Getting rid of this algae (pics)

subielover

subielover

Active Member
Ok, tank has been set-up for close to 3 months. I am using ro water for both top-offs and water changes. I change 3 gallons every week. Using seachem reef salt. I don't have a phosphate test, but I did run phosguard a few weeks ago, for maybe 4-5 days but it didn't seem to help. I feed every other day, I have 2 fish, a clown and a sixline. I have various corals. My clean up crew consists of 3 nassarius, 5 cerith snails, 1 turbo, and a lot of stomatella that came as hitchhikers. What should I do?
It seems I have a few different kinds of algae going here, I think I have hair and maybe calupera, not sure though. I also do have a small fuge set-up in the 2nd chamber with chaeto.





My full tank shot.

Please help any advice is appreciated. Also not sure if it matters but temp is between 80-81 and my specific gravity is 1.025-1.026. Thanks for looking.
 
V

vinnyraptor

Guest
do you have room for a tang? how bout a lawnmower blenny? can you take the rock out and scrub it?
Originally Posted by subielover
http:///forum/post/2794992
Ok, tank has been set-up for close to 3 months. I am using ro water for both top-offs and water changes. I change 3 gallons every week. Using seachem reef salt. I don't have a phosphate test, but I did run phosguard a few weeks ago, for maybe 4-5 days but it didn't seem to help. I feed every other day, I have 2 fish, a clown and a sixline. I have various corals. My clean up crew consists of 3 nassarius, 5 cerith snails, 1 turbo, and a lot of stomatella that came as hitchhikers. What should I do?
It seems I have a few different kinds of algae going here, I think I have hair and maybe calupera, not sure though. I also do have a small fuge set-up in the 2nd chamber with chaeto.





My full tank shot.

Please help any advice is appreciated. Also not sure if it matters but temp is between 80-81 and my specific gravity is 1.025-1.026. Thanks for looking.
 
stdreb27

stdreb27

Active Member
Don't add a fish just to address algae. Besides that is a nano. No tang or lawnmower for you.
That much algae means a water quality issue. So you need to address that. There is a couple things that you can really do. one you're already doing, which is the ro/di system. Another is over feeding.
I'd bet you your PO4 would measure pretty high, (unless the algea is already consuming it.) I'd recomend you test for that. Cut out the lights for a couple days, then pull your rock out and brush it then rinse it with old tank water. And put it back in. You might also consider media to reduce the PO4. Another option would be to check out this idea. https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/330606/mega-powerful-nitrate-and-phosphate-remover-replaces-skimmer-refugium-everything This may work. (his claims are way over the top) but I do like the concept.
 
subielover

subielover

Active Member
Yeah, I am going to get a test for phosphates hopefully this week. I did cut back my lighting already, but if I need to do more that is what I will do. Do you think I can remove the rocks that have zoas on them and scrub them and put them back in?
Also as far as fish, the last fish that I will be adding is a bicolor blenny, do you think he will help at all. That is not the reason I am getting him but just wondering. Thanks for the insight by the way.
 
subielover

subielover

Active Member
Thanks again spanko, I did respond in that thread as well. This is very frustrating, I am going to aggressively remove as much as I can on my next water change, which may be moved up to tomorrow night. I will also reduce the amount that I am feeding, as I am already feeding once every other day. I run my actinic lights for 11 hours a day and my 10k bulbs for 6 hours a day. I don't know if I said this previously but I do have chemi-pure elite, which supposedly has ferric oxide to help with phosphates and purigen. Any other suggestions.
 
stdreb27

stdreb27

Active Member
As long as you scrub around the zoas, it would be ok. And they aren't out of water for more than a few minutes. Although personally I would try to address other issues before trying to scrub the rocks with zoas.
 
notsonoob

notsonoob

Member
You can nuke it or let it eat itself out nitrates.
Cutting back on feeding will also be a big help to keep future outbreaks to happen
You can play games with adjusting lighting times until you pull out your hair in frutility.
When it comes to that, and it is all over your rocks, the only recourse is really a chemical bomb. Then you have to make sure you clean all of the dead algea out.
I'm not sold on Calperia as Cheato as a better scrubber.
Sounds like your in the middle of your new tank "break in" period. Dont' worry, every tank goes through that. Best advice I recieved was just let it grow and kill itself off. Fish create waste and waste makes your nitrates rise.
I also agree 100% with stdreb27. Don't add anything until you solve your water issue. I would also test your RO water for nitrates and phosphates. Is it your own or do you buy it?
 
subielover

subielover

Active Member
I have been buying premixed sw and ro from my lfs, but I have never tested them prior to using them
I am going to start buying distilled and mixing my own salt, starting in 2 weeks or so(I'm broke.) This way I can at least know that I am not adding any phosphates, I will also start to try and feed less. I have a feeling it was the water I was using, because like I said I already feed every other day and I really don't feed that much. Everything is usually eaten in a couple minutes. I will keep everyone posted, thanks for all the help it is much appreciated.

This tank is a Biocube 14 by the way, sorry for not pointing that out in the first thread.
 
stdreb27

stdreb27

Active Member
yeah, you really never know about some water, you really need to test it first. But my tank had a massive bloom, a month ago. And I've been trying to suck every nutrient out of my tank, and I'm finally turning the corner...
 
emilaya101

emilaya101

Member
I would say it's the water. Next time you do a w/c, test the lfs water to see what the readings are to begin with, before it even goes in the tank. I started my 55 with tap water, and I had the worst algae problem imaginable, after I realized how bad for the tank it was, I decided to test the tap water and the nitrates were like 20-40 in the water BEFORE i even put it into the tank
 
mcbdz

mcbdz

Active Member

Keep up with frequent water changes. Also this has worked for me with great success. Remove as much by hand and then physically place your turbo snail on the areas that need cleaning. Every morning find him and place him where you want him to clean. They do a great job, they just don't always go where you want them.
I bet you'll be lookin' better in a week. Also I bet your Phosphates are up. I had to tell the LFS around here they had High levels in their water. They may filter their water but don't keep up with the maintance on the filters.
Pattie
 
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