Need diatom/hair algae help

[JFT267]

Hi i have had a reef tank for about a month now and i have struggled with hair alage and diatoms since. It was a fowlr tank before. The tank is 30 g sumpless, My nitrate js between 0 and 5 ppm, ph is about 8.3 based on API test. I have AQ 50&70, in addition to eshopps hob skimmer which i clean 2x a week. I dont have a phosphate test. I have been doing 10% water changes weekly, I try to remove whatever hair algae there is when I change water. I have a clownfish, six line, alage blenny, cleaner shrimp various snails and corals. My lights are on like eight hours a day. I have even tried using GFO in filters. I cannot get rid of this annoying algae. I try not to over feed. Here is my lighting schedule maybe it is what is doing it because I dont know what else to do!!!!

 

[BarSnackz]

Are you using RODI water? Is the tank in direct sunlight?

 

[JFT267]

Are you using RODI water? Is the tank in direct sunlight?

I use RO water, the tank maybe gets an hour or two of direct light during sunrise or sunset in varying spots it depends, but not even close to all day

 

[Malifry97]

If I were you I would try using chemipure elite in the filter. Also do a 25% WC a week for a month or until the problem clears up to help remove excess nutrients. Finally try an emerald crab or two maybe even three they can help. But be careful because when the emerald crabs finish the algae they may get hungry and nip at corals. Hope the problem gets fixed. Best wishes

 

[Malifry97]

If I were you I would try using chemipure elite in the filter. Also do a 25% WC a week for a month or until the problem clears up to help remove excess nutrients. Finally try an emerald crab or two maybe even three they can help. But be careful because when the emerald crabs finish the algae they may get hungry and nip at corals. Hope the problem gets fixed. Best wishes

Also diatoms in particular need VERY LITTLE amounts of light. This is contrary to popular belief. Lighting schedule has little to no effect on diatoms diatoms rely mainly on silicates and phosphates.

 

[JFT267]

Guess ill just have to do more

 

[Malifry97]

Guess ill just have to do more

Do more what?

 

[JFT267]

Greater water changes. Sorry. will this also take care of the hair algae or does that grow more with light?

 

[Malifry97]

For hair algae, nutrient imbalances and light play a role. I would suggest having your lights on for only about 6 hours until the algae is gone. Also get more surface aggravation to increase oxygen and co2 exchange. In co2 deficient tanks hair algae can grow. I strongly suggest ChemiPure Elite to remove nutrients.

 

[Malifry97]

Also if you have and extra 20-30$ emerald crabs and other inverts can really help with algae. Not necessarily needed but can help.

 

[Malifry97]

Water changes will help with hair algae too. Only use RO or RODI or Distilled water though. If you’re treated tap has total dissolved solids above fifty then it will cause excess nutrients so stick to the above listed water types.

 

[Malifry97]

For hair algae, nutrient imbalances and light play a role. I would suggest having your lights on for only about 6 hours until the algae is gone. Also get more surface aggravation to increase oxygen and co2 exchange. In co2 deficient tanks hair algae can grow. I strongly suggest ChemiPure Elite to remove nutrients.

And phosphate and silicates(diatoms use these)

 

[Malifry97]

.

 

[JFT267]

Does the white light vs blue light make a difference in terms of promoting growth? I got the blenny a week ago to help with the algae but he really just goes hard on the glass and doesn't really touch any of the rocks. :/ I dont really know how he eats enough though. My tap is very good, when I run it through RODI it tells me 0 TDS on input & output, not sure if it is cracked out or what, but I still use the ROdi. If I shorten my lighting sched to six hour and it goes away, wouldn't it just come back when I increased it again? Does it pay to get a phosphate test ?

 

[JFT267]

I got all of the snails also last week and I find that it is so annoying since i have to get food to them too and my clown is a nut and doesn't let a single one fall to the ground unless i bombard like 10 at once.

 

[JFT267]

So im not sure if an emerald carb would be good sinc id have to feed that one too..

 

[Cal_stir]

3 or 4 days of total darkness (cover the tank so no light can get in) can kill the algae and give you a fresh start, you need to be careful that the dying algae doesn't pollute the tank so daily 10% or 20% water changes and running carbon would be best. Vacuum the sand bed first. No feedings during blackout.
the hair algae is difficult to get rid of but easier to keep away, the diatoms will will eventually eat themselves out of house and home, they mainly feed on silicates. The fish and corals will be fine just bring the lights back on slow, reduced photo period and intensity and ramp back up slowly over a few weeks.

 

[Malifry97]

Does the white light vs blue light make a difference in terms of promoting growth? I got the blenny a week ago to help with the algae but he really just goes hard on the glass and doesn't really touch any of the rocks. :/ I dont really know how he eats enough though. My tap is very good, when I run it through RODI it tells me 0 TDS on input & output, not sure if it is cracked out or what, but I still use the ROdi. If I shorten my lighting sched to six hour and it goes away, wouldn't it just come back when I increased it again? Does it pay to get a phosphate test ?

I would definitely get a phosphate test. And yes it may come back if you don’t get parameters corrrect lighting is a temporary fix to lower population

 

[Malifry97]

So im not sure if an emerald carb would be good sinc id have to feed that one too..

You would not have to feed the emerald crabs until all algae is gone which would be a while and then not much if any mostly just waste and uneaten food. Also you’re clown won’t really mess with an emerald crab

 

[Malifry97]

Does the white light vs blue light make a difference in terms of promoting growth? I got the blenny a week ago to help with the algae but he really just goes hard on the glass and doesn't really touch any of the rocks. :/ I dont really know how he eats enough though. My tap is very good, when I run it through RODI it tells me 0 TDS on input & output, not sure if it is cracked out or what, but I still use the ROdi. If I shorten my lighting sched to six hour and it goes away, wouldn't it just come back when I increased it again? Does it pay to get a phosphate test ?

Also less violet and red lighting can help with the algae.