Moved Out Most Of My Coral

[nxb161]

Well the algae in my 29G has finally gotten to me. I took out just about all the coral and moved it to my 38G tank. The only two I left was the Xenia (mainly because it is all in the nooks and cranies of an algae ridden rock) and a red mushroom that firmly in place. Another concern is for my clown fish who is in love with the hammer coral I took out. Also does a lettuce nudibranch need a lot of light? I couldn't remember if they got any food from photosynthesis. I changed my lighting schedule to 4 hours a day to see if that'll cut it back (hair algae with a touch of cyano) In the past weeks I took out the bioballs (replaced w/ rock rubble), changed to carbon w/ phosphate remover. I also started out this tank with well water, all RO/DI now. I'm hoping knocking back the light will help wipe out the hair algae quicker. I also have some chaeto in there, will that survive on 4hours a day light? Thanks for any info you can give me.
Oh, ammonia and nitrite 0, nitrate around 10. I realize the algae itself skew those results since they are surviving by consuming something

 

[cmor1701d]

Algae lives on phosphate, nitrates, and light (depenidng on species).
The clown will be fine. The nudibranch doens't need much light, but it does need some. Is it chowing down the HA?

You have made a lot of changes in that tank recently. Now sit back and give those changes a chance to work.

 

[nxb161]

I have an urchin and nudibranch that both go where-ever. I see them everywhere, where the algae is, and where there is none. I have them just because I think they're cool, not to try to bandaid the situation. (had to pause here) one of the lovebirds flew out of the cage, thankfully its one of the hand-raised ones, ok back in the cage now. Yeah, a lot of changes... all good ones I hope in the end. Another one I would like to do....I bought very fine sand...wouldn't mind replacing it with something a little more coarse. It was the "live" fine aragonite. But I'm getting ahead of myself. I'll just watch and see how everything does. The coral I moved are all open in the 38G. The fish are begging for food in the dark. So far so good, now the algae just needs to do a vanishing act

 

[ryshark]

I have an urchin and nudibranch that both go where-ever. I see them everywhere, where the algae is, and where there is none. I have them just because I think they're cool, not to try to bandaid the situation. (had to pause here) one of the lovebirds flew out of the cage, thankfully its one of the hand-raised ones, ok back in the cage now. Yeah, a lot of changes... all good ones I hope in the end. Another one I would like to do....I bought very fine sand...wouldn't mind replacing it with something a little more coarse. It was the "live" fine aragonite. But I'm getting ahead of myself. I'll just watch and see how everything does. The coral I moved are all open in the 38G. The fish are begging for food in the dark. So far so good, now the algae just needs to do a vanishing act

If your coral are in another tank with light for them then why not go completely lights out in your main tank? That will kill the hair algae for sure. Meanwhile make sure to get your parameter in check with what you have already been doing and also some water changes. If your nitrates register 10 with all that hair algae in there, they are probably pretty high. Any idea what your phosphate measures?

 

[melosu58]

Have you tried siphoning out as much of the hair algea as you can during your PWC`s? If not try doing that. Manuel removal will help alot.

 

[ryshark]

If the xenia dies in the main tank from the lights out, that may actually be good. I have seen and read a lot about xenia growing and spreading like an unwanted weed and then the person wishes they never put it in the tank. Your fish would be fine.