Algae outburst

themindfields · Jun 5, 2022

Hello all,
after 2 weeks of absence my tank is fully covered with algae. Before it was much more cleaner, little bit of hair algae here and there. The only thing I've changed recently is some Silicate Clear in order to lower Si level. I'm terrified and petrified...
Should I start some treatment asap as some corals are covered with them? What would you advice?
Below latest ICP, NO3: ~3mg/l, pH: ~8.3 day and ~7.9 night, temp: 25°C

T-J · Jun 5, 2022

Clean out what you can by hand.
Get yourself some Turbo Snails.
Check your Nitrates.
Make sure you have good flow.
Remove that gigantic Aiptasia from your tank or algae is going to be the least of your concerns.

vetteguy53081 · Jun 5, 2022

This looks very much like green cyano and a likelihood your nitrates and/or phosphates are elevated. white intensity appear bright and should be lowered also. I recommend to reduce white light intensity or even turn them off for 5-7 days. Add liquid bacteria such as Micro Bacter 7 daily for a week during the day at 1.5ml per 10 gallons. Add Hydrogen peroxide at night at 1ml per 10 gallons. Add a pouch of chemipure Elite which will balance phos and nitrate and keep them in check.
After the week, add a few snails such as cerith, margarita, astrea and nassarius plus 6-8 blue leg hermits to take control.
Some of the most common causes include:
- Protein skimmer which fills water with tiny air bubbles. As bubbles form from the reaction chamber, dissolved organic compound molecules stick to them. Foam forms at the surface of the water and is then transferred to a collection cup, where it rests as skimmate. When the protein skimmer does not output the best efficiency or you do not have the suitable protein skimmer to cover the tank, the air bubbles created by the skimmer might be insufficient. And this insufficiency of air bubbles can trigger the cyano to thrive.
- Overstocking / overfeeding, your aquarium with nutrients is often the culprit of a cyano bloom
- Adding live rock that isn’t completely cured which acts like a breeding ground for red slime algae
- If you don’t change your water with enough frequency, you’ll soon have a brightly colored red slime algae bloom. Regular water changes dilute nutrients that feed cyanobacteria and keeps your tank beautifully clear
- Using a water source with nitrates or phosphates is like rolling out the welcome mat for cyano. Tap water is an example
- Inadequate water flow, or movement, is a leading cause of cyano blooms. Slow moving water combined with excess dissolved nutrients is a recipe for pervasive red slime algae development

themindfields · Jun 9, 2022

@T-J and @vetteguy53081 Thank you for yours replies! I possess about 20 Turbos, 5x Cerithium caeruleum and 3x Trochus. Please correct me if i'm wrong but it's 15 gallons tank, so imho snails number is fine.
Nitrates are around 3mg/l but I have to dose NaNO3 to keep them above 0.
Regarding flow I have FZN-3 - 1200l/h (317 gallons/h) and SW-2 2500l/h (660 gallons/h). I've just added small pump 150 gallons/h covered with some wool to additionally filter that mess from water.
Aiptasias imho it's not a big deal. Two Lysmata seticaudata shrimps ate most of the them and only 2 bigger left.
I turned up white lighting only for photos. It's DIY lamp and whites are being kept in check (under 20%). I switched off red and green channels.
@vetteguy53081 I don't have protein skimmer. I have only 2x clowns and ecsenius stigmatura. Maybe I feed them too much but still have problem with NO3 levels. I haven't add any new rocks recently. I change water every two weeks. I buy RO/DI from local sea-life store so I hope and believe it's not polluted in any way. I'm not sure about if my water flow is enough but I treat my euphyllia as a indicator.
I removed what I could manually from sand but another day it started to grow back.
Do you have any further ideas what I could do about that?

Thanks in advance!

vetteguy53081 · Jun 9, 2022

themindfields said:
@T-J and @vetteguy53081 Thank you for yours replies! I possess about 20 Turbos, 5x Cerithium caeruleum and 3x Trochus. Please correct me if i'm wrong but it's 15 gallons tank, so imho snails number is fine.
Nitrates are around 3mg/l but I have to dose NaNO3 to keep them above 0.
Regarding flow I have FZN-3 - 1200l/h (317 gallons/h) and SW-2 2500l/h (660 gallons/h). I've just added small pump 150 gallons/h covered with some wool to additionally filter that mess from water.
Aiptasias imho it's not a big deal. Two Lysmata seticaudata shrimps ate most of the them and only 2 bigger left.
I turned up white lighting only for photos. It's DIY lamp and whites are being kept in check (under 20%). I switched off red and green channels.
@vetteguy53081 I don't have protein skimmer. I have only 2x clowns and ecsenius stigmatura. Maybe I feed them too much but still have problem with NO3 levels. I haven't add any new rocks recently. I change water every two weeks. I buy RO/DI from local sea-life store so I hope and believe it's not polluted in any way. I'm not sure about if my water flow is enough but I treat my euphyllia as a indicator.
I removed what I could manually from sand but another day it started to grow back.
Do you have any further ideas what I could do about that?
Thanks in advance!

Reduce light intensity and feeding amount and should subside
Also assure:
Phosphate not elevated
Ro unit cartridges not expired
Filters cleaned regularly

is tank at or near a window?

themindfields · Jun 9, 2022

vetteguy53081 said:
Reduce light intensity and feeding amount and should subside
Also assure:
Phosphate not elevated
Ro unit cartridges not expired
Filters cleaned regularly

is tank at or near a window?

It's DIY 80W lighting but it's dimmed so I'd say it's around 50W real power. It gives us 0.83 W / l or 3W / gallon. Do you think it's too much? Or should I just reduce it just to get rid off that problem. If it's really a cyano maybe would be helpful to make a black-off for 3 days.
Phosphates are undetectable. I measure them with Salifert PO4 kit and it seems it's every time totally transparent. Even my wife can't see there any color. But I'm aware of that algaes might do the trick and keep them at very low levels. ICP shows 0.03 / 0.04.
I'm going to buy my own RO unit soon so I'd eliminate the issue that my local store it's not so trustful.
Filters cleaned once a month.
Tank is not being exposed to the direct sun light but... There are still some reflected light rays from walls etc. especially in morning. Could be a problem?