Battling algea

[JTFL]

I upgraded my tank to a 120 gallon over a year ago since than I have been battling algea from diatom to hair algea to cyano... my water parameters are
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
PH 8.3
Salt 1.025
Alk 9.0
CA 460
Mag 1400
Nitrate 4ppm
Phos .1
I run phosguard and carbon I do water 24 gallon water changes every 2 weeks
I don't have much for corals some zoas and xenia
I have a tomini tang, an ember blenny... a carribean blue chromis ...a royal gamma ... a mandarin goby...a sand sifter starfish...a red serpent starfish...and hermit crabs and 2 conchs

 

[Fish Think Pink]

I upgraded my tank to a 120 gallon over a year ago since than I have been battling algea from diatom to hair algea to cyano... my water parameters are
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
PH 8.3
Salt 1.025
Alk 9.0
CA 460
Mag 1400
Nitrate 4ppm
Phos .1
I run phosguard and carbon I do water 24 gallon water changes every 2 weeks
I don't have much for corals some zoas and xenia
I have a tomini tang, an ember blenny... a carribean blue chromis ...a royal gamma ... a mandarin goby...a sand sifter starfish...a red serpent starfish...and hermit crabs and 2 conchs

Whats your filtration? Skimmer? Ever consider refugium growing macroalgae to out compete nuisance algae? Water changes siphoning algae off rocks & sand?

I'm using Vibrant in addition to 2 filter socks (2 returns) & large skimmer. Had refugium with macroalgae but Vibrant killed my good with my bad algae <wink>

 

[JTFL]

Whats your filtration? Skimmer? Ever consider refugium growing macroalgae to out compete nuisance algae? Water changes siphoning algae off rocks & sand?

I'm using Vibrant in addition to 2 filter socks (2 returns) & large skimmer. Had refugium with macroalgae but Vibrant killed my good with my bad algae <wink>

I currently am running two tidal 110 filters and a coral life protein skimmer. I also run two bags of purigen...4 power heads...two old aquaclear hang on filters just for water movement...I have two ai hydra 26 for light...I do once a week feedings by pipette I use Dr g sps coral food and one cube of mysis shrimp... I included my light schedule.

 

[MrGisonni]

Macro algae to outcompete the nuisance algae. caulerpa and gracilaria work for me. They look good and keep the other algae at bay. Maybe bring up your nitrates a tiny bit by dosing and monitor them after introducing the macros. Mine stripped the NO3 quickly

 

[Glenner’sreef]

You should start thinking about bumping up your filtration. Hang on back filters and Corallife skimmers can be small. A 120 gallon tank is a big tank. Is your tank drilled? A tank that size should have a dozen Turbo snails and the same number of hermits wouldn’t hurt as well. Get a white bucket and vacuum all of your sandbed. You may discover part of your algae problem. Good luck

 

[HankstankXXL750 Verified Sponsor]

Does your light schedule show running blue lights 24/7? If so, you should have a period of no light through the night.

 

[MrGisonni]

I agree you need a total blackout period

 

[MrGisonni]

Cut out the coral food maybe and let those nitrates climb a bit. I was always terrified of having higher nitrates in my aquariums and now I realized that if my nitrates are below 15 bad things happen in my reef