Annoying nuisance algae (various)

ArowanaLover1902 · Dec 1, 2017

In the past two weeks I've been having a ton of problems in my reef, ever since I got my coral shipment in from aquarium depot.
- Zoanthid Fungus I'm dealing with now
- Maybe cyano
- Huge boost in diatoms (I never scrub the sides or back of my aquarium as I feel it's a good reserve if my snails/copepods run out of food, but it keeps growing on my front wall and it is really really hard to scrub off)
- some annoying algaes in my sand and rocks that is the biggest problem (algae-wise, if the zoa fungus spreads then I'll be in trouble) that is reddish brown
- Light algae in a low flow area that is semi fluffy and is annoying my ricordea

My Solutions so far:
- Change out carbon
- add 3 random little snails
- I had to remove my turbo snail because he was knocking down my new frags
-

Tyler_Fishman · Dec 1, 2017

Even though this is not a solid fix a blackout for 3 days and lowered photoperiod will help weaken the algae, maybe try dipping your coral in an iodide solution if possible? You likely have diatoms and algae because your nitrates are not at zero, do you use tap water? Over feed? Overstocked? Do you have a refugium?

ArowanaLover1902 · Dec 2, 2017

There are two fish in a 29 gallon tank, I don't overfeed, I barely feed the tank. Never use tap water, I buy water from my (very reputable) LFS. I do have a refugium

Tyler_Fishman · Dec 2, 2017

ArowanaLover1902 said:
There are two fish in a 29 gallon tank, I don't overfeed, I barely feed the tank. Never use tap water, I buy water from my (very reputable) LFS. I do have a refugium

Well what are your nitrates at?

saltyfilmfolks · Dec 2, 2017

Buy small turbos.

ArowanaLover1902 · Dec 2, 2017

I checked parameters (except nitrates, I forgot, I'll do it tonight), KH was a bit high, but not much, phosphates were super low too. I bought another 3 random snails, and have been putting the turbo in the tank (supervised so he doesn't knock over stuff). I'll try to add some more snails, after all, I can always just move the extras to my refugium if they run low on food in the display. I think the zoa fungus is totally fixed btw, the affected zoas are peeking out today

ArowanaLover1902 · Dec 4, 2017

My solution:
1. Addition of snails including a medium sized turbo snail
2. Changing of filter media
3. Manual removal/scraping off of algae (two days after changing media)
4. 20% water change (immediately after algae scraping)
5. Running refugium full time (immediately after water change)

My Logic:
1. Break down algae I can't see very well, as well as clean undersides of rock
2. Hopefully take some of algae's food source
3. Release algae into water column (yes I know this can be bad, but my filter and pumps were off so it just drifted to the bottom)
4. Remove most of algae from the water
5. Take the food source of the algae, this way the algae I left behind won't grow and soon be eaten by snails

Anything sound wrong with my current approach? I hope it works and will keep you guys updated.

saltyfilmfolks · Dec 4, 2017

I think you are on the right track.

Oldsalt01 · Dec 4, 2017

Phosphates kits can be notoriously inaccurate especially API. Do you have a "low-range" Phosphate test? Also, the algae can be up-taking Phosphates before they can be detected. I went down this road myself, ended up stripping the tank and sterilizing it to stop a Bubble Algae explosion. Since I got my Hanna ULR phosphorus checker it's not been a problem, even though it can be a PIA to do consistently.

ArowanaLover1902 · Dec 4, 2017

Ugh most of the algae grew back already

ArowanaLover1902 · Dec 4, 2017

There is a good of bubble algae too, just when my corals were doing so good, ughhhh I was so happy with my little tank and now this

brandon429 · Dec 4, 2017

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/t...a-one-against-many.230281/page-7#post-4107442

its not possible for you to have any invaders if you study all that and run the method. its the opposite of a slow workup. its enter stage left invaded, exit stage right clean sandbed (invader fuel) and clear rocks (you clean them when they are out of water, with the algaecide step covered there in the pages)

that's like a reefbook to read/am awr. price of free info. zero fails. 29 gallon id have done before supper tonite/

that's not something to glance at and run, its something to study via the tracking of outcomes collected there. its not possible to have an invaded nano reef after applying the tenets from that thread, only purposefully wanting to keep some invaders can cause that condition. You have a way to clean the entire system in one pass. use all new water, 3o gallons is nothing. your fish weren't reared in those waters, so a total change isn't bad or they wouldn't have completed the first introduction from formerly pet store water.

Oldsalt01 · Dec 4, 2017

Bubble Algae is not the end of the world. It easily comes in as a tiny little green or purple bubble, usually on a frag plug or new live rock. The trick is to catch it ASAP. It can be manually removed, but you have to be VERY careful not to break the bubbles (like I did

), because it will release spores if you do and spread throughout the tank. I even had it growing on my filter floss! To compound the problem I was relying on an emerald crab to eat the stuff. Ya know what Emerald Crabs do when they eat it? They bust the bubbles open!!!! So that actually worked against me. If you can remove the rock it's on, it's best to do that, carefully pry the bubbles off with a butter knife (not sharp!), and hit the spot with hydrogen peroxide on a Q'tip, then rinse in fresh saltwater. My outbreak was so massive I couldn't do that, so I swapped my rock out with my LFS who wanted the algae to feed to his tangs. NOW I check every frag plug with magnifier glasses before they ever go in my tank, before AND AFTER I dip 'em.

ArowanaLover1902 · Dec 4, 2017

I'll definitely start dipping new rock additions. I've covered my tank now btw, it'll be covered for two days before I look at it. The refugium (which does have its lights on) will hopefully be able to take up enough of the food to defeat the evil forces of bubble algae and cyanobacteria. Ugh I hope my corals don't mind too much, I'm doing this now because I have a shipment of fish/a cleaner shrimp/another ricordea coming this week (it was supposed to come last week but the company messed up and couldn't ship it anywhere near on time, I'm not entirely sure when they will ship it this week either) and I don't want to stress them out with that on their first days.

Oldsalt01 · Dec 4, 2017

ArowanaLover1902 said:
I'll definitely start dipping new rock additions. I've covered my tank now btw, it'll be covered for two days before I look at it. The refugium (which does have its lights on) will hopefully be able to take up enough of the food to defeat the evil forces of bubble algae and cyanobacteria. Ugh I hope my corals don't mind too much, I'm doing this now because I have a shipment of fish/a cleaner shrimp/another ricordea coming this week (it was supposed to come last week but the company messed up and couldn't ship it anywhere near on time, I'm not entirely sure when they will ship it this week either) and I don't want to stress them out with that on their first days.

Just remember: dipping generally WILL NOT address any potential nuisance algae hitchhikers that may come in on rock or frag plugs. It's meant strictly to discourage or eliminate bad critters. The only way to make sure you're not bringing in bad algae is to very carefully visually inspect each piece before tank introduction, and even then THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES. I'm not trying to bust your bubble (no pun, really). It's just the way things are, but careful inspection will definitely put you ahead of the ball, or the bubble, or the hair (yah, pun. Sorry. I couldn't resist).

ArowanaLover1902 · Dec 5, 2017

Ha ha ha, I didn't even know algae puns existed. It must have come in my aquarium depot order.

ArowanaLover1902 · Dec 7, 2017

Ugh after a 48 hour period of being in total darkness algae was pretty much gone, it's almost entirely back today. I may have to switch all the corals to a 10 gallon tank and let all the algae die in the darkness for a week or two, would that work? I'd really hate to do that.
P.S. that zoa succumbed to fungus completely

ArowanaLover1902 · Dec 8, 2017

Growth has slowed, plus there have been some huge trails blazed through the algae (maybe the turbo). I am worried about it choking out my zoas and little cabbage coral (who has become a favorite, despite his small size)