MAJOR algae...EVERYWHERE! Please help it’s horrendous!

[Miami Reef]

I added about 50 lbs of live rock (but I don’t think they were cured at all) to my tank a month ago.

I have had an extreme algae outbreak ever since. I thought it would go away by now, but it’s only getting worse.
Ammonia 0 Salifert and Api
Nitrites 0 api
Nitrates 0 API and salifert

I dosed a ton of phosban and Lanthanum chloride during the first part of the month...but it had 0 effect.

I have my socks and skimmers running.

what algae is this? I had to take a video because pictures don’t show how much MOVEMENT there is in the tank.

I have hermit crabs and a little bit of nassarius snails.

Algae is brown colored. Not green. I put white lights for video purposes.

 

[Casper12065]

Strange that it isn't dying back with nitrates at zero and running phosban, so I assume phosphates at 0. Maybe kill the lights a bit and cut back on feeding the tank? Have to believe it will burn itself out at some point if there's nothing for it to eat.

 

[iMi]

This will help https://www.reefcleaners.org/nuisance-algae-id-guide

Also, have you considered using something like Red Sea Algae Management or others? What are your phosphate readings?

 

[Miami Reef]

I stopped using phosguard a while ago because I read that it will make it worse. I think what’s going on is the algae is consuming the ammonia. That’s why it’s reading 0

 

[vetteguy53081]

Yikes- bad case of green hair algae
First thing to do is check nitrate and phosphate for elevated levels. Pull as much as you can by hand and reduce white light intensity or leave lights off for a week if possible thereafter.
Is this tank at or near a window ?
Are you using API TEST KITS?

Add 1.5ml of liquid bacteria per 10 gallons during the day.. As you’re pulling algae daily, add some snails:
Turno
Astrea
Cerith
Nerite
Trochus
And 6-8 Caribbean blue leg hermits

 

[dedragon]

sorry this is happening to you, this is why i hate, "live rock" you never know whats on it. UV sterilizer might help, so will a good cleanup crew, if this is a new setup some urchins can help clean it up fast and wont be a problem as long as there arent predators or wobbly rocks or corals to tip over

 

[Miami Reef]

Yikes- bad case of green hair algae
First thing to do is check nitrate and phosphate for elevated levels. Pull as much as you can by hand and reduce white light intensity or leave lights off for a week if possible thereafter.
Is this tank at or near a window ?
Are you using API TEST KITS?

Add 1.5ml of liquid bacteria per 10 gallons during the day.. As you’re pulling algae daily, add some snails:
Turno
Astrea
Cerith
Nerite
Trochus
And 6-8 Caribbean blue leg hermits

I’m doing all of this now. I closed the lights. Going to buy the CUC tomorrow

 

[vetteguy53081]

I’m doing all of this now. I closed the lights. Going to buy the CUC tomorrow

You’ll win this battle

 

[arking_mark]

You did not indicate your PO4 measurements,
but it looks like the live rock you added may have a high level of PO4 that it previously soaked up.

I would recommend a couple of approaches:
1. CUC
2. GFO
3. Vibrant

Slowly make changes to the tank...as you don't want to parley this into another problem.

 

[Suohhen]

Definitely gha, it's actually pretty light atm an fresh looking so the snails will go to work on it. Cycling tanks can look horrendous but it will run its course as long as you follow what the others have recommended. And I definitely want to echo that you should take it slow and make no big changes.

 

[SoggyNW]

Vibrant would probably be a big help in fighting this back.

 

[zalick]

Scrub daily, siphon, then dose h202 1ml per 10g with pumps off and squirt directly on algae. It will be gone quickly.

That is quite the infestation.

 

[fryman]

Wow, that's a lot of gha. Please try to be patient, it will take awhile to get that under control. I agree with other posters on here, keep watch on params and get a clean up crew in there.

good luck

 

[Unregistered1]

I added about 50 lbs of live rock (but I don’t think they were cured at all) to my tank a month ago.

I have had an extreme algae outbreak ever since. I thought it would go away by now, but it’s only getting worse.
Ammonia 0 Salifert and Api
Nitrites 0 api
Nitrates 0 API and salifert

I dosed a ton of phosban and Lanthanum chloride during the first part of the month...but it had 0 effect.

I have my socks and skimmers running.

what algae is this? I had to take a video because pictures don’t show how much MOVEMENT there is in the tank.

I have hermit crabs and a little bit of nassarius snails.

Algae is brown colored. Not green. I put white lights for video purposes.

nassarius snails don't eat algae....get in there with both hands and a siphon and erradicate that problem

 

[JumboShrimp]

Florida Fighting Conchs; Sea Hares; Vibrant; prayer! Lol.

 

[Unregistered1]

Maybe even old fashioned water changes

 

[Miami Reef]

thank you

 

[reeferkeeperabq]

I stopped using phosguard a while ago because I read that it will make it worse. I think what’s going on is the algae is consuming the ammonia. That’s why it’s reading 0

It doesn't look healthy, hence the zero nitrates. It's cannot live if they are truly zero. I'd be doing small frequent water changes throughout the day, during which, I'd be removing as much (as possible by any means possible) don't be lazy. You wont regret it. Hermits in my opinion don't touch that stuff, you want a turbo in there, you may be surprised.
Also when I was battling the uglies, the best advice was NO MORE THAN 10 HOURS ON YOUR LIGHTS PERIOD. So I even went to 9 for a while. No moonlighting. Maybe even consider a 3 day blackout if able.

 

[Tonycass12]

Your using ro water right?

 

[alysak6075]

Florida Fighting Conchs; Sea Hares; Vibrant; prayer! Lol.

thats what i did, the only thing that helped was a brown seahare. I swear its a lawn mower.