My new reef aquarium had an explosion on algae

[jmag101]

So I am decently new to saltwater aquariums and I started my 15 gal all in one aquarium a little more than two months ago. It was fine for a while even with adding new fish and coral but then about three weeks ago I added two clownfish and a neon green hydnophora to my tank and dosed phyto and over night had an algae explosion. Not sure what caused it but I have been trying to limit nutrients in the tank and lower the light cycles. I also added a pincushion urchin to help cut down on the algae but it still is taking over the tank and is now starting to grow on my coral. Does anyone have any advice?

 

[Dan_P]

So I am decently new to saltwater aquariums and I started my 15 gal all in one aquarium a little more than two months ago. It was fine for a while even with adding new fish and coral but then about three weeks ago I added two clownfish and a neon green hydnophora to my tank and dosed phyto and over night had an algae explosion. Not sure what caused it but I have been trying to limit nutrients in the tank and lower the light cycles. I also added a pincushion urchin to help cut down on the algae but it still is taking over the tank and is now starting to grow on my coral. Does anyone have any advice?

This amount of algae is unlikely to have grown overnight. Algae growth is a normal occurrence in a new aquarium and must be physically removed by you or snails.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

algae is a normal part of a reef tank, algae is fueled by phosphate, so you will need to get a good phosphate test (not API) and start testing and learning and how to control phosphate.

Controlling phosphate, manual removal (using a toothbrush to scrub the rocks) and a good clean up crew are the main ways of fighting algae.

 

[Dburr1014]

This does not look like normal algae.
Looks like this. https://images.app.goo.gl/FwxmvdreNz5cLsV4A
OP search and compare.

 

[jmag101]

This amount of algae is unlikely to have grown overnight. Algae growth is a normal occurrence in a new aquarium and must be physically removed by you or snails.

What type of snails would you recommend and how many for the size of tank?

 

[jmag101]

This does not look like normal algae.
Looks like this. https://images.app.goo.gl/FwxmvdreNz5cLsV4A
OP search and compare.

I agree it’s really hard to remove manually and grows in think stalk chunks. That picture does look very similar.

 

[jmag101]

algae is a normal part of a reef tank, algae is fueled by phosphate, so you will need to get a good phosphate test (not API) and start testing and learning and how to control phosphate.

Controlling phosphate, manual removal (using a toothbrush to scrub the rocks) and a good clean up crew are the main ways of fighting algae.

Okay! I’ll definitely start testing phosphate to see where those levels are. Also I heard that scrubbing live rock is bad and that it should only be removed by snails or urchins. Is that a myth or true?

 

[TokenReefer]

The algae looks very still. Are the pumps off? Maybe up the flow a bit or add a powerhead once you remove the algae (manually)...

 

[TokenReefer]

Okay! I’ll definitely start testing phosphate to see where those levels are. Also I heard that scrubbing live rock is bad and that it should only be removed by snails or urchins. Is that a myth or true?

I don't get the not scrubbing methodology. If can pick it off great, but the stuff I had disappeared between my fingers. I could blow it off with a strong baster. There are tons of different types of algeas, sure. Do whatever it takes to get rid of it is my thought. Be aggressive. Don't wait a week between cleanings; up the schedule and remove as much as you can every time. Eventually things will even out

 

[jmag101]

The algae looks very still. Are the pumps off? Maybe up the flow a bit or add a powerhead once you remove the algae (manually)...

Since it’s an all in one I couldn’t fit that big of a return pump in the back but I do have a strong wave maker that I can add. I currently don’t have it in there bc it seem too strong for the coral but it may be fine.

 

[TokenReefer]

Since it’s an all in one I couldn’t fit that big of a return pump in the back but I do have a strong wave maker that I can add. I currently don’t have it in there bc it seem too strong for the coral but it may be fine.

Water movement will help detritus from building up and move it toward your filter better. It will move any free floating algae spores there also to be trapped by the filter. Change the filter material as often as possible while fighting this...

 

[Dburr1014]

I don't get the not scrubbing methodology. If can pick it off great, but the stuff I had disappeared between my fingers. I could blow it off with a strong baster. There are tons of different types of algeas, sure. Do whatever it takes to get rid of it is my thought. Be aggressive. Don't wait a week between cleanings; up the schedule and remove as much as you can every time. Eventually things will even out

The problem with scrubbing rocks in tank is everything floats everywhere else and then gets stuck to the Rock in another spot and now you have 10 times your problem.

 

[Rick's Reviews]

So I am decently new to saltwater aquariums and I started my 15 gal all in one aquarium a little more than two months ago. It was fine for a while even with adding new fish and coral but then about three weeks ago I added two clownfish and a neon green hydnophora to my tank and dosed phyto and over night had an algae explosion. Not sure what caused it but I have been trying to limit nutrients in the tank and lower the light cycles. I also added a pincushion urchin to help cut down on the algae but it still is taking over the tank and is now starting to grow on my coral. Does anyone have any advice?

First of all I will reduce your lighting, depending on what lights you have.
If you have lighting that you can turn down intensity of whites and blues then reduce that first.
If lighting is white on or white of then cut down the hours you have white on to half to begin with (8hrs a day, reduce to 4 hrs)
You can manually scrub algae with a baby's toothbrush, these are very soft and will not hurt living organisms on your rocks.
Its a very small aquarium and you could clear this algae in a day without problems, keep your filters running whilst you clean and... clean filters for next 2-3 days to remove any remaining, then repeat next week and keep on top of it in the future, manual removal is the best solution and your urchin cuc will remove the remaining algae

 

[TokenReefer]

The problem with scrubbing rocks in tank is everything floats everywhere else and then gets stuck to the Rock in another spot and now you have 10 times your problem.

Sure some of it moves around but if that's the only way to remove it... some will move and float around, try to siphon as much out during the water change. Then turn the pumps on high (safely as you can) when you're done to flush it into filter media and then change out that media. Eventually even the stuff that floated around will lose the battle...