocraft 9815 - 6 years ago

I have a question. I use a Brita water filter and filter out my tap water so it is pure. I tested it to make sure and the readings were 0 nitrate and 0 phosphates. I don't have a tds meter so I cannot check the total dissolved solids.

MileHighReefers - 6 years ago

Aerocraft 9815 Im not too fimalur with the process used by Brita to purify water. RODO is the gold standard for reef tanks and is what i recommend.

The Reef Tank Family - 6 years ago

Scott, great video. I have a plug coming your way coming soon regarding your awesome method you spoke with me about when doing a diy stand.

Carl Eckelman - 6 years ago

Should I worry about bubble algae in spots that I can not get too
I will add your kole tang and more emerald crabs
Thoughts on nopox or other

Carl Eckelman - 6 years ago

Awesome news

Half the bubble algae is gone in one day after adding 4 crabs and one kole tang

Great advice thanks again I will look you up when I drive through CO next

Your Albuquerque neighbors appreciates the advice

Carl Eckelman - 6 years ago

MileHighReefers
Ok I put in a kole tang and 4 emerald crabs . 112 gallon so I was not sure on amount of crabs
Thank you for responding

MileHighReefers - 6 years ago

I've never personally used nopox, but it has a great reputation. Algae is differently a concern I think in your situation upping the clean up crew is your best bet.

Allen D - 6 years ago

Hello mr. Scott Anderson this is a guy that has been watching you for years I've actually talk to you over the phone at one point in time but I would just like to ask you a question I have a MP40 quietdrive pump I tried to contact Ecotech Marine but they have not contact me as of yet I have a green and flashing light on the pump and it won't stop I bought a new website for it and everytime I try to connect the website to make it go it's stops but once nothing is on the other side it works perfectly what's going on I was just hoping maybe you knew some remedies on fixing the pump

MileHighReefers - 6 years ago

I hate to say it but I've never used an Ecotech pump. Hopefully they'll get in touch with you soon.

chase odom - 6 years ago

Your tank is amazing. When I’m an adult, I want a tank 300+ gallons. Can I keep a Kole tang in my 45 gallon?

Israel REEFER!!! - 6 years ago

45 would be to small for any tang bud

chase odom - 6 years ago

I have 2 clownfish and cleanup crew that’s it

Peter Rosson. - 6 years ago

I got a 10 foot long by 3 foot by 3 foot that I had running but shut it down but I want to start it back . What you think I should set it as , reef or fish

AusReef Guy - 6 years ago

nice little triggerfish !! he new ?,
how olds your sailfin ? there a beautiful tang.
great info to the point and well presented.. so thats the type of algae popping up in my tank .. bryopsis >:( was wondering how it was getting a foothold lol turns out its a uln algae .. go figure !? :S

20. comment for Algae how to control, stop and prevent it in your reef tank

Jake Leatherman - 6 years ago

Dude.. black doughnut approves.

Tons of info, great presentation, Editing, small clips showing everything your are talking about.

Very underrated video my friend. I can see a lot of work for this video. And I watched it twice lol.

Diane M - 6 years ago

I have a150 g. salt water reef tank and detritus or diatoms. I have increased water changes both amount of water and frequency.I vacuum the sandy substrate during the changes. All of my perimeters are fine. What can I do to get rid of the diatoms or detritus?

fish whistler - 6 years ago

tap water is perfectly ok ...HELLO

michoel goldin - 7 years ago

So much information packed in unbelievable

muffemod - 7 years ago

dry rock leach phosphates until it cures

Gene Harm - 7 years ago

Excellent discussion, totally agree

Robert P - 7 years ago

If you are not doing water changes what do you dose for trace elements? Calcium reactor?

MileHighReefers - 7 years ago

CA reactor does it for me :) at least it seems to I would need an ICP test to verify it.

D Sonye - 7 years ago

Great info

John DiCaterino - 7 years ago

I'm using CaribSea LifeRock.have you used it before?

MileHighReefers - 7 years ago

Its great stuff!

jedi ways - 7 years ago

I had issues with Emerald crabs and had to remove them
I think there are only particular corals they get a taste for.
Good vid on algae

Rob Youl - 7 years ago

Great video. I seem to recall you mentioning in previous videos that you run a turf algae scrubber but unless I zoned out I don't think you covered that at all in this video?

MileHighReefers - 7 years ago

I did mention it briefly. It works great!

30. comment for Algae how to control, stop and prevent it in your reef tank

laminar flow - 7 years ago

Nice detailed coverage of a very important topic!

Gaz Jones - 7 years ago

Great video Scott!

ReeferGil - 7 years ago

Most excellent info Scott.

googIereallysucks - 7 years ago

What test do you use for phosphate?

MileHighReefers - 7 years ago

I use salifert I really want to try a Hana checker.

Santa Monica Filtration - 7 years ago

The full monty! (I mean the full system) :)

MileHighReefers - 7 years ago

LOL Love it

Malgorzata Kowalczyk - 7 years ago

Hi Scott - great stuff. One point. I will only run skimmer (no GFO no Carbon or pellets.) If tank runs OK, all these elements are redundant. That I did after 3 years of running tank - best decision I made ;). Cheers - keep going.

MileHighReefers - 7 years ago

There are many ways to run a tank and if it ant broke don't fix it.

Mo's Soft Coral Reef Tank - 7 years ago

as always smashing video Scott good job man .

MileHighReefers - 7 years ago

Thanks!

Lee and Mandy Battersby - 7 years ago

Great vid im having a hair algae outbreak in my 65 litre tank going to have to get more clean up crew

Jose Guzman - 6 years ago

I took care of the hair algae with vodka. Dosing vodka killed all my algae and dropped my phosphate really quick. I dose 3ml every day to a 150g with 40g sump.

MileHighReefers - 7 years ago

Cleaning crews can make a huge difference.

Heather Proud - 7 years ago

Very helpful,thanks!

Brian - 7 years ago

Excellent video, great info as usual. Thank You Scott

TheFishkickass - 7 years ago

Get an Achilles Tang

MileHighReefers - 7 years ago

That would be epic

Terrance Gilmore - 7 years ago

I too am a fan of a huge fuge. I have no PO4 or NO3, 40 gallon fuge full of macro algae

CUBAN REEFER - 7 years ago

Awesome tank brother and very good video

benjy468 - 7 years ago

Only way Ive had a tank with zero algae and virtually no cleanup crew was using zeovit. Its just too expensive and time consuming imo.

MileHighReefers - 7 years ago

I haven't personally tried Zeovit, but its intriguing.

Eric Kemp - 7 years ago

I adddd a pin cushion sea urchin and a flame angelfish. Havent seen algae in over six months.

smith john - 7 years ago

Please do a deep review of urchins. I'm finding it hard to find info on them. Even on forums. I want my short spine pencil urchin to thrive.

MileHighReefers - 7 years ago

That's a great idea!

Ash Greninja MLG pro gamer - 7 years ago

Hey scott i was wondering i want 3 zebrazoma tangs in my 125 gallon tank i want a desjardini tang yellow tang and scoaps tang i know quarantineing tangs is important will i have to qt them all at the same time? Or will they all fight to the death thanks for the advice!

Ash Greninja MLG pro gamer - 7 years ago

MileHighReefers ok will a 40 gallon breeder be big enough?

MileHighReefers - 7 years ago

Ideally you will QT all 3 in separate tanks. If your QT is big enough you could try some dividers to separate them. If you put them all in the same QT you might be OK but have a back up plan.

Mauricio Cañon - 7 years ago

your aquarium looks stunning

Channel Chupathingee - 7 years ago

Nice vid man can't wait for the next one

My Reef Life - 7 years ago

Great talk. Thanks for sharing!

50. comment for Algae how to control, stop and prevent it in your reef tank

Scott From Rosco's Reef - 7 years ago

so much great information Scott and by the results in your tank there is no doubt they work. Awesone video buddy.

Daniel Yepez - 7 years ago

Awesome vid Scott! Watched this before heading to the hospital to do my volunteer rounds. Def a great start to the morning :D

Stephen Smith - 7 years ago

good job, thanks

gord oland - 7 years ago

Great video!

reef curtains - 7 years ago

very informative per usual. thanks for all the knowledge you share

Chris Groves - 7 years ago

Great video Scott, very informative! Thanks

Ghia Power - 7 years ago

great video as always, the soft sweeping long corals on your left and right side mid part of reef is it singularia?

Ghia Power - 7 years ago

yours looks awesome keep up the great work

MileHighReefers - 7 years ago

They are singularia love this coral

MileHighReefers - 7 years ago

Thanks Rad! I love the yellow eye kole tangs.

vision robs Aquatics - 7 years ago

great video enjoyed watching thank goodness I have no algae issues at all

About Algae how to control, stop and prevent it in your reef tank

The "Algae how to control, stop and prevent it in your reef tank" video is part of the reef tank, salt water category, which contains similar videos like this one.