Algae in newer tank

[Big_Mclargehuge]

Hey. My biocube 32 is about 4 months old. I'm having a real issue with hair algae and cyano bacteria. Nitrates and phosphates reading 0. I'm guessing the algae is consuming the nitrates and phosphates quicker than I can get a reading. I know new tanks go through these stages. Do I wait it out. Keep trying to remove it manually (best way?), use chemicals, etc..? A little about my tank. I use RODI water. Lights blues from 7 am to about 1 am. Whites from 12 pm to 6 pm. Filter floss and carbon. I also run a UV sterilizer. Live stock. A pair of clowns, a pair of blue gudeon gobies, and a decent cuc of crabs and snails. Any tips would be appreciated, Thanks!

 

[T-J]

You're right about the algae consuming the nutrients, which is why your tests are not really giving you the whole picture.
My advice would be to manually remove the cyano, keep up on waterchanges, and dose Vibrant. Wiped out my GHA in a matter of about 6 weeks. Haven't seen any GHA since it disappeared.
Vibrant is a bacteria based solution, not a chemical. That's the only reason why I used it. I won't use chemicals in my tank.

 

[Big_Mclargehuge]

You're right about the algae consuming the nutrients, which is why your tests are not really giving you the whole picture.
My advice would be to manually remove the cyano, keep up on waterchanges, and dose Vibrant. Wiped out my GHA in a matter of about 6 weeks. Haven't seen any GHA since it disappeared.
Vibrant is a bacteria based solution, not a chemical. That's the only reason why I used it. I won't use chemicals in my tank.

Thanks, I'll look into it. I'm a little nervous about dosing anything but i'll look into it.

 

[Pistondog]

Maybe cut the blue lights to 10 hours and the whites to 4 until gha gone.
I like the carbon dosing, to help the gha and to build some biodiversity.
Emerald crabs (try to get a female) can help with gha, you should also help.
Dosing is easy, just manually add vibrant per directions.

 

[sixty_reefer]

Dnt stress to much, your algae isn’t consuming your po4 or no3 directly so your test kits are just fine. Dose some live bacteria or add some pieces of true LR from your local LFS and let it establish. Meanwhile let your po4 and no3 raise to appropriated levels as your bacteria may be starving at the moment under those parameters, hence The algae thriving.

 

[Big_Mclargehuge]

Maybe cut the blue lights to 10 hours and the whites to 4 until gha gone.
I like the carbon dosing, to help the gha and to build some biodiversity.
Emerald crabs (try to get a female) can help with gha, you should also help.
Dosing is easy, just manually add vibrant per directions.

Thanks. I'll definitely looking into all of that. Anything to keep this stuff from coming back every time after a water change. Super annoying. Also my corals could use some nitrates and phosphates.

 

[Big_Mclargehuge]

Dnt stress to much, your algae isn’t consuming your po4 or no3 directly so your test kits are just fine. Dose some live bacteria or add some pieces of true LR from your local LFS and let it establish. Meanwhile let your po4 and no3 raise to appropriated levels as your bacteria may be starving at the moment under those parameters, hence The algae thriving.

How are you certain they aren't consuming them? I'm getting a reading of 0 on both. Seems weird to not have any in the tank with a decent amount of live stock and not feeding lightly.

 

[Mr Mumblez]

Hey. My biocube 32 is about 4 months old. I'm having a real issue with hair algae and cyano bacteria. Nitrates and phosphates reading 0. I'm guessing the algae is consuming the nitrates and phosphates quicker than I can get a reading. I know new tanks go through these stages. Do I wait it out. Keep trying to remove it manually (best way?), use chemicals, etc..? A little about my tank. I use RODI water. Lights blues from 7 am to about 1 am. Whites from 12 pm to 6 pm. Filter floss and carbon. I also run a UV sterilizer. Live stock. A pair of clowns, a pair of blue gudeon gobies, and a decent cuc of crabs and snails. Any tips would be appreciated, Thanks!

I’ve got these same issues going on. Like overnight started seeing green patches of algae on GSP’s mat. Then some orange/brown/green on glass, sand, and Marco rock. Just installing sump this week not sure how that’s gunna go yet. Lol. I plumbed it all pvc by eye. Lol. I had scrubbed down the glass morning before with filter still on and Mabye lost some amphiood, copepod? Keep us up to date on what works. Thx

 

[sixty_reefer]

How are you certain they aren't consuming them? I'm getting a reading of 0 on both. Seems weird to not have any in the tank with a decent amount of live stock and not feeding lightly.

most algae’s do use ammonia really fast not giving the bacteria the chance to process it. To nitrite and nitrate, the algae is interrupting your nitrogen cycle

 

[Pistondog]

Thanks. I'll definitely looking into all of that. Anything to keep this stuff from coming back every time after a water change. Super annoying. Also my corals could use some nitrates and phosphates.

Do the corals look bad? They are also pulling nutrients, maybe they get enough. I think the ocean nutrient level is ridiculously low.
Just because the test kit x reads zero does not necessarily mean there is no x in the water. It may just be below the test threshold. I dont know if that is enough for corals, but you are right, more is probably better.

 

[terraincognita]

The best “natural” approach I can give you is to out smart the Algae .

in order to grow, algae needs nutrients.

those come from you, and the light.

by reducing feeding for awhile and cutting light, you can greatly reduce algae with minimal harm done to your coral and fish.

I always cut feeding back to once every other day or every 3 days, and my lighting schedule sometimes I’ll just unplug the tank for 2 days, or just unplug the light at earlier times in the day. effectively not having to adjust my lighting schedule, cuz I’m lazy, but basically reducing light.

it’s not as natural as making a “shorter day” but it works.

you can also add more coral therefore increasing your demand for nutrients hopefully using it before the algae.

by doing by that and only that in a 10G nano I accomplished this.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Big_Mclargehuge]

most algae’s do use ammonia really fast not giving the bacteria the chance to process it. To nitrite and nitrate, the algae is interrupting your nitrogen cycle

Ah gotcha. I just kept reading that algae consumes nitrates and phosphates quicker than can be tested. But that makes sense. Either way its definitely getting in the way. Thanks

 

[scabbedwings616]

Do you test your rodi water? i Would reduce the lighting and feedings. Manually remove the algae with the flow off. You can also, use hydrogen peroxide to combat it. Be careful though with the hydrogen as it lowers your oxygen in the tank, ph, and your dkh goes up. A few patches at a time with hydrogen will help.

 

[sixty_reefer]

Ah gotcha. I just kept reading that algae consumes nitrates and phosphates quicker than can be tested. But that makes sense. Either way its definitely getting in the way. Thanks

yes it’s definitely affecting it, it’s just good to know we’re in the chain sometimes

having no3 and po4 it’s important for tank inhabitants, you will just needs a strong microbe population to offset the algae from consuming it straight away

 

[Mr Mumblez]

Do you test your rodi water? i Would reduce the lighting and feedings. Manually remove the algae with the flow off. You can also, use hydrogen peroxide to combat it. Be careful though with the hydrogen as it lowers your oxygen in the tank, ph, and your dkh goes up. A few patches at a time with hydrogen will help.

I use RODI water and when I test it it says 1ppm so I’m not sure what that means really but my house water from tap reads 140-150ppm and from the fridge filter 70-80 ppm.

 

[Big_Mclargehuge]

Do the corals look bad? They are also pulling nutrients, maybe they get enough. I think the ocean nutrient level is ridiculously low.
Just because the test kit x reads zero does not necessarily mean there is no x in the water. It may just be below the test threshold. I dont know if that is enough for corals, but you are right, more is probably better.

My GSP seems ok but my zoas are not looking great.

 

[Big_Mclargehuge]

Do you test your rodi water? i Would reduce the lighting and feedings. Manually remove the algae with the flow off. You can also, use hydrogen peroxide to combat it. Be careful though with the hydrogen as it lowers your oxygen in the tank, ph, and your dkh goes up. A few patches at a time with hydrogen will help.

I have not tested it but am curious. I asked my lfs if they test it and they say they do it regularly. I know thats just what they are saying but it was just an employee not the owner or manager so I trusted it but i will test it myself.

 

[firmefatboy799]

white lights are the devil haha