Algae Bloom

[Waffen06]

So I thought I was doing good, didnt have any cycle I noticed since my setup was already running when I got it. Im at one month and things have been going great. Today I noticed green algae on the sand and rocks. Tested phosphates real quick and best I can tell its 0. Cant tell what kind of algae it is. I have been dosing Vibrant, did 1 dose 3/27 and one 4/4, due for another tomorrow to help rid some of the bubble algae. So any suggestions on what popped up or let it run its course?

 

[Dan_P]

Do you have a “clean up crew”, critters that eat algae?

By the way, aquariums rarely start up and stay clean and free of photosynthetic pests.

 

[Waffen06]

Tank was up and running for years before I bought it so I started with 60+ lbs of good live rock, also started with fresh live sand. Figured Id eventually get something. I have nassarius snails, a couple hermits and a couple turbos.

 

[Dan_P]

Tank was up and running for years before I bought it so I started with 60+ lbs of good live rock, also started with fresh live sand. Figured Id eventually get something. I have nassarius snails, a couple hermits and a couple turbos.

Restarting aquariums or upscaling systems can have very similar issues as fresh starts. Can you borrow a dozen hungry snails to speed up the algae elimination process?

 

[Waffen06]

Restarting aquariums or upscaling systems can have very similar issues as fresh starts. Can you borrow a dozen hungry snails to speed up the algae elimination process?

What kind of algae does it seem to be? I can get more snails

 

[Dan_P]

What kind of algae does it seem to be? I can get more snails

If you posted a close up photo, someone might recognize the algae.

 

[Waffen06]

I turned my lights down to help

 

[Dan_P]

I turned my lights down to help

I am still stumped. Beautiful green though.

 

[Waffen06]

Appreciate it anyone else know?

 

[Waffen06]

I did my 3rd weekly dose of Vibrant on Saturday. Still have this algae problem. Have a couple large turbos and many small cerith snails and never see any of them on this algae. Only feed once a day and its not very much. Tested phosphates on my salifert kit and best I can tell its at 0. Skimmer has been doing good. Any suggestions or do I need more cuc or flow? Most of its all along where the glass and sand meet

 

[Pablopufferfish]

Do you know if anything died?

 

[Waffen06]

Do you know if anything died?

Nope not missing anything, all fish accounted for, all corals look happy

 

[Pablopufferfish]

Try to do a count on your CUC because they are nutrient time bombs when they die. I had this happen when a cerith snail crawled into a rock and died. A similar algae bloom happened couple months back.

Your algae looks like some sort of green film algae.

 

[Waffen06]

Try to do a count on your CUC because they are nutrient time bombs when they die. I had this happen when a cerith snail crawled into a rock and died. A similar algae bloom happened couple months back.

Your algae looks like some sort of green film algae.

Thanks, all my large turbos are accounted for, I would believe one of the small snails (all less then 1/2") would cause this in a 60 gallon?

 

[Pablopufferfish]

Thanks, all my large turbos are accounted for, I would believe one of the small snails (all less then 1/2") would cause this in a 60 gallon?

How much food do you feed to your tank as a whole? It depends on the diet of these tiny snails.

 

[Waffen06]

How much food do you feed to your tank as a whole? It depends on the diet of these tiny snails.

I do a 1/3 of a frozen cube (mix up what type out of the variety pack) and a couple pellets

 

[Pablopufferfish]

I do a 1/3 of a frozen cube (mix up what type out of the variety pack) and a couple pellets

Okay, this leads me to think that a small snail secretly died on you for any reason and released all the nutrients it ate into your tank. The algae benefited from this and grew like crazy. I would treat it with common methods of treating a bloom.

 

[Waffen06]

Started thinking this is cyano from doing Vibrant. I havnt dosed it in a week and started dosing peroxide 2 days ago. Today the tank looks twice as bad

 

[Pablopufferfish]

Started thinking this is cyano from doing Vibrant. I havnt dosed it in a week and started dosing peroxide 2 days ago. Today the tank looks twice as bad

Interesting... Usually Cyano isn’t that color. But it could be, you never know.

 

[Waffen06]

Ive read it could be green. Turned off my lights for 24 hours, dosed vibrant and peroxide. Turned them on just for a picture and its a lot worse. Anything I should test for? Should I keep the lights off for a couple days?