Lossing it with algae Attack :(

[SahnCH]

Hi folks,

Video to show you the situation :
My tank is loosing vs Algae - the tank is ~1 year old, never had any issue except some diatom.
Phosphate is and always was at 0.
Nitrate is always around 4.
PH ~ 8.15
KH ~ 9.5

Since 2 weeks I'm having massive algae growth which is now taking over corals.
I am spending ~2 hours per week to remove these algae with tooth brush.

The wave pump that you see on the video has been deep cleaned as if it's new ouf of the box 14 days ago.

I'm hesitating between GHA and Bryopsis since I see some branches on the algaes.
I'm assuming these algae are taking all the phosphate, that's why they are at zero.

-> Can you please help me diagnose the issue and propose a corrective actions?

Thanks a lot for your help guys, I'm loosing it a bit

 

[collinnelson9]

I’ve heard quite a few success stories using vibrant to remove bryopsis and gha. I’d definitely run out and grab a few emerald crabs you more than likely won’t have any territorial issues with them with that amount of algae. I’d also suggest running to Home Depot and grabbing a 5/8 clear flexible tube in the plumbing section and siphon the algae out by pinching ur thumb on the algae and trapping it between the hose.(I saw a brs video using the thinner hose and it did wonders to my tank). Scrubbing it off with a tooth brush will release the phosphates and nitrates in the tank.

 

[Duffer]

If you are at zero for phosphates and have algae,you are gett8ng a false read8ng as the algae is consuming and feeding off the algae

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

Totally feel your pain, I've been going through the same thing and it's making me insane. I tried FluxRX a few weeks ago, and it did seem to kill some and loosen the algae's grip on the rocks... but I'm still having to do tons of manual removal. It didn't hurt any of my corals, so I may try another round of it. Haven't ever tried Vibrant... too nervous after hearing conflicting info on whether it's actually safe and I really try to avoid chemical solutions unless necessary. Have you tried big turbo snails? Nothing however seems to want to touch gha once it gets too long...

 

[bushdoc]

First, I would caution you against using Vibrant. It has been established that it is an algicide. If you decide to use it , you should be aware of this.
Second despite 0 phosphates, you should probably decrease feeding and/or change to low phosphate food as your algae are obviously consuming phosphates you are providing.
You can also establish refugium with macroalgae as a competition for your DT algae.
If your DT is large enough, Tang is a solution, otherwise snails or other CUC members.

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

First, I would caution you against using Vibrant. It has been established that it is an algicide. If you decide to use it , you should be aware of this.
Second despite 0 phosphates, you should probably decrease feeding and/or change to low phosphate food as your algae are obviously consuming phosphates you are providing.
You can also establish refugium with macroalgae as a competition for your DT algae.
If your DT is large enough, Tang is a solution, otherwise snails or other CUC members.

I wish my tangs would pick at the rocks and do some algae control - they're lazy and fat on nori, lol.

 

[bushdoc]

I wish my tangs would pick at the rocks and do some algae control - they're lazy and fat on nori, lol.

Lazy Tang Syndrome-try focus factor or balance of nature
My tangs graze all day, but I give them Nori only once or twice a week.

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

Lazy Tang Syndrome-try focus factor or balance of nature
My tangs graze all day, but I give them Nori only once or twice a week.

I bet they would go after it if I cut back on the nori... I had a tomini develop HLLE in the past though and was able to reverse it by feeding more nori with AminOmega, so I struggle being comfortable with feeding it less even if they'd clean the tank more. I mainly rely on inverts to control algae - my melanurus wrasse developed a taste for escargot a while back though and eats almost every darn snail I add now (other than the ones that hide in the sand during the day, the nassarius and çerith). Thinking about getting a couple emerald crabs again.

 

[MrGisonni]

Cut back on the nori for sure, and feeding in general. Then get a bunch of turbo snails... Like 2 per gallon and let them get to work. Add a refugium if space allows, or add some pretty and/or not too invasive macroalgae to the display. Gracilaria or Caulerpa prolifera are good choices. They will out competed the nusance algae. Keep track of nitrates and phosphates....don't let them bottom out or you might end up out of the frying pan into the fire with dinos or cyano. Reexamine your light spectrum...lean toward more blue around 10,000K and shorten your photoperiod

 

[MNFish]

I had very good luck with Reef Flux, does not work for everyone but was amazing for me. Did not hurt any coral or invert in my aquarium.

 

[The_Skrimp]

I had a terrible hair algae bloom at around the one year make myself. Vodka dosing turned it around for me. Any sort of carbon dosing coupled with some sort of phosphate control like Gfo or phosguard will make a huge difference.

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

Cut back on the nori for sure, and feeding in general. Then get a bunch of turbo snails... Like 2 per gallon and let them get to work. Add a refugium if space allows, or add some pretty and/or not too invasive macroalgae to the display. Gracilaria or Caulerpa prolifera are good choices. They will out competed the nusance algae. Keep track of nitrates and phosphates....don't let them bottom out or you might end up out of the frying pan into the fire with dinos or cyano. Reexamine your light spectrum...lean toward more blue around 10,000K and shorten your photoperiod

All great ideas. I wish I could keep turbo snails alive though! My melanurus unalived 4 in a week, that I thought he wouldn't because they were all over golf ball size...lol. Adding 2 per gallon would be an enormous amount of turbos for my tank - the wrasse would be in heaven with all the snacks! I'll definitely look into macroalgae, and looking into my light spectrum. I have usually always run it pretty white as I prefer the look, but need to quit encouraging algae growth. What % of white do you think is ok to leave?

 

[MrGisonni]

All great ideas. I wish I could keep turbo snails alive though! My melanurus unalived 4 in a week, that I thought he wouldn't because they were all over golf ball size...lol. Adding 2 per gallon would be an enormous amount of turbos for my tank - the wrasse would be in heaven with all the snacks! I'll definitely look into macroalgae, and looking into my light spectrum. I have usually always run it pretty white as I prefer the look, but need to quit encouraging algae growth. What % of white do you think is ok to leave?

It hard to say. It all depends on your lights and available settings. If anything, you can adjust your schedule to your viewing preference and time then back those whites down for the beginning and end of the photoperiod

 

[MrGisonni]

All great ideas. I wish I could keep turbo snails alive though! My melanurus unalived 4 in a week, that I thought he wouldn't because they were all over golf ball size...lol. Adding 2 per gallon would be an enormous amount of turbos for my tank - the wrasse would be in heaven with all the snacks! I'll definitely look into macroalgae, and looking into my light spectrum. I have usually always run it pretty white as I prefer the look, but need to quit encouraging algae growth. What % of white do you think is ok to leave?

Beautiful fish, but if it ate my CUC..... He would have to go

 

[nkyreef]

Cut lighting duration if you can because it's likely feeding the outbreak. Sea hares are the only livestock that has had an affect on GHA for me. Just be careful of any open powerheads because they will always find a way into one.

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

Beautiful fish, but if it ate my CUC..... He would have to go

I did consider whether I want to have to keep replenishing snails or just accept he's going to eat them and give up, lol. Luckily he hasn't touched any snails that stay under the sand until lights out (even the handful of tiny nassarius), or any shrimp. If he ate my fire shrimp I might have to reconsider, but he's lucky he's one of my favorite fish, lol. It's definitely a trade off.

 

[collinnelson9]

All great ideas. I wish I could keep turbo snails alive though! My melanurus unalived 4 in a week, that I thought he wouldn't because they were all over golf ball size...lol. Adding 2 per gallon would be an enormous amount of turbos for my tank - the wrasse would be in heaven with all the snacks! I'll definitely look into macroalgae, and looking into my light spectrum. I have usually always run it pretty white as I prefer the look, but need to quit encouraging algae growth. What % of white do you think is ok to leave?

I’ve heard bad things about turbo snails they typically live in colder waters which is why they don’t live long in our aquariums. I was recommended trochus snails and cerith snails. Don’t get the trochus they only stay on the glass and I’d move them to the algae but I’d wake up to them on the glass again and then they all died since there was nothing for them to eat. Cerith snails are awesome only had 2 of the 20 die but they probably died due to shock since it was only 3 days after I bought them. They’re also very small and get every nook and cranny and they can flip themselves over I’d recommend 1 for every 2 galllons. Also I’d try tuxedo urchins I have 1 and it works wonders and also a lawn mower blenny I’d try out.

 

[Privateye]

If only Kent Tech M still had that mystery "additive" that killed bryopsis. That was a game-changer. Just raise the magnesium to 1700 ppm with that product and the bryopsis disappeared.

Since then it's been all about manual removal, algaecides with pros and cons, and messing with the PO4/NO3 levels.

 

[vetteguy53081]

There is both Bryopsis and gHA. You have to battle each in a different fashion. Important with bryopsis is the most overlooked item - The Roots. You can pull GHA by hand and the Bryopsis . . . YOU MUST REMOVE THE ROOTS AND EVERY ONE OF THEM. As long as there are roots- you will Not get rid of it. To get each root, use a dental pick or small croschet needle to pull them. Once done, reduce white light intensity and number of hours of white lighting and add some snails such as :
Astrea
cerith
turbo grazer
trochus

A Pencil urchin

8-10 Caribbean blue leg hermits

Are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet ?
What is your phosphate level?
Is tank at or near a window?

 

[Privateye]

There is both Bryopsis and gHA. You have to battle each in a different fashion. Important with bryopsis is the most overlooked item - The Roots. You can pull GHA by hand and the Bryopsis . . . YOU MUST REMOVE THE ROOTS AND EVERY ONE OF THEM. As long as there are roots- you will Not get rid of it. To get each root, use a dental pick or small croschet needle to pull them. Once done, reduce white light intensity and number of hours of white lighting and add some snails such as :
Astrea
cerith
turbo grazer
trochus

A Pencil urchin

8-10 Caribbean blue leg hermits

Are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet ?
What is your phosphate level?
Is tank at or near a window?

Pencil urchins are notorious for eating coral. I'd go with a pink urchin or tuxedo instead. Even so, they'll probably scrape at the edges of your green star polyps.