Help!!! Algae problem

cromag27 · Nov 11, 2013

If it's just on the sand you can either leave it, or mix up the sand with your hand. It will most likely grow back. Since algae also needs light to grow, you can also turn off your lights for 3 days. Wrap the tank in a blanket or something to keep out ambient room light. You can feed like normal.

cromag27 · Nov 11, 2013

All should be around 8 or 9. Is this a reef tank?

TimothyJ91 · Nov 11, 2013

Yes all I have is soft corals in there. I'm trying to get all this under control so I can start growing other corals. Cause I don't want to kill anything. I change my dosing today. I'm spreading it out over 12 hours and less dosing.

J062682l · Nov 11, 2013

I just finished a war with red slime lowering tge time my lights were on helped, switching over to purigen and I've been changing my carbon every2 weeks gonna do gfo once carbon I have runs out ,and protein skimmer !

TimothyJ91 · Nov 11, 2013

I am doing GFO, carbon, and I got a killer protein skimmer. How long do you have your lights on for. I run mine from noon until 10 PM

J062682l · Nov 12, 2013

Actinics 11-9
10,000 k. 12-8
And moonlight blue led 9-1

TimothyJ91 · Nov 12, 2013

Here is a better pic. It has hair like pieces

TimothyJ91 · Nov 12, 2013

Her is a better pic of the hair

cromag27 · Nov 12, 2013

Red slime algae.

TimothyJ91 · Nov 12, 2013

It's not red though. I know it can come in many colors. I'm doing three days of darkness to help.

Alabamareef · Nov 12, 2013

Just read through all these post and I can sympathize with you. I've combated red slime and hair algae. It's truly a pain in the backside and I can see why lots of people let it beat them and get out of the hobby. As someone mentioned most of these issues are caused from bad water, to much light or maybe time to change the bulbs, bad flow or the most common, to many nutrients. Chem clean or Red Slime algae remover does work but you'll have to take out your carbon and turn off your skimmer. Be ready when you turn your skimmer back on it will go crazy.

Remember the only thing that happens fast in a reef tank is death.... Take it slow. Red slime will still grow without light. Chem clean is a good start but remember it's a band aid. Good husbandry is the key. I only saw results after I got back on track with my cleaning scheduled. Also if you've got algae it can skew your p04 and Nitrate readings. I even sent water off to have it tested and all came back good. Keep your skimmer working good and make sure the pump is clean and pulling air like it should. Skim wet till you get rid of this problem. I run carbon and GFO 24/7 and bio balls but it was only after weekly water changes and sand vacuuming that I saw results. I cut back on feeding and have stuck to a scheduled and I'm now seeing results. Its taken about two months to get to this point. Take your time and find the cause or you'll always be fighting this issue. Good Luck

J062682l · Nov 13, 2013

I think my cause was over feeding ,too much light and of course used some tap water a couple times trying to too off.

TarHeelReefer22 · Nov 13, 2013

Alabamareef said:
Just read through all these post and I can sympathize with you. I've combated red slime and hair algae. It's truly a pain in the backside and I can see why lots of people let it beat them and get out of the hobby. As someone mentioned most of these issues are caused from bad water, to much light or maybe time to change the bulbs, bad flow or the most common, to many nutrients. Chem clean or Red Slime algae remover does work but you'll have to take out your carbon and turn off your skimmer. Be ready when you turn your skimmer back on it will go crazy.

Remember the only thing that happens fast in a reef tank is death.... Take it slow. Red slime will still grow without light. Chem clean is a good start but remember it's a band aid. Good husbandry is the key. I only saw results after I got back on track with my cleaning scheduled. Also if you've got algae it can skew your p04 and Nitrate readings. I even sent water off to have it tested and all came back good. Keep your skimmer working good and make sure the pump is clean and pulling air like it should. Skim wet till you get rid of this problem. I run carbon and GFO 24/7 and bio balls but it was only after weekly water changes and sand vacuuming that I saw results. I cut back on feeding and have stuck to a scheduled and I'm now seeing results. Its taken about two months to get to this point. Take your time and find the cause or you'll always be fighting this issue. Good Luck

+1 i have to agree here maintenance is huge and you had a combo of no nos like adding in the water the frozen foods came in and using water from a system with bad filters. Small things like that and PO4 can start to build up in your tank and then BLOOMM haha corny pun sorry! Good Luck

TimothyJ91 · Nov 14, 2013

I'm starting to get a handle on this. I'm doing three days of darkness and I'm only feeding little amount of flakes. Next is to get my RO filters make a ton of water and do a 50% water change. My phosphates in my tank were 0.10. My phosphates and my RO water was 0.23. That water is down the drain. I am going to limit the amount of frozen food I use. However, when I do I will always rinse it off with RO water. My lights are on from noon until 10 PM. So I don't think that's too long. I would like to thank everyone for their advice and support. If I have any other questions or concerns you all will be the first to know.

cromag27 · Nov 14, 2013

Light doesn't cause algae but it helps it grow. You lighting schedule isn't a problem, once you correct the nutrient problem.

Alabamareef · Nov 17, 2013

tatuaje08 said:
Light doesn't cause algae but it helps it grow. You lighting schedule isn't a problem, once you correct the nutrient problem.

+1. Light does not cause but along with the PO4 readings you have it's going to exzaserbate the issue. Light is a major part of the algae formula so when you have a problem your light timing and age of the bulbs should always be one of the first things you consider.

a49panhead · Nov 17, 2013

be carful with Chemiclean. Under estamate your total water volume. if u use too mutch u will lose your invirts. I hade this happen the first time i used it. made me scared the second time i used it a year latter but i used half my TWV and it worked just toke a little longer. Chemiclean is also only a bandaid it will come back fast if the sours is not figered out.

J062682l · Nov 18, 2013

What's wrong with frozen foods??? !!! I feed frozen foods everyday ,, what should I feed I gotta buy food tomorrow what should I get.

TimothyJ91 · Nov 18, 2013

Buy any kind of frozen food you want. Thaw it in RO water. Then pour it into a net. Rinse what's in the net with RO water. My fish love blood worms.

Alabamareef · Nov 19, 2013

Frozen food is great its only that you have to be careful no to feed to much. Personally my fish eat from my hand. So I'll cut a cube and whatever they don't eat I feed to the anemone's and I don't rinse because I want the residual for the corals.