Need help reviving my 20 gal Saltwater reef

[ReeferPrime]

It full of green-hair algae. Things are dying please help. Pic below

 

[mcarroll]

What's dying?

More than likely your biggest problem is a lack of water flow.

I would add one or more of Tunze's Turbelle® nanostream® 6020 ($43) or Turbelle® nanostream® 6015 ($40) in place of that giant impeller pump that's in there.

(Two+ is also usually always better than one, regardless of the type of pump.)

Another likelihood, though, is your alkalinity.

Are you doing water changes or water testing to manage and/or keep track of alkalinity?

It might help to reduce light intensity and/or photoperiod. Can you measure your lights in either lux or PAR to tell us how bright it gets in there during the day? How long is the day on that tank?

 

[ReeferPrime]

It on for about 6 to 8 hours. I'm planning on getting a new pump. What about that algae?

 

[ReeferPrime]

I use an alkalinity supplement. It seems pretty good.

 

[SJ-reefer]

You need to check the phosphate level, maybe add a small clean up crew from the LFS. Brush the rocks with a toothbrush right before a water change will help.

 

[ReeferPrime]

Should I get a Sea Hare for algae control?

 

[twilliard]

IMO--H2O2 is the best algae control. Remember everything you add to the water increases the bioload.
Manual removal of the algae, treatment of the rocks, then tank dosing will rid you of algae

 

[ReeferPrime]

IMO--H2O2 is the best algae control. Remember everything you add to the water increases the bioload.
Manual removal of the algae, treatment of the rocks, then tank dosing will rid you of algae

How much do I have to use ? Is there a ratio?

 

[twilliard]

After removing as much as you can by hand take the rock out and put the normal 3% hydrogen peroxide on the areas with algae. Let stand like this for 5 minutes. Put back into the tank (no rinsing required). From there you would dose the tank to take care of any free algae left.

 

[ReeferPrime]

Dose the tank with what exactly. The hydrogen peroxide? Is it safe?

 

[twilliard]

There is more benefit than harm. All H2O2 does is drop ORP for 4 to 6 hours. It increases O2. I dose 24 hours a day

 

[ReeferPrime]

How much H2O2 do I put in the tank?It's 20 gallons.

 

[twilliard]

When that point is reached it would be 2ml every 12 hours

 

[LetItReef]

+1 on manually removing it then I would get couple of Turbo snails, above said-flow PP-4 would work too and I would cut back on lighting schedule.