Algae Identification / Treatment

[BensReef22]

My 40g reef is about 3 months old, started with established rock and large GSP colonies. Currently dealing with algae growing at an insane rate which has begun choking out my corals. I have been brushing and siphoning the algae near daily, but it just reappears overnight. The GSP seems to be melting in places which is also concerning. Phosphates are undetectable, and Nitrates have been a stable 5ppm since I got a skimmer running. My current plan is large water changes combined with a 3 day blackout, also considering starting dosing Vibrant. It looks like Dino mixed with Hair Algae, I am new to the hobby though so would appreciate any input with identification and treatment. Thanks all!

 

[BensReef22]

Also thinking of starting a Hob refugium, hoping that will out-compete the nuisance algae. Still wondering if I should have gone for an algae scrubber instead. Any thoughts?

 

[VintageReefer]

A scrubber will help. I doubt a hob refugium would have the volume needed to make a difference with typical macro or chaeto.

 

[BensReef22]

A scrubber will help. I doubt a hob refugium would have the volume needed to make a difference with typical macro or chaeto.

Would something along these lines work?: https://humble.fish/community/index.php?threads/diy-hob-algae-scrubber.2758/

Thats basically what I have built already aside from the mesh in the middle and the sponge. Would you recommend dosing Vibrant first, or just forgoing altogether?

 

[VintageReefer]

You don’t need vibrant
You do need some kind of mesh for turf algae to grow on

 

[vetteguy53081]

My 40g reef is about 3 months old, started with established rock and large GSP colonies. Currently dealing with algae growing at an insane rate which has begun choking out my corals. I have been brushing and siphoning the algae near daily, but it just reappears overnight. The GSP seems to be melting in places which is also concerning. Phosphates are undetectable, and Nitrates have been a stable 5ppm since I got a skimmer running. My current plan is large water changes combined with a 3 day blackout, also considering starting dosing Vibrant. It looks like Dino mixed with Hair Algae, I am new to the hobby though so would appreciate any input with identification and treatment. Thanks all!

I see hair and wire algae and Ive been using scrubbers a few years which generate algae to reduce nitrates and does not Scrub algae away or erase algae. I would place rock in a container of tank water and pull off as much as you can by hand and scrub the rest with a firm toothbrush and some 3% hydrogen peroxide.
Return to tank, reduce white light intensity and number of hours of white lighting and add some snails such as :
Astrea
cerith
turbo grazer
trochus

A Pencil urchin

8-10 Caribbean blue leg hermits

Are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet ?
What is your phosphate level?
Is tank at or near a window?

 

[BensReef22]

I see hair and wire algae and Ive been using scrubbers a few years which generate algae to reduce nitrates and does not Scrub algae away or erase algae. I would place rock in a container of tank water and pull off as much as you can by hand and scrub the rest with a firm toothbrush and some 3% hydrogen peroxide.
Return to tank, reduce white light intensity and number of hours of white lighting and add some snails such as :
Astrea
cerith
turbo grazer
trochus

A Pencil urchin

8-10 Caribbean blue leg hermits

Are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet ?
What is your phosphate level?
Is tank at or near a window?

RO/DI, resin is a bit old ordered new, meter is showing 0-1 ppm. Phosphates are measuring somewhere between .03 and 0, running a few tablespoons of phosguard in the filter just incase. Good thought on the window, I dont have one but I do have white lights for my potted plants located on the shelf above the reef. Perhaps that could be the issue, particularly because when I leave town for a day or two I leave them on.
Definitely need more inverts, I have like 20 astreas, a few trochus, maybe four hermits, 1-2 emerald crabs, and I think one cerith still alive. Oh and a pincushion urchin who knocks over all my frags so he has to go. The rock came with a few turbo snails which all died over the first week of having the tank, which I think definitely caused a mini cycle at a point. Sounds like a shopping trip is in order?

Attached is a picture of the lights above the tank for my plants. I will try and angle them higher, and get a working timer, hopefully that will help this plague abate.

 

[BensReef22]

You don’t need vibrant
You do need some kind of mesh for turf algae to grow on

Sad as I will be not to have a cute little refugium for pod growth, I think your right an algae scrubber would be a better use of space. I will look for mesh and a sponge tomorrow, thank you for your expertise.

 

[VintageReefer]

Sad as I will be not to have a cute little refugium for pod growth, I think your right an algae scrubber would be a better use of space. I will look for mesh and a sponge tomorrow, thank you for your expertise.

Turf scrubbers can house pods also
And you could always add more live rock, or get a pod condo

 

[vetteguy53081]

RO/DI, resin is a bit old ordered new, meter is showing 0-1 ppm. Phosphates are measuring somewhere between .03 and 0, running a few tablespoons of phosguard in the filter just incase. Good thought on the window, I dont have one but I do have white lights for my potted plants located on the shelf above the reef. Perhaps that could be the issue, particularly because when I leave town for a day or two I leave them on.
Definitely need more inverts, I have like 20 astreas, a few trochus, maybe four hermits, 1-2 emerald crabs, and I think one cerith still alive. Oh and a pincushion urchin who knocks over all my frags so he has to go. The rock came with a few turbo snails which all died over the first week of having the tank, which I think definitely caused a mini cycle at a point. Sounds like a shopping trip is in order?

Attached is a picture of the lights above the tank for my plants. I will try and angle them higher, and get a working timer, hopefully that will help this plague abate.

If your phos is that low, I would not run phosguard and let it bottom out and plant lights would definitely promote algae

 

[BensReef22]

If your phos is that low, I would not run phosguard and let it bottom out and plant lights would definitely promote algae

Ok based on both of your recommendations my current plan is as follows in order: remove phosguard, 3 day blackout, brush rock down (I am ambivalent about disassembling the rockwork for peroxide, how important do you think that step would be?), 50% water change, start algae scrubber, add additional CUC. Thoughts?

 

[ScubaSkeets]

I have posted about my DIY algae scrubber on other threads.
All you need is a cheap HOB filter, a refugium light, a piece of knitting mesh, and a cover to attached the refugium light to (I used a black take out container)

This is the light I am using. It fits inside the take out container perfectly:

This is a pic of the knitting mesh with algae growth:

This is with the light and cover in place

Going on several months and I still do not have long hair algae in my tank