ID help and what to do

[Watevadog5]

90 gallon tank + 30 or so including sump. Light bio load ( 6 fish) small CUC ( 5 hermits 5 nassarius) fuge with cheato and dragons breathe. Oversized skimmer running 24\7. Feed everyday... Mysis and homemade blend. Also running gfo... Any id is helpful and corrective actions are welcome

 

[Watevadog5]

Anyone ?

 

[Salty1962]

GHA

 

[brandon429]

Heavier on the whites vs blues led seems also at play

GFo tank with gha, its true nutrients aren't always final say but they are wise to control agreed. Don't spike more GFo, its coral bleach risk. Time to become the grazer, grazing is what's missing.

If your tank was mine the pics would look opposite within four days. This weekend id take apart the whole reef, peroxide clean the rocks, remove and rinse the entire sandbed and treat it too while parted out, put the entire tank back together zero detritus with no recycle. It would literally look new. That type of growth on the live rock plugs up pores and retains detritus within the rock. After cleaning it ejects detritus a while and follow up cleaning next week is indicated. There is no proper way to address wide coverage low level growth without real detritus cleaning.

Need less white spectrum if possible Imo

Many reefers wouldn't do that level of cleaning, action would be taken further on the water in the form of different nutrient controls in addition to current ones. So many different ways...

 

[Second Shot]

Just in sand or rocks too?
Also what's your nitrate and phosphate levels?

 

[Watevadog5]

Nothing on rocks... Only on sand bed, places where it started it is already gone. Nitrates are 10-20 and phosphates are 0 but we all know what that means. I'm really thinking this is just part of " new tank syndrome" I blow out detrius daily from rocks, I have good flow ( going to add my wp25 to be safe). Skimmer always pulls good thick skimmate. I've had gha in an old tank and this doesn't really fit the profile ime

 

[brandon429]

The picture clearly shows fuzz on the rocks, it's literally in the pic? All it means is the tank has no grazers that match your growth so it's taking all substrates that house detritus

If you hand guide the algae back off the substrate, vs act solely through the water, a turnaround can be had nicely. The coverage extends to the rocks you can literally see algae tufts covering the entire rock surface. It's low level, but this is how complete eutrophication takes over a tank, in permitted steps.

Lowering white level intensity would be a huge asset

 

[Watevadog5]

At the base of the rock, but it's coming from the sand imo... Would it be different if it was on rocks and sand as opposed to just sand? I'm not saying it's not gha, just looked different last time around. Any specific type of inverts I should be looking for? Obviously that's just a band aide and I need to find my source of phosphates right?

 

[Watevadog5]

Ok , whites will be lowered asap. I'm planning a large wc as well. Adding a larger diverse cuc. As well as vacuuming out the algae off the sand bed

 

[Watevadog5]

O crap... Something just came to mind. Lost a fish a week ago... Didn't jump that I know. I'm guessing he's in some crevice decaying adding to my problems

 

[Second Shot]

As Brandon said you don't have enough clean up crew. 5 snails and 5 hermits isn't going to cut it in a 90 gallon. Plus the snails you have don't really eat algae as far as I know.
I was asking if it were just on sand because that is an easier fix, imo

 

[Watevadog5]

What sort of inverts should I pick up today ? Going to LFS in a few hours... They normally have a great selection

 

[brandon429]

whatever cuc you add might not eat it at the rate the algae is adding mass which is why hand grazing works in four days. It's ok to not do that, am just recommending what will fix up the tank for sure. All else is a guess run

Total coverage is here.

Your issue requires hand work and a cellular kill step. If you do only hand removal and don't kill the algae, this may endure




It's also possible what you listed will work, it just doesn't have a finite date to work from. Our method does so I like it but it's not the only way. The algae turf scrubber crew would recommend not doing anything I've listed. My reco only comes from the documentation we've provided on tanks exactly like yours. My way is one of many its no slight to the others


the hardest part of my method is to understand it is not your ongoing requirement. It is the first step. some make it ongoing, some do once.

you start out -that- clean, that intent on controlling what is on your rocks, then you add your clean up crews and endless po4 detailing to one's hearts content after. starting this much in control is the total key to success. its a system that can be replicated over and over among tanks of any size, you simply deny the algae.

 

[Second Shot]

What sort of inverts should I pick up today ? Going to LFS in a few hours... They normally have a great selection

Personally I like banded trochus and margarita snails, blue leg hermits and emerald crabs. Some people don't trust emeralds but I happen to like their work lol

 

[Watevadog5]

thank you guys for all of your help... the steps listed above are what I'm going to start with. any other input is greatly appreciated and ill keep everyone updated!

 

[Reefing Madness]

O crap... Something just came to mind. Lost a fish a week ago... Didn't jump that I know. I'm guessing he's in some crevice decaying adding to my problems

No, not decaying, he's already gone. The invisible CUC will take care of a dead fish in no time at all.

 

[Watevadog5]

5 nerites, 5 banded trochius, 3 asteria, 2 margarita, 3 humble bee and 2 turbo. Total of 20 snails... Grabbed 20 blue legged hermits as well. Hopefully a better cuc for a 90gal

 

[Watevadog5]

Lowered the whites on my leds.... Mixing up 15 gallons as we speak. I have been looking into dosing 5% vinegar as well... Good idea? Bad idea?

 

[brandon429]

that's a valid consideration if you feel nutrients are the issue. its one of the common methods of nutrient control. go slow and read up on it, that action typically has some alternate growths to contend with, the tradeoffs, but yes its common to try dosing the water