Algae and managing nutrients

[discostew]

Hey all. I have a 4 month old 50 gallon tank. A few fish, softies, and lps. I have had some mild ugly phase, bright green on rock.

over the past few weeks i have been intermittently getting some what i believe green hair algae. Some not all corals are upset with it. It doesn’t look that bad on rocks but clove polyps and gsp aren’t happy. H202 dip on the clove polyps worked well but i don’t want to do that a lot.
I started dosing all for reef a few weeks ago.
Temp 78, salinity 35, ammonia 0, nitrate 0, ph 8.2 alk 8.3 don’t have phos. Nitrates were 5 prior to algae issues. Only have 2 fish adding more. Feed 2x a day pinch of flakes and piece of mysis cube. Snails and cleaner shrimp.
I do 10% water changes every week.
Occasionally dose phyto and reef roids

my question is, is the algae consuming all the nitrate? Would feeding more make it worse? Should i slow down on water changes?
Or just ride it out. I’m just worried my gsp will die as it has already shrun due to algae or increase in alk.

the algae is a little longer/worse at night

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Hey all. I have a 4 month old 50 gallon tank. A few fish, softies, and lps. I have had some mild ugly phase, bright green on rock.

over the past few weeks i have been intermittently getting some what i believe green hair algae. Some not all corals are upset with it. It doesn’t look that bad on rocks but clove polyps and gsp aren’t happy. H202 dip on the clove polyps worked well but i don’t want to do that a lot.
I started dosing all for reef a few weeks ago.
Temp 78, salinity 35, ammonia 0, nitrate 0, ph 8.2 alk 8.3 don’t have phos. Nitrates were 5 prior to algae issues. Only have 2 fish adding more. Feed 2x a day pinch of flakes and piece of mysis cube. Snails and cleaner shrimp.
I do 10% water changes every week.
Occasionally dose phyto and reef roids

my question is, is the algae consuming all the nitrate? Would feeding more make it worse? Should i slow down on water changes?
Or just ride it out. I’m just worried my gsp will die as it has already shrun due to algae or increase in alk.

the algae is a little longer/worse at night

Do you have white light? either sunlight or aquarium lighting? If so, get rid of it

Use care with hydrogen peroxide... we got some on corals and death spread across it like wildfire over couple days - it was sad. Know H2O2 works for some but now terrified of it.

Vibrant can work, but IF you have macroalgae (not mentioned) in our experience ALL other algaes including macro go first, then green hair algae at about 3 months into battle (war #1)

scrub, scrub, scrub and siphon is your friend and best solution

nitrates, phosphates and light (white and some say also red & green light) are fuel for algae

don't understand why 'water changes' would be 'slowed down' ... in our case we actually did more water changes during the worst of green hair algae war #2 as we scrubbed and siphoned out water and byproduct of that was water changes

You'll get to other side.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Any pics of tanks under wjite lights?
Generally algae is supported by elevated Phosphate, even nitrate and light not to mention inorganics. Once I cab see pics and identify- can offer a plan of attack

 

[discostew]

Thanks. 10% white for aesthetics. I dilute the h202. It’s on a rack right now but i want to put it down and glue it. My rock isn’t really removable. Scrub with a brush while I’m tank? I have a free bottle of vibrant but haven’t used. Trying to hold off.
Will post pics when i get home.

 

[discostew]

 

[Garf]

Lol, that’s just new tank stuff, ie normal. Snails, maybe an urchin will love that.

 

[Reefbuds]

Get you a few different varieties of Snails. Turbos do great but others will eat different kinds of algae. A well rounded clean up crew would do wonders for you. Will have that tank clean in a week or two.

 

[discostew]

Thanks. Have 2 turbos nesarrius, 1 tiger conch a few hermits. The only one that will go near the clove is the cleaner shrimp. For some reason the turbos don’t like the rock that much. Considering urchin but worried about my shrooms and racked frags being tossed around.

 

[Garf]

Do you have white light? either sunlight or aquarium lighting? If so, get rid of it

Use care with hydrogen peroxide... we got some on corals and death spread across it like wildfire over couple days - it was sad. Know H2O2 works for some but now terrified of it.

Vibrant can work, but IF you have macroalgae (not mentioned) in our experience ALL other algaes including macro go first, then green hair algae at about 3 months into battle (war #1)

scrub, scrub, scrub and siphon is your friend and best solution

nitrates, phosphates and light (white and some say also red & green light) are fuel for algae

don't understand why 'water changes' would be 'slowed down' ... in our case we actually did more water changes during the worst of green hair algae war #2 as we scrubbed and siphoned out water and byproduct of that was water changes

You'll get to other side.

You do know what vibrant is, I assume?

 

[discostew]

I do! Just trying to avoid chemicals when I can. Not opposed to it, just assessing my options as I’m new to the hobby.

 

[Garf]

I do! Just trying to avoid chemicals when I can. Not opposed to it, just assessing my options as I’m new to the hobby.

Good. However I was addressing my reply to someone else. And your right, it appears it’s a chemical not a bacteria, as sold.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Surface algae and some hair algae.
Reduce white light intensity and assure nitrates and phosphates are not elevated or becomming elevated.
The following snails and other listed will take this down:
Nassarius
astrea
turbo grazer
cerith
Trochus

Pin cushion urchin

Is tank at or near a window?
Are you using RODI or Tap water from the faucet?
What test Kits are you using ?

 

[Garf]

Algae grows even at super low nutrient levels, that’s their job. Hair algae teams up with bacteria that releases N and P on their surface from dissolved organic matter (which in turn obtain algae derived sugars), which makes waterborne nutrient measurement a bit pointless, with regard to algae growth, at least.

 

[discostew]

Surface algae and some hair algae.
Reduce white light intensity and assure nitrates and phosphates are not elevated or becomming elevated.
The following snails and other listed will take this down:
Nassarius
astrea
turbo graze

Pin cushion urchin

Is tank at or near a window?
Are you using RODI or Tap water from the faucet?
What test Kits are you using

Surface algae and some hair algae.
Reduce white light intensity and assure nitrates and phosphates are not elevated or becomming elevated.
The following snails and other listed will take this down:
Nassarius
astrea
turbo grazer
cerith
Trochus

Pin cushion urchin

Is tank at or near a window?
Are you using RODI or Tap water from the faucet?
What test Kits are you using ?

I have all those snails, 1 astrea that doesn’t do much. And a couple trochus.
Windo has slight light in the morning but never direct. Location change or curtains are not really doable.

rodi tds 0 water
Red Sea nitrates ph
Hannah alk
I don’t really check for ammonia anymore.

 

[Garf]

I have all those snails, 1 astrea that doesn’t do much. And a couple trochus.
Windo has slight light in the morning but never direct. Location change or curtains are not really doable.

rodi tds 0 water
Red Sea nitrates ph
Hannah alk
I don’t really check for ammonia anymore.

Your tank is normal for 4 months. Copepods could help out.

 

[discostew]

Your tank is normal for 4 months. Copepods could help out.

Thanks. Ya i did some pods after 1 month. The thrived for like 2-3 weeks got numerous. Fed phytoplankton. Then they disappeared after 2 days. Don’t think it was the fish. May try again. Just weird that so many would disappear so quickly. They should be able to sustain without much predation right? Maybe i wasn’t feeding them enough? 10 ml phyto a day.

 

[Garf]

Thanks. Ya i did some pods after 1 month. The thrived for like 2-3 weeks got numerous. Fed phytoplankton. Then they disappeared after 2 days. Don’t think it was the fish. May try again. Just weird that so many would disappear so quickly. They should be able to sustain without much predation right? Maybe i wasn’t feeding them enough? 10 ml phyto a day.

Dunno, do your pods filter the water or do they eat stuff off hard surfaces? Lots of folks add foods that are inappropriate. Even experienced folk.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have all those snails, 1 astrea that doesn’t do much. And a couple trochus.
Windo has slight light in the morning but never direct. Location change or curtains are not really doable.

rodi tds 0 water
Red Sea nitrates ph
Hannah alk
I don’t really check for ammonia anymore.

I asked about window as even indirect sunlight can trigger this. Moving tank generally not an option (agreed) and UV can penetrate shades/curtains. If its hitting side of the tank, you can block with black construction paper. This occurs as does Diatoms but you dont want it to overtake tank.
Surprised your cleaners havent addressed any of it. For the amount in the pics, I wouldn't suggest sea hare but urchin will sure take it down

 

[Garf]

I asked about window as even indirect sunlight can trigger this. Moving tank generally not an option (agreed) and UV can penetrate shades/curtains. If its hitting side of the tank, you can block with black construction paper. This occurs as does Diatoms but you dont want it to overtake tank.
Surprised your cleaners havent addressed any of it. For the amount in the pics, I wouldn't suggest sea hare but urchin will sure take it down

Urchins are algae monsters, that’s for sure

 

[discostew]

Dunno, do your pods filter the water or do they eat stuff off hard surfaces? Lots of folks add foods that are inappropriate. Even experienced folk.

I bought a combo pack from algae barn. Poseidon’s feast ocean magic. Will check