Most infested tank ever? (with pics)

[Fish_Sticks]

The algea is thriving off the ammonia and nitrite, since there is a lack of enough rock/bacteria

 

[Hermie]

One hour will cause this, and during the day, the indirect sunlight is still causing this . Time to blackout the side facing window and the windows

I don't know man. It's been proven that pretty much only some cyanobacteria need the red spectrum for photosynthesis. Nuisance algae can grow from blue light spectrum as well.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I don't know man. It's been proven that pretty much only some cyanobacteria need the red spectrum for photosynthesis. Nuisance algae can grow from blue light spectrum as well.

Its the UV that is contributing to this which is produced from direct and indirect sunlight. I run heavy blue with Orpheks and not an ounce of algae or cyano in my tanks
Cyano is not an algae but rather a bacteria also capable of producing toxins that poison aquarium fish If allowed to proliferate, they smother the tank and respond to any color lighting. This is hair algae and not Cyano he is dealing with.

 

[sfin52]

It looks a lot like turf algea. Yours doesn't have a fern look. Look brillo algea. My foxface made short work of mine.

Pull the rock scrub and add a good size cuc

 

[92Miata]

On a real note. More rock and thus more bacteria and a lawn mower blenny would actually probably solve the issue...

None of my lawnmower blenny's will eat hair. They're primarily film algae consumers.


This isn't an issue with water quality - the whole "the algae gets it before the tests or gfo or whatever can get it" is nonsense. This is an issue with poor surface quality and a lack of surface competitors - IE - crappy rock.

The algae isn't getting it's nutrients from the water - it's catching detritus and pulling Phosphate off the surface of the rocks.

How long have you, and how are you managing alkalinity? What have you done to promote coraline algae?

 

[TriggersAmuck]

You can really reduce your feeding more than you know. Take a look at these two videos for example:

 

[gentlefish]

Two thumbs up for prior replies. Just to answer Fluconazole works on long hairy algae and bryopsis but not on bubble algae.

 

[TriggersAmuck]

None of my lawnmower blenny's will eat hair. They're primarily film algae consumers.


This isn't an issue with water quality - the whole "the algae gets it before the tests or gfo or whatever can get it" is nonsense. This is an issue with poor surface quality and a lack of surface competitors - IE - crappy rock.

The algae isn't getting it's nutrients from the water - it's catching detritus and pulling Phosphate off the surface of the rocks.

How long have you, and how are you managing alkalinity? What have you done to promote coraline algae?

@92Miata - Any recommendations for your last point there (promoting Coraline)? I know you can scrape some off from an existing tank and seed the problem tank. Add real live rock. Try AlgeBarn's additives (whoever makes them). Any other suggestions, as I'm tackling this myself currently.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Two thumbs up for prior replies. Just to answer Fluconazole works on long hairy algae and bryopsis but not on bubble algae.

Bubble algae??
Flux is good. Liquid vibrant would destroy this also. It is important Prior to treating to remove as much as possible by hand or filters can get clogged from loose strands once die-off occurs

 

[TriggersAmuck]

I wonder if you have read @brandon429 thread, one against many, or something like that on here. He has a method of resetting that can help/fix much of your situation.

Reef2Reef Pest algae challenge thread hydrogen peroxide

What you are really in for: Hand cleaning, hard work siphon and rasp-removing of accumulations and invasions outside the tank and doing massive water changes is 90% of this thread, peroxide is 10%. We almost never dose peroxide into the tank water, this is a you-work-physically-hard as catch-up...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Hermie]

Its the UV that is contributing to this which is produced from direct and indirect sunlight. I run heavy blue with Orpheks and not an ounce of algae or cyano in my tanks
Cyano is not an algae but rather a bacteria also capable of producing toxins that poison aquarium fish If allowed to proliferate, they smother the tank and respond to any color lighting. This is hair algae and not Cyano he is dealing with.

regardless, it's a myth that nuisance algae do not grow under blue lighting. and UV does not cause photosynthesis (generally), if anything UV can damage a plant

 

[Daddy-o]

We are working on an almost identical tank. We are going the snail route:
3 weeks ago:

Now:

 

[Uncle99]

Also the tank does receive a small amount of sunlight in the morning. Maybe for about an hour perhaps. The tank is placed on a far wall as far from the windows as possible but still that could be a factor and something to consider. I feel like I just need to nuke the tank but I am unsure of how to do it safely and effectively.

Mine got a 2” band of sunlight for about an hour.
My DT looked exactly like yours.
One of our great members said “stop the sunlight man”
I removed the sunlight to 100%.
Within 3 weeks half gone, turned translucent beige instead of green.
Within 5 weeks 75% gone.
Mopped up the rest with a toothbrush and export, along with Vibrant dosed per instructs.
Within 12 weeks 100% gone.
Within 16 weeks, the bubble algae gone.
All this with no other changes to a mature system....just blocked sunlight, and Vibrant.

No question in my mind at all, the sunlight is a major contributor.
Thanks again to that member, not had any pest algae ever again.

 

[TriggersAmuck]

We are working on an almost identical tank. We are going the snail route:

@Daddy-o - what type of snails have you enlisted into your army?

 

[Daddy-o]

@Daddy-o - what type of snails have you enlisted into your army?

In that tank we currently have:
50 Cerith
25 Nerite
75 Dwarf Cerith
100 Astraea
They work hard so I dont have to

 

[Hk2]

The algea is thriving off the ammonia and nitrite, since there is a lack of enough rock/bacteria

None of my lawnmower blenny's will eat hair. They're primarily film algae consumers.


This isn't an issue with water quality - the whole "the algae gets it before the tests or gfo or whatever can get it" is nonsense. This is an issue with poor surface quality and a lack of surface competitors - IE - crappy rock.

The algae isn't getting it's nutrients from the water - it's catching detritus and pulling Phosphate off the surface of the rocks.

How long have you, and how are you managing alkalinity? What have you done to promote coraline algae?

you guys really think its a question of the amount of rock I have? I would estimate I got at about 15 to 20 lbs in that 40 breeder. It was about 10 lbs of nice purple live rock and some dry rock mixed in. I do have coralline in the tank in places on the glass. I run a 165 watt SB reef light which has 420 nm UV at about 30% white and 50% blue light is 13 in off the water line. For alkalinity I dose two part by hand daily

 

[Fish_Sticks]

you guys really think its a question of the amount of rock I have? I would estimate I got at about 15 to 20 lbs in that 40 breeder. It was about 10 lbs of nice purple live rock and some dry rock mixed in. I do have coralline in the tank in places on the glass. I run a 165 watt SB reef light which has 420 nm UV at about 30% white and 50% blue light is 13 in off the water line. For alkalinity I dose two part by hand daily

The algea is definitely outcompeting the bacteria for ammonia/nitrite. I'd be surprised if there is any bacteria left at all tbh. Gotta nuke it with chems or physical removal and try to regrow that bact. Either by adding more cycled rock, or some pretty regular removal.

 

[Fish_Sticks]

Make sure the tank is getting oxygen too... that stuff enjoys co2.

 

[Fish_Sticks]

Btw... my tank gets plenty of sunlight and I dont have this problem. It's definitely helping the algea grow at this point though, since its snowballed into replacing your bacterias role... imo and ime sunlight isnt an issue, if your tank is balanced back out... and corals reeeeally dig sunlight.

Just get the balance back in favor of bacteria. Remove sources of phosphate, such as detritus, and consider physical removal over chems, as chems will just melt the algea back into phosphate. Your rock might have been saturated with phos... :s

 

[92Miata]

If the tank is a year plus - you should be fighting with coraline. It should be everywhere. Whole back panel should be covered.

You need to get that calcium up to 450 or so. Get the alkalinity down to 8 or so, and keep scrubbing the algae. You need to keep it trimmed back so coraline can encrust the rock.

And I see cyano on sand - you need more water flow.