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6 Reef Tank Nuisance Algae and How to Beat Them

Tidal Gardens

28,504 views

Most of the "algae" that give reef tanks trouble aren't actually algae. This video covers the most common ones, diatoms, dinoflagellates, cyanobacteria, hair algae, bryopsis, and bubble algae, and goes through what each one is, why it's a problem, and how to treat it.

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This video was shot and edited by Tidal Gardens. Tidal Gardens owns all intellectual property rights to this content.

0:00 Introduction
0:17 Hair Algae
3:24 Bryopsis
5:57 Dinoflagellates
10:16 Red Slime
14:07 Valonia
17:07 Diatoms

20 Comments

@tidalgardens Creator 1 month ago Pinned

Which of these has given you the most trouble?

@imalexodell 1 month ago (edited)

Not the video we wanted, but the one we needed…well, me anyway.

@douglasachaiba7885 1 month ago (edited)

This man is so good. Explains it, gives real life examples and experiences. I never skip a second of these detailed breakdowns. Thanks Than !!!! My toughest one is dinos by a long shot. I've had them twice from dropping phosphate to zero. After those battles, I no longer use GFO or any phosphate reducing media. I let my phosphate drift where they are comfortable. Most times for me it's 0.2 to 0.5.

@IndoorEcosystem 1 month ago

The best video on this topic! Thank you as always!

@batman6540 1 month ago

I use Dino M to get rid of most algae issues, then get nitrates and po4 imbalance in order and do a ICP test.

@lukeallen3137 1 month ago

Targeted injection of Hydrogen Peroxide works well against small patches of cyanobacteria too. Lifts it right up to the surface after a minute.

@michaelcurle3133 1 month ago

Pithos crabs are the best attack for bubble algea besides the fish. Every emerald crab ive bought has never touched bubble algea.

@Reefrugab 1 month ago

Great video!
In my aquariums , the most complicated algae was dynnoflagelates because it was a lot aggressive. However, it wasn’t common.

@awesomo4000v2 1 month ago

Love seeing tiny baby urchins.
Can't wait for an update on them

@martinw8635 1 month ago (edited)

Couldn't get rid off cyano for years, even after using a product. Then when I moved all my coral and rocks into another tank, neither tank has cyano any more 🤷

My tailspot blenny loooves eating diatoms all day. I only clean my glass once a week so the tailspot always has a supply to keep its belly full. The tailspot does a really decent job keeping the glass clean for me anyway.

@puhhhh 1 month ago

a Dolabella sea hare was amazing for me when i had a hair algea problem. He cleaned the tank in like 3 weeks

@bubblebaath7840 1 month ago

Recently discovered why people put such an emphasis on nutrients, I never thought much about it, basically never tested it and everything was fine and healthy enough that I was happy but then I had a turf algae outbreak so I’ve been increasing nutrient levels to help other bacteria out compete it, now all my sps is unhappy and all my LPs is doing the best they ever have

@queencityreefs 1 month ago

One of the best channels in the industry 💯🙌🏻🪸👏🏻🔥👌🏻

@luckyday4134 1 month ago

Razor for bad bubble algae and ozone with a shmig of peroxide for stubborn Dino’s with a orp controller

@nick_timberreef 1 month ago

For me, best fish to have in a reef is a Scat fish. They devour all algea, any aptiasha, sponges etc. They are machines. Once tank is clean, pull em out, they will eat all softies when they cant free graze

@Cinrea13 1 month ago

i have a tailspot that eats some of the algae in my tank. I'm not sure what type of algae it is (looks like feather algae or bryopsis). Love the flow it gives to the tank but I'm making a refugium to house it as i don't want it growing on my macros. Defs caused by heavy imbalance in my system that I've been straightening out

@californiacastin 1 month ago

I’ve been having an issue with what I believe is blue clove polyp, some like them, I do not… they are smothering some of my newer frags and leading to loss.. could you cover that topic possibly? There are some videos out there but don’t cover it in depth. Awesome videos as always!

Thanks, Cub.

@salty_systems 1 month ago

In my old tank I've had a green monticap that was overgrowing valonia algae.😅 but sadly it was overgrowing acros too.

For tangs my zebrasoma did munch on it after he turned 12. However I've had the impression that algae eaters tend to eat more algae if the iodine levels are a bit lower ~50ug if iodine is high >70ug the algae got more (could have been enhanced growth as well)

@PeeWee4ever 1 month ago

Emerald crabs seem to just spread the bubble bubble algae. The only thing that seems to actually consume it completely are urchins. The problem is that the bubble algae wedges itself into tiny cracks and crevices, so they urchins can't get into those areas unfortunately. I'm learning that this is one algae I'm just going to have to live with. There's nothing I can do to completely get rid of it, so relying on herbivores, urchins, and crabs to just sort of control it is all I can do.