Need help controlling green hair algae and red slime

KTownReefer · Dec 4, 2016

I have been fighting green hair algae and red slime bacteria for a few months now and can't seem to get it under control. I shut my lights off for 4 days and everything cleared up but a day or two after turning my light back on it started to return. I've been doing weekly 40 gallon water changes on my 180 display with little to no change in algae or red slime. In the last two months I've lost my hammer, torch, frogspawn green star and plate. My zoanthind's, scoly, mushrooms, bubble tips and other softies are doing good. My ammonia and nitrite are at 0ppm and my nitrates are at 5ppm Ph is between 8.1 and 7.8 calcium is 450 my dkh is high 15 but has always been I've never been able to get it to proper levels phosphate at aprox 0. I have a sump with refugium, sock and skimmers. My tank is 11 months old.
I would appreciate any and all help I can get.
Thanks
Dwight

Ocean Lotion · Dec 4, 2016

You have only been fighting gha for a few months? Rookie. I am going on 2 years so I am probably not the one to give advise but will wish you luck.

KTownReefer · Dec 4, 2016

Thank you

Jason mack · Dec 4, 2016

Hi
When I had a green algae outbreak , I was advised too raise the magnesium upto 1700s ppm.. raise it slowly I did it over a couple of weeks adding everyday .. and it worked, plus get some turbo snails they love green hair algae . Once it's gone you can let the magnesium level drop back down too 1275-1350 ppm again .. my tank has now stayed free .. I'm not an expert .. but this worked for me

Jason mack · Dec 4, 2016

Plus you have a new tank .. don't worry about alkalinity too much .. you probably don't have so many corals in there yet .. I see you didn't mention what you magnesium was .. are you testing for this ??

KTownReefer · Dec 4, 2016

Jason mack said:
Hi
When I had a green algae outbreak , I was advised too raise the magnesium upto 1700s ppm.. raise it slowly I did it over a couple of weeks adding everyday .. and it worked, plus get some turbo snails they love green hair algae . Once it's gone you can let the magnesium level drop back down too 1275-1350 ppm again .. my tank has now stayed free .. I'm not an expert .. but this worked for me

How many turbo snails should I have? I currently have 10 of them.

KTownReefer · Dec 4, 2016

Jason mack said:
Plus you have a new tank .. don't worry about alkalinity too much .. you probably don't have so many corals in there yet .. I see you didn't mention what you magnesium was .. are you testing for this ??

My magnesium is 1240

Jason mack · Dec 4, 2016

well I'd definitely get a few more (5maybe) you can always sell them back too your lFS when it's under control ..you have a big tank Should be ok .. but like I said I'm no expert and my tank was only 25 g I had 1 turbo and 2 corniche snails ..

Jason mack · Dec 4, 2016

Ok I would definitely raise your magnesium using magnesium plus or so ... it takes a while but it's better too do it slowly

KTownReefer · Dec 4, 2016

Jason mack said:
Ok I would definitely raise your magnesium using magnesium plus or so ... it takes a while but it's better too do it slowly

What should it be?

Jason mack · Dec 4, 2016

As for your red slime .. we all get that but I've given my tank a course of this (seePhoto). And this seems too work .. but I try only too do it as little as possible .. vacuum as much out as you can

Jason mack · Dec 4, 2016

KTownReefer said:
What should it be?

Magnesium should be 1250 -1350 normally raise yours too 1700 your green hair algae will die off .

Tyreef2016 · Dec 4, 2016

I did some H2O2 dosing, similar to vodka dosing. its 1ml hydrogen peroxide per 10gallons of water. won't fully eliminate the problem though.

what test kit are you using?

Nick92515 · Dec 4, 2016

[/QUOTE]

You dont need all this.

Phos will read 0, but if you have algae you have phos.

What macros do you have, whats your fuge lighting, how are they growing?

What is yoir display lighting?

Running any gfo?

What phos test are you using?

Whats your bioload like

Other than all this, you need to get your nutrients in check, and keep them there. no over feeding, keeping good stock levels. once your nutrients are coming down, algae will start to dissipate, with cyano having a good flow and no dead spots is also a key.

twilliard · Dec 4, 2016

Algae and cyanobacteria are 2 of my most favorite subjects

So far a critical step has not been taken with your cyanobacteria.
Links are bellow

Nick92515 · Dec 4, 2016

Tyreef2016 said:
I did some H2O2 dosing, similar to vodka dosing. its 1ml hydrogen peroxide per 10gallons of water. won't fully eliminate the problem though.

what test kit are you using?

Carbon dosing can help, but more for nitrate its uaually a 16:1 ratio of nitrate to phos.

H202 is over kill at this step. thats usually a last ditch effort.

KTownReefer · Dec 4, 2016

Jason mack said:
As for your red slime .. we all get that but I've given my tank a course of this (seePhoto). And this seems too work .. but I try only too do it as little as possible .. vacuum as much out as you can

Thanks if I can't control it naturally I'll give it a try.

Salty1962 · Dec 4, 2016

Have you read the Vibrant thread? It has cleared up 90% of my bryopsis and red turf algae. Worth reading to see if you think it can help you

http://reef2reef.com/threads/vibrant-liquid-aquarium-cleaner-discussion-thread.271428/

nc208082 · Dec 4, 2016

+1 I'm on my 5th dose and my red slime and gha are almost gone.

Salty1962 said:
Have you read the Vibrant thread? It has cleared up 90% of my bryopsis and red turf algae. Worth reading to see if you think it can help you
http://reef2reef.com/threads/vibrant-liquid-aquarium-cleaner-discussion-thread.271428/

KTownReefer · Dec 4, 2016

Nick92515 said:

You dont need all this.

Phos will read 0, but if you have algae you have phos.

What macros do you have, whats your fuge lighting, how are they growing?

What is yoir display lighting?

Running any gfo?

What phos test are you using?

Whats your bioload like

Other than all this, you need to get your nutrients in check, and keep them there. no over feeding, keeping good stock levels. once your nutrients are coming down, algae will start to dissipate, with cyano having a good flow and no dead spots is also a key.[/QUOTE]

Nick92515 said:

You dont need all this.

Phos will read 0, but if you have algae you have phos.

What macros do you have, whats your fuge lighting, how are they growing?

What is yoir display lighting?

Running any gfo?

What phos test are you using?

Whats your bioload like

Other than all this, you need to get your nutrients in check, and keep them there. no over feeding, keeping good stock levels. once your nutrients are coming down, algae will start to dissipate, with cyano having a good flow and no dead spots is also a key.[/QUOTE]
I have Chaetomorpha in my Fuge and I am using a cfl in a fixture. My display lighting is LED running at 50% at peek. I'm not running GFO. I'm using Red Sea test kits. My bio load is 1 hippo tang, 1 sailfin tang, 1 yellow tang, 1 fox face, 1 lipstick tang, two fire fish gobies, 1 yellow watchman gobie, 8 chromies 2 maroon gold stripe clowns 1 bi coulor blenny and 1 lawnmower blenny. I down to feeding once a day flakes and pellets.