Need help with large algae problem

Reef.Blue · May 15, 2023

Lately I had huge algae blooms in the past 2 months. I tried everything; reduced lighting, water changes, reduced feeding, more cuc members, added a tang, and i'm still struggling with algae. It is all hair algae. I have to clean it out almost every other day because it grows back so fast. Please let me know of any advice to fix this.

Jason_MrFrags · May 15, 2023

How old is the tank? Are you using RODI water?

John Bolden · May 15, 2023

Maybe try a black out period...3-4 days.

Reef.Blue · May 15, 2023

Jason_MrFrags said:
How old is the tank? Are you using RODI water?

The tank is about a year and a half old. I've been using distilled.

Reef.Blue · May 15, 2023

John Bolden said:
Maybe try a black out period...3-4 days.

but once that period is done what is stopping it from coming back?

John Bolden · May 15, 2023

Reef.Blue said:
but once that period is done what is stopping it from coming back?

The black out will kill the algea but what we need is: perimeters, Do you use RODI if so what is your TDS and what is stocked. You also can try a Reef flux treatment to kill all the algea. The down side to a flux treatment is that it kills the majority of your biome in your reef.

Reef.Blue · May 15, 2023

John Bolden said:
The black out will kill the algea but what we need is: perimeters, Do you use RODI if so what is your TDS and what is stocked. You also can try a Reef flux treatment to kill all the algea. The down side to a flux treatment is that it kills the majority of your biome in your reef.

I can give parameters when I get home later. I use distilled water. I have 1 clown, 1 tomini tang, 1 flame hawk, 1 green mandarin, and 1 midas blenny.

John Bolden · May 15, 2023

How big is your tank? Do you run a skimmer?

Reef.Blue · May 15, 2023

John Bolden said:
How big is your tank? Do you run a skimmer?

40b and yes I run a skimmer.

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal · May 15, 2023

John Bolden said:
The down side to a flux treatment is that it kills the majority of your biome in your reef

This is false. Fluconazole is an antifungal and does not affect the "biome". If anything, it might kill off any desirable macro in your fuge during treatment.

Reef.Blue · May 16, 2023

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal said:
This is false. Fluconazole is an antifungal and does not affect the "biome". If anything, it might kill off any desirable macro in your fuge during treatment.

So do you think Fluconazole is the way to go?

exnisstech · May 16, 2023

My advice is no fluconazole. I know many people use it. I have only used it once and it did kill the hair algae but then the tank was overrun with cyano. I'll take gha over cyano any day.
EDIT : can you post a pic under white lights showing how bad the issue is?

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal · May 16, 2023

Reef.Blue said:
So do you think Fluconazole is the way to go?

Not for hair algae, no. Confirmed bryopsis, yes.

Reef.Blue · May 16, 2023

exnisstech said:
My advice is no fluconazole. I know many people use it. I have only used it once and it did kill the hair algae but then the tank was overrun with cyano. I'll take gha over cyano any day.
EDIT : can you post a pic under white lights showing how bad the issue is?

I just cleaned most of the algae out yesterday so you wouldn't be able to see it. It will grow back soon though.

Reef.Blue · May 16, 2023

exnisstech said:
My advice is no fluconazole. I know many people use it. I have only used it once and it did kill the hair algae but then the tank was overrun with cyano. I'll take gha over cyano any day.
EDIT : can you post a pic under white lights showing how bad the issue is?

I've been trying to clean it out every few days before it gets too bad again.

exnisstech · May 16, 2023

How old is the tank? Just asking because so many people freak out over some algae when it's actually pretty normal and many times just a phase IME. Manual removal along with a good clean up crew is the most natural way to deal with it.
I always have gha in my larger tank and have gotten used to it. It doesn't really bother corals and is home to benificial critters like pods and micro brittle starts.

Reef.Blue · May 16, 2023

exnisstech said:
How old is the tank? Just asking because so many people freak out over some algae when it's actually pretty normal and many times just a phase IME. Manual removal along with a good clean up crew is the most natural way to deal with it.
I always have gha in my larger tank and have gotten used to it. It doesn't really bother corals and is home to benificial critters like pods and micro brittle starts.

It's about a year and a half old. I had a smaller outbreak of algae in the first couple months which I know was normal, but just lately it has gotten out of control.

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal · May 16, 2023

Reef.Blue said:
It's about a year and a half old. I had a smaller outbreak of algae in the first couple months which I know was normal, but just lately it has gotten out of control.

What are your nutrient levels? What type of lighting do you use?

Graemesreef · May 16, 2023

If your cuc and tang aren't helping and its growing back that quickly you could be dealing with lyngbya which in some forms can look very similar to gha. Pictures are a must asap as the two are totally different beasts and treatment will be almost opposite. Dont start anything until you get a positive id as you can make things worse than they already are.

Reef.Blue · May 16, 2023

Graemesreef said:
If your cuc and tang aren't helping and its growing back that quickly you could be dealing with lyngbya which in some forms can look very similar to gha. Pictures are a must asap as the two are totally different beasts and treatment will be almost opposite. Dont start anything until you get a positive id as you can make things worse than they already are.

I don't have any pictures in white light, but i can get one when I get home.