I need help with algae

meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
OK....IDK what to do anymore....I do everything right (I think) and I have this brown slimey fuzz on my rocks :(
tests are good....calcium 460, ph 8, alk 2.86 (or 8), trates, trites or ammonia=0, phosphates...barely noticeable on card
temp 79-80
I run 2 MP40's, a Koralia 1400, koralia 1050, a Cascade canister with a flow bar that pushes water from right to left.....I have a sump/fuge, I run chemi-pure elite in the Cascade, I have a phosphate reactor that I run GFO in, I use phosphate pads in my drip tray in the sump....I have a hurricone 2ext skimmer
inhabitants
1 sailfin tang, 1 yellow tang, 1 blue hippo tang, 1 vlamingi tang, 2 green chromis, 2 perc clowns, 2 PJ cardinals, 1 bi-color pseudochromis, 1 bi-color blennie, 1 LMB, 1 flame angel, 1 coral beauty, 1 one spot foxface, 1 yellow coris wrasse, 1 blue cleaner wrasse, 1 mandarin, 1 yellow tail damsel
CUC= many various snails and conch, peppermint shrimp, cucumber, emerald crab
there are 2 BTA's, frogspawn, various ricordia, sps...softies...etc.....
I feed H20life frozen variety foods that I rinse each morning.....and algae sheets 2x a week
water changes bi-weekly (I am doing another this weekend)
I just changed the chemipure elite and GFo 2 WEEKS AGO
I run led lights that are new, BUT the algae was happening before them....and I am slowly acclimating them still
WHAT ELSE CAN I DO??????
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
Is this brown fuzz bothering anything in the tank? Is it spreading? Is it growing into more than fuzz?
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by spanko http:///t/390054/i-need-help-with-algae#post_3451739
Is this brown fuzz bothering anything in the tank? Is it spreading? Is it growing into more than fuzz?
YES...it grows on the corals and smothers them I think.....NO....it's barely a fuzz.....so manual removal is impossible...I tried to brush some off a birds nest skeleton....did not work
it's all on the rocks.....and I get a slight film on the back wall...but in spots
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
AL....It's not that kind of algae...and I really don;t know if I have room for anything else
I have to take my mom-in-law to the eye dr today....so will be gone a good part......I will check in if my phone behaves....LOL
I have water brewing for another w/c, and may do one tonight or tomorrow.....will see when I get home
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Flow. (I know, not the answer you wanted to hear). I had the same thing going on in my 155, and in the 180. I had to add another MP, change what setting it was running on and now it's gone. My back wall was covered in it, now the only remnants of it anywhere are on the MP's if I don't take the wet side off and clean them.
In the 155, I cheated, I added Marine Tank Clarifier. I'm not a fan of adding chemicals, but that stuff is a gift when you're at the end of your rope! I still use it here and there because it's around.
Just a side note, I cut back on VitaChem in their food, and that seemed to cut back on the amount of algae as well.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by meowzer http:///t/390054/i-need-help-with-algae#post_3451801
I might have to go for another MP 40
I'll keep my eyes open for you. The February meeting of my local reef club is going to be a yard sale style of fish tank things people have laying around the house, might have some luck there. People are always selling them on my local forum. If you find one there and they're not willing to ship, just let me know and paypal me the money, I'll pick it up for you if that's the route you want to go. I wish I had an extra one for you to try out and see if it solved the problem.
PM my husband, we recently changed what settings ours are ran on, and that helped a lot too.
The Marine Tank Clarifier (I think it's made by Kent, used to be Coralife) does help if you want to try the cheaper route first. My only fear is that the minute you stop dosing, it'll come right back because of a flow issue.
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Too many fish, not enough filtration...
Inknow you got all that phosban stuff, but you also need flow and clean the detritus out of your rocks and sump.
Algae scrubber wouldn't hurt. :)
 
luvmyreef

luvmyreef

Active Member
Meowzer, this is big tank syndrome LOL. Have you ever left your lights off on this tank for a day or so. It is helping mine. I left mine off today, and the sand looks much better already.... HEY BTLDreef, send an mp40 my way!! LOL :)
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by luvmyreef http:///t/390054/i-need-help-with-algae#post_3451846
Meowzer, this is big tank syndrome LOL. Have you ever left your lights off on this tank for a day or so. It is helping mine. I left mine off today, and the sand looks much better already.... HEY BTLLDreef, send an mp40 my way!! LOL :)
YES.....I have tried that.....and it did help when I was getting the reddish stuff on the sand.....
but I don't think you should have to keep doing it :(
 
luvmyreef

luvmyreef

Active Member
No, your right. But in my case, I don't think I left my lights out long enough and now I have the fx-5 to help. It may work for me this time. My problem cannot be flow. I have a huge amount in there.
 
luvmyreef

luvmyreef

Active Member
I know you have the fuzzy stuff like me, but now you have slimey too? Are we thinking cyano or dino, or what??? Does it get worse after the lights have been on all day?
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by luvmyreef http:///t/390054/i-need-help-with-algae#post_3451849
I know you have the fuzzy stuff like me, but now you have slimey too? Are we thinking cyano or dino, or what??? Does it get worse after the lights have been on all day?
NO, it's the same it has been, I jast have never really felt it....LOL....I know it is not cyano or dino......the rocks stay the same.....the sand gets some tan on it as the day goes on sometimes
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gemmy http:///t/390054/i-need-help-with-algae#post_3451851
Have either of you tested your magnesium?
I tried to......IDK if my test is bad or it's really high,......LOL.....I may have to buy a new test as the color never changed
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33 http:///t/390054/i-need-help-with-algae#post_3451820
Too many fish, not enough filtration...
Inknow you got all that phosban stuff, but you also need flow and clean the detritus out of your rocks and sump.
Algae scrubber wouldn't hurt. :)
I do not think I have too many fish......I do think I am at my limit though....LOL...I do frequent maintenance on this tank, SO I should be able to keep up with the load
IF the consensus is NOT enough filtration......I CAN buy another canister for the tank....I use to have a magnum on the other end of the tank.....I can get another cascade with flow bar that will aid in filtration AND flow
SO...OPINIONS PEEPS ON THAT IDEA?????
 
luvmyreef

luvmyreef

Active Member
No, get the fx-5 for better filtration. That thing is a beast!! Seriously. I love it. It pumps 900+ gallons an hour. Good flow on the return too. Adding more flow can't hurt. Try it and see how it goes. :) I also like to siphon off the rocks with a water change. It is better imo than basting it out into the water column.
 
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