HELP!! Need algae ID

[bish311]

Hi everyone, I've had this tank up and running forquite some time, but lack a variety of coral due to lack of funding. However, I recently started getting some algae growth with is threatining to kill the coral I have.

I checked my water levels and are all good.....including phosphates. I only have the lights on about 8 hours temp sits right at 80 and I feed every 3rd day. The only thing I do not have i a UV sterilizer. During my water changes I try to pick as much as I can out of the tank, but slowly it creeps right back in. I MUST empasize that this is NOT typical hair algae as it has a sort of vine. Anyways, I'm attaching pictures in hopes that someone can help me by telling me what it is and if anything eats it. All the algae seen is the same type.
Thanks!

 

[mcbdz]

Really need more info first. Need actual numbers of water paras. Lights and schedule, age and size of tank, filtration, LR/LS? and stock. also what is it you feed them? These answers help see the whole picture so maybe someone will see something that may help.

 

[bish311]

Originally Posted by mcbdz
Really need more info first. Need actual numbers of water paras. Lights and schedule, age and size of tank, filtration, LR/LS? and stock. also what is it you feed them? These answers help see the whole picture so maybe someone will see something that may help.

Water Paras from Monday
NOTE: readings are based off color matching cards
Ammonia = 0ppm
Phosphate = 0ppm
NO3 = somewhere between 0 - 5 ppm
NO2 = 0
Ph = 8.2
S.G. = 1.023
Lights = Two 150 watt 10,000K double-ended HQI metal halide lamps (Noon-10)
Two 96 watt True Actinic 03 Blue square-pin compact fluorescent lamps(Noon-10)
Three 1 watt Lunar Blue-Moon-Glow 470nm LED lamps(24hr)
Age = 2yr
Size = 72g
Filtration = 10g W/D w/bioballs w/Skimmer & a Fluval 304
LR=about 100lbs
Stock = 1 sebae w/clarkii
1 lemonpeel angel
1 lawnmower blemmy
Food = small pinch of prime reef #2 every three - four days
Usually do about 20% water change every month -month and a half using RO
Here's another pic of the tank

 

[yosemite sam]

There are a few maintanance things you can do to help. Ditch the bioballs and the fluval, they're not doing much for you. Unless you clean the fluval regularly, it's going to be trapping a lot of gunk. Your phosphates may test at 0, but that's because the algae is consuming it. You can also do water changes more frequently, say every 2-3 weeks. I would get better test kits as well. Salifert is a good brand many people use.
Also, how old are your MH and PC bulbs?

 

[mytank]

A few years ago I had a BIG green alge problem and againg due to lack of funds I am still running the fluval. Should the fluval tanks be cleaned at every water change in order to eliminate the problem. When or if I ever get enough money to buy decent equipment I will then do so at that time. But you know how it is, house repairs, tires, & car repairs, along with everyday living expenses for everyone. The hobbies kinda take a back burner.

 

[bish311]

Originally Posted by Yosemite Sam
There are a few maintanance things you can do to help. Ditch the bioballs and the fluval, they're not doing much for you. Unless you clean the fluval regularly, it's going to be trapping a lot of gunk. Your phosphates may test at 0, but that's because the algae is consuming it. You can also do water changes more frequently, say every 2-3 weeks. I would get better test kits as well. Salifert is a good brand many people use.
Also, how old are your MH and PC bulbs?
Thanks, I'll look into the different test kit.
As for the bulb age, they are about 6mo old, and I'm getting ready to replace them. Would phospate sponge make any difference if the levels are currently at 0? I guess it would slow down the growth.
If iI did ditch the bioballs what would you reccomend using instead?
The fluval I'm using to hold packages of biochem, carbon and phospate sponge, which is changed out along with the water changes, so I don't think that there are any problems there.

 

[yosemite sam]

Something like rowaphos or phosban may help. Like I said, just because you get a 0 on your phosphate test doesn't mean you don't have phosphates, the algae may be using it all.
You have a good amount of live rock, just take the bioballs out.

 

[derekc]

and from the first pic also you might wanna watch your corals too ...the first pick looks like a field of aiptasia growing that will definaely harm them corals!!!

 

[bish311]

Originally Posted by derekc
and from the first pic also you might wanna watch your corals too ...the first pick looks like a field of aiptasia growing that will definaely harm them corals!!!
Fortunately, I don't have aiptasia growing in the tank. (thas one thing I have going for me at least. I think what you were refering to was a sparse growth of star polyps. The picture doesn't show them green, but they are.
I'm going to start doing bi-weekly water and filter changes in hopes of killing the algae by starvation. But, I am still curious, does anyone know what type of algae is growing this is?

 

[bish311]

Originally Posted by Yosemite Sam
Something like rowaphos or phosban may help. Like I said, just because you get a 0 on your phosphate test doesn't mean you don't have phosphates, the algae may be using it all.
You have a good amount of live rock, just take the bioballs out.
Do you think that it would be beneficial to replace the bioballs with LR frags?
I'll post pictures of my filtration later this afternoon. so you know what my setup is.

 

[derekc]

oo ok sorry they kinda look like it from the picture...lol..i didnt see the green sorry my mistake....

 

[wishihadatank]

Yosemite Sam is dead on with his first comment. And you could reduce light time you originally said 8 hour intervals which is good. But then you said noon to 10 which is plenty

 

[bish311]

Well, I did a 20g water change last night and here is what I did in an attempt to slow/stop the spreadof the algae.
Throughly cleaned the gravel, and meved around some of the LR to get into areas I perviously hadn't gotten to. Sucked out a great deal of brown/green stuff by doing this.
Added a powerhead to increase flow.
Replaced all filter material.
Rinsed the bio balls. (I'm going to keep these until I get some LR frags to put in their place.)
Also, I removed the masses of coraline from the back of the tank. I know this might make matters worse, but I was a little tired of what it looked like.
Hopefully these actions will help. Here's a pic of what the tank looks like now and how my W/D is set up. The only thing not shown is the chiller. If anyone has reccos on ways I could improve this setup please let me know.