Need Pro Help: Ready to throw in the Towel due to Algae Issue

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks everyone for the replies and input. I bought a glove and removed as much as I could by hand and scrubbed the rest. My plan is to buy a Sea Hare as aforementioned.

Going to test my RODI to see if there is any phosphate. What is my best course of action if the results come back with traces of Po4?

Reduce feeding amounts, reduce light and add a little GFO

 

[old salt reefer]

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. What I see, a spotless frag rack(no GHA) with coralline algae on it. Same for frag on the tile(spotless). Same for the gravel(spotless). And a crap load of GHA on the rocks that looks like there are no corals on (maybe hidden by the GHA). Why just on the rock? Are they leaching PO4?
I've had a rock that looked just like yours. For 2 years it looked like that(at first so did the other rocks in the tank, but after 2 years just that one rock). At first I tried everything mentioned above-snails ,crabs, fish that ate algae, sucking it out, fluconazole. Nothing worked in the long run. I went bare bottom(that really helped clear the other rocks as I could get out 95% of the detritus daily thus removing a lot of the source of food for the algae(any tank started since has been bare bottom). But that one rock just kept growing GHA. So I took it out and covered it in peroxide' let it sit for 5 minutes and then with a toothbrush removed as much of the GHA as I could. Cleaned it off with tap water and then did it twice more. Then rinsed it in tank water and put it back in. That worked(as well as killing every bristle worm and amphipod in or on the rock and most likely all the bacteria too. But the rock has been algae free since. If that wouldn't have work next was bleach, after that hydrochloric acid,both of which should react and remove with any PO4 in the rock.

 

[Rockhound]

Get a tang and some lawmowers. They got rid of mine. Also the only thing i ran off and on was chemi pure blue. It seemed to lessen the hair algae when i used it

 

[Bounce House Corals]

I know this is an extreme measure but I offered this advice in another thread too today. Sometimes starting over from the beginning will re ignite the enjoyment and resolve all of the issues you have. New rock/scape = new tank, it worked for me in the past when I was so frustrated I was about to give up. Not saying this is the “only way” to fix your problem, but may be easier and/or more enjoyable to wipe the slate clean

I had the same Problem as OP on my 2nd tank- i really enjoy corals so I purchased a Frag tank while I get my display in check- definitely reignited the hobby for me and was fun to take all the lessons learned and start from scratch.

 

[Jmcg89]

Following along, im batteling the same stuff.

 

[SlugSnorter]

Hey everyone,

I have been losing an uphill battle against this brown? green? hair algae for about 7 months now. No matter what I throw at the issue it comes back worse. I have tried blacking out the tank for up to 4 days; I've tried reducing feeding, manual removal by hand + brush.

The issue with brushing the algae is that it ends up floating around the tank, getting stuck on frag plugs and irritating zoas to the point of death. I've about 10 high-end zoas due to this method.

Equipment:
I am using my own 5 stage RODI unit and due to REALLY hard local water (550 TDS IN) I'm producing RODI @ 1-2 TDS.
I purchased and fitted a CW-50 Algae scrubber over 5 weeks ago and it has not generated ANY growth, even while blacking out the display. Take a look at the photo; it's basically useless.
I have an oversized skimmer running wet

CUC:
I have two emerald crabs, some red/blue hermits, a powder blue tang, lawnmower blenny, trochus snaills, turbo snails. Nothing wants anything to do with it.

Water Param:
8.2 Alk
440 Calc
.05ish Po4
.25ish No3


Would a Halloween or Tuxedo Urchin tackle this issue?
What can I do??? Manual removal is extremely difficult; I have a jerk clown that attacks my hand and if I brush the algae it ends up irritating all my corals. Not only that there are some difficult access points on the side where photographed.

I need some serious help or I'm bound to throw in the towel. SOS

Among the other suggestions, an urchin could help, from what I hear, Lettuce slugs love this stuff and can help too.

Or a sea hare, they could devour a lot of algae

 

[Christopher Poore]

Get a tang and some lawmowers. They got rid of mine. Also the only thing i ran off and on was chemi pure blue. It seemed to lessen the hair algae when i used it

I have both. That information is in the original post.

 

[Christopher Poore]

Among the other suggestions, an urchin could help, from what I hear, Lettuce slugs love this stuff and can help too.

Or a sea hare, they could devour a lot of algae

I'm going the Sea Hare route. Wish me luck.

 

[SlugSnorter]

I'm going the Sea Hare route. Wish me luck.

I wish you the big slug, also some algae clips for when the slug eats all the algae

 

[EMeyer]

Algae problems are primarily herbivore problems in my experience.

But the solution is usually manual cleaning. I mean, remove every cell of algae. Go nuclear. Take the rock out of the tank and scrub it clean in another tub of water. Then rinse it before putting it back.

If nuisance algae grow on the sand, vacuum it out of the tank, rinse the crap out of it.

Then add some herbivores. I'm a fan of smaller snails and hermits, but also feel you need a big fat herbivorous fish, at least one per tank.

Manual cleaning is the solution, herbivores are the prevention

 

[Christopher Poore]

My RODI tested at .03 po4. Tank tested .15 and 5 ppm no3.

added sea hare today.

replacing DI resin and other filters this weekend

 

[jgirardnrg]

I used Vibrant a couple of emerald crabs for GHA. When the algae was gone I brought the crabs back to my LFS. I tried snails and hermits etc and the above was what finally turned the tide for me.

 

[HuduVudu]

I'm going the Sea Hare route. Wish me luck.

Sea hares rarely survive.

They will mow it down and then starve out and die.
I really don't think that it is ethical to bring them into the hobby.

The rock is leaching nutrients and will for some time.

Do regular water changes and try to get some other things growing in the tank that will pick up the nutrients. This will will bring balance.

Tanks are evolution not spontaneous creation. Learn to enjoy the many stages that they go through.

 

[SlugSnorter]

My RODI tested at .03 po4. Tank tested .15 and 5 ppm no3.

added sea hare today.

replacing DI resin and other filters this weekend

keep me updated

 

[SlugSnorter]

Sea hares rarely survive.

They will mow it down and then starve out and die.
I really don't think that it is ethical to bring them into the hobby.

The rock is leaching nutrients and will for some time.

Do regular water changes and try to get some other things growing in the tank that will pick up the nutrients. This will will bring balance.

Tanks are evolution not spontaneous creation. Learn to enjoy the many stages that they go through.

With proper care they do fine, they aren't super picky like nudis, you have to stay on top of feeding them though