Algae Control in the Reef Aquarium III-Green Algae Continued- Post 3

                

 When setting up a new reef environment, you will definitely encounter green filamentous algae of the order caulerpales including 45 genera and over 400 species.  They’ll typically begin to show up after a few weeks and thrive with good light and water flow.  If allowed to grow freely, they can easily cover the entire aquarium.  Aquarists used to think that this algae was a good sign of a healthy environment which we now

know is not correct; in fact the exact opposite is usually true.  Even though in small quantities they can be quite attractive, most aquarists believe that they should be avoided completely.  They thrive on nutrients that shouldn’t be present, can choke out corals, and when they die they release many compounds into the water that are toxic to fish and coral.  While they are present during the initial set up period, it is not

advisable to introduce any species that are particularly fragile, though it is the time to introduce herbivores that will help in its control.  Positioning the tank away from direct sunlight, adding kalkwasser during water changes (discussed later), keeping nutrient content as low as possible, and adding livestock that eat algae as a major food source are the best bets in controlling filamentous algae.  In the posts following the algae series we will discuss these types of livestock in depth.