ID please ...

specialk · Sep 19, 2016

So I trying to figure out just what I have going on here... I previously had a phosphate problem, which I started to get under control by running gfo every week along with every week along with carbon (which I was previously not running)...

The system is showing improvements and the sps corals are starting to really color back up. I am just curious as to what exactly this is ...

Shows up in spots and looks like patches of green tinted soft carpet..

Anyone know and also what would bring this on (i am assuming phosphates although this type I have not seen until recently )

Highgrade · Sep 19, 2016

Algae of some sort. Most likely phosphate related. What type of lighting are you using and how long has your tank been up and running?

specialk · Sep 19, 2016

Highgrade said:
Algae of some sort. Most likely phosphate related. What type of lighting are you using and how long has your tank been up and running?

I am running Ocean Revive S026's. Blues at about 80%. Tank has been up and running for well over a year ... year and half to be exact.

Had a pretty bad phosphate issue before but again bringing it down ... but maybe just not bringing it down all that much?

Also forgot to note, have a fuge LOADED with chaeto macro as well .. growing like mad.

Highgrade · Sep 19, 2016

Maybe cut back on lighting a bit and feeding. Have you tested for PO3/PO4 lately? If not maybe test daily to see if there are any differences. Its possible the phosphate is there but being sucked up by the Chaeto/macro algae. Maybe try running GFO or even Phosgaurd.

specialk · Sep 19, 2016

Highgrade said:
Maybe cut back on lighting a bit and feeding. Have you tested for PO3/PO4 lately? If not maybe test daily to see if there are any differences. Its possible the phosphate is there but being sucked up by the Chaeto/macro algae. Maybe try running GFO or even Phosgaurd.

Well I def don't feed all that much or excessive .. seaweed for tang clipped to a rock everyday, then every other day a small amount of flakes for the other fish I have. Also I am running GFO, high capacity. I am changing it out about once a week or every other week. I have a new PO4 tester on its way, as my other one went down. The one saving grace is that I am slowly seeing improvements and better color with my sps.

Highgrade · Sep 19, 2016

specialk said:
Well I def don't feed all that much or excessive .. seaweed for tang clipped to a rock everyday, then every other day a small amount of flakes for the other fish I have. Also I am running GFO, high capacity. I am changing it out about once a week or every other week. I have a new PO4 tester on its way, as my other one went down. The one saving grace is that I am slowly seeing improvements and better color with my sps.

I've had similar algae before. Phosphates would be my guess. Also possibly snuck in on something if you recently added any frags/rock. Best of luck. Really when it comes down to it, the main concern is if the corals are satisfied?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Sep 20, 2016

Just to be clear, phosphate doesn't cause algae.

Algae need ALL of a source of N (such as nitrate or ammonia), P (such as phosphate), iron and other trace elements, light, a place to grow, and freedom from predation.

If you reduce any one of those sufficiently, algae won't thrive. So to blame a single thing for an algae problem seems not correct, IMO. It is all of them.

That said, phosphate can be one of the better ones to try to reduce to stop an algae problem.