Need Some Guidance on Algae Type and Control

[AKL1950]

System is a WaterBox 220.6 (170 gal DT). My tank in 5 months along (3.5 months since cycle complete). Fish were added early June and first corals were added early August. First SPS were added 1 Sept.

Parameters are with Apex/Trident with Hanna and Salifert backups. Currently only doing auto 1 gallon water change daily.

salinity 34.8
NO3 7.0
PO4 0.01
Temp 79.5
PH 8.0
Alk 8.3
Ca 520
Mag 1610

I started increasing the lighting last month with the introduction of corals and increased again this month with the introduction of SPS. The lighting is mostly blue for 10 hours with a few hours of 10% white. lighting is 4 Radion XR30 Blue fixtures. If you are familiar with WWCs lighting programs, I am using their Mobius program for their 1500 gal SPS tank, currently at 45%.

I have 4 tangs in the DT and about 15 trochus and cerith snails.

since I have increased the lights, I am starting to get this fuzzy brown algae where the lights hit the rockwork. It’s very short and I'm not sure what type of algae it is. The frag in the picture is about 1 1/4”.

it’s not bad yet, but but it is starting to cover the rock work I’m looking for guidance on what to expect and what, if anything, to do to keep it from getting too bad. The darker areas in the back of the picture are the same stuff that is just to the right in front of the frag. Will this eventually dissipate or do I need to do something to counter it? Any advice would be appreciated

 

[blaxsun]

Are you running any kind of UV system on your tank?

 

[Miami Reef]

UV won’t prevent algae from taking over. Especially when they are already on the rocks. Algae is in every tank.

Phosphates are too low. 0.02ppm-0.10ppm is the recommended range, and higher is better than lower.

Get yourself 2 pincushion urchins. They will eliminate the green ugly stage. Once they eliminate the algae you can return them (they work that good).

Also, try to add a rock or snail shell that has coralline algae. This will seed the tank which will help you outcompete green algae in the future.

 

[AKL1950]

Are you running any kind of UV system on your tank?

Yes, big UV and it runs 24/7.

UV won’t prevent algae from taking over. Especially when they are already on the rocks. Algae is in every tank.

Phosphates are too low. 0.02ppm-0.10ppm is the recommended range, and higher is better than lower.

Get yourself 2 pincushion urchins. They will eliminate the green ugly stage. Once they eliminate the algae you can return them (they work that good).

Also, try to add a rock or snail shell that has coralline algae. This will seed the tank which will help you outcompete green algae in the future.

So, my Phosphates are running low at 0.01. Is that because the algae is using it all up? I feed quite a bit, but have never seen NO3 above 7.5 and PO4 anywhere between zero and 0.14. Last few weeks it’s been at 0.01. Also running skimmer 24/7 and changing out filter sock twice a week. Should I back off on those?

 

[Miami Reef]

Yes, big UV and it runs 24/7.


So, my Phosphates are running low at 0.01. Is that because the algae is using it all up? I feed quite a bit, but have never seen NO3 above 7.5 and PO4 anywhere between zero and 0.14. Last few weeks it’s been at 0.01. Also running skimmer 24/7 and changing out filter sock twice a week. Should I back off on those?

Yes, algae does consume phosphates, and will make your levels lower, similar to how refugiums work.

But still, I recommend raising the phosphates. Mainly because your corals need it, but also because you don’t want to encourage dinoflagellates which outcompete in low nutrient levels.

I’d personally dose phosphates rather than feed. It’s more desirable than over feeding (which raises nitrates and adds carbon), and more desirable than closing filtration (skimmer helps with aeration).

You can try omitting the socks and skimmer, but phosphates will need to be dosed in larger amounts compared to nitrates due to the substrate and rocks binding the phosphates. So you’ll most likely just be raising nitrates while phosphates show the same value, for at least a few weeks to even months.

 

[AKL1950]

Yes, algae does consume phosphates, and will make your levels lower, similar to how refugiums work.

But still, I recommend raising the phosphates. Mainly because your corals need it, but also because you don’t want to encourage dinoflagellates which outcompete in low nutrient levels.

I’d personally dose phosphates rather than feed. It’s more desirable than over feeding (which raises nitrates and adds carbon), and more desirable than closing filtration (skimmer helps with aeration).

You can try omitting the socks and skimmer, but phosphates will need to be dosed in larger amounts compared to nitrates due to the substrate and rocks binding the phosphates. So you’ll most likely just be raising nitrates while phosphates show the same value, for at least a few weeks to even months.

Sounds good. I have to make a run to Orlando tomorrow, so I can pick up some. I would rather do that than overfeed too much. Tangs are keeping it pretty mowed down, but the snails have all migrated to the lower areas of the tank and aren’t working the high rocks. guess I could catch some of them and move them up top again and let them reclean it.

 

[Lavey29]

A 5 month old tank is going to have parameter fluctuations and nuisance algae. It is part of the maturing process and will continue much of the first year. This will be compounded if nitrates or phosphates bottom out. Weekly water changes and focus on keeping parameters as stable as possible in the right zones. Get a diversified cleaner crew. Dose PNS probio which is a natural bacteria supplement that eliminates organic waste feeding algae.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Looks like the start of wire algae and a type UV will not address. UV is most effective on what passes through the sleeve and not a vacuum. Inorganics and light support algae and first recourse is adjustment of light. Reduce r even turn off white spectrum in particular.
First start with the source.
What is your Phosphate level ?
Are you using tap water from faucet or RODI water ?
Is tank at or near a window ?
Are you over feeding ?
What if any cleaner snails/crabs do you have ?

First siphon this up as best as you can. Address lighting and if it doesnt clean up with siphoning which it likely wont, press areas with your thumb and you may be able to peel off rock. If not, you will need to remove rock and place in a container of tank water and scrub with firm toothbrush and 3% peroxide.
Place back in tank and add snails such as:
Astrea
nerite
cerith
Ninja star
A pencil urchin

1-2 pitho crabs

 

[AKL1950]

Looks like the start of wire algae and a type UV will not address. UV is most effective on what passes through the sleeve and not a vacuum. Inorganics and light support algae and first recourse is adjustment of light. Reduce r even turn off white spectrum in particular.
First start with the source.
What is your Phosphate level ?
Are you using tap water from faucet or RODI water ?
Is tank at or near a window ?
Are you over feeding ?
What if any cleaner snails/crabs do you have ?

First siphon this up as best as you can. Address lighting and if it doesnt clean up with siphoning which it likely wont, press areas with your thumb and you may be able to peel off rock. If not, you will need to remove rock and place in a container of tank water and scrub with firm toothbrush and 3% peroxide.
Place back in tank and add snails such as:
Astrea
nerite
cerith
Ninja star
A pencil urchin

1-2 pitho crabs

PO4 running 0.01 for last two weeks. Nitrates 7.0
7 stage RO DI
No windows close
dont think I’m over feeding
about 15 trochus and cerith snails, but they are all staying low in the tank
four tangs and they graze this stuff all day. They keep it mowed down pretty good, but it seems to be staying ahead of them.

i increased the lighting last month when I added first corals and again 1 Sept when I added some SPS. That’s when the algae appeared to start up. Lights All blue 10 hours with 10% white for 3 hours.

 

[vetteguy53081]

PO4 running 0.01 for last two weeks. Nitrates 7.0
7 stage RO DI
No windows close
dont think I’m over feeding
about 15 trochus and cerith snails, but they are all staying low in the tank
four tangs and they graze this stuff all day. They keep it mowed down pretty good, but it seems to be staying ahead of them.

i increased the lighting last month when I added first corals and again 1 Sept when I added some SPS. That’s when the algae appeared to start up. Lights All blue 10 hours with 10% white for 3 hours.

If light just turned down, may take time to fully subside

 

[Lavey29]

PO4 running 0.01 for last two weeks. Nitrates 7.0
7 stage RO DI
No windows close
dont think I’m over feeding
about 15 trochus and cerith snails, but they are all staying low in the tank
four tangs and they graze this stuff all day. They keep it mowed down pretty good, but it seems to be staying ahead of them.

i increased the lighting last month when I added first corals and again 1 Sept when I added some SPS. That’s when the algae appeared to start up. Lights All blue 10 hours with 10% white for 3 hours.

That's not much of a cleaner crew for 170g tank. I've got twice that in a 65g tank with turbos, urchins, starfish and hermits

 

[AKL1950]

That's not much of a cleaner crew for 170g tank. I've got twice that in a 65g tank with turbos, urchins, starfish and hermits

Agree. Will pick up more today.

 

[AKL1950]

Did my weekly testing this morning and nutrients are bottoming out. PO4 is still at 0.01, but NO3 has dropped to 2.7.

I will pick up both phosphate and nitrate today for dosing.

Other things I’ve looked at to do as well. Tank is not close to a window, but most of the lights in my house are daylight 5k light bulbs. (I also grow bonsai’s and lots of house plants). I’ll rearrange things to reduce the daylight lighting that is close to the tank. That will drastically reduce plant growing ambient light.

I will also pick up more snails today and see if they have a pincushion urchin I can get.

I have been giving the tangs a big sheet of Nori a day and I’ve noticed they stop grazing for hours after getting the Nori. I’ll cut back on the free food so they spend more time grazing the rocks.

I’ll work those areas above and not change my maintenance schedule for the skimmer and filter socks. If things improve, excellent. If not I’ll look at the mx end.

Jetson

 

[Lavey29]

Did my weekly testing this morning and nutrients are bottoming out. PO4 is still at 0.01, but NO3 has dropped to 2.7.

I will pick up both phosphate and nitrate today for dosing.

Other things I’ve looked at to do as well. Tank is not close to a window, but most of the lights in my house are daylight 5k light bulbs. (I also grow bonsai’s and lots of house plants). I’ll rearrange things to reduce the daylight lighting that is close to the tank. That will drastically reduce plant growing ambient light.

I will also pick up more snails today and see if they have a pincushion urchin I can get.

I have been giving the tangs a big sheet of Nori a day and I’ve noticed they stop grazing for hours after getting the Nori. I’ll cut back on the free food so they spend more time grazing the rocks.

I’ll work those areas above and not change my maintenance schedule for the skimmer and filter socks. If things improve, excellent. If not I’ll look at the mx end.

Jetson

Around the 5 month mark for me my phosphate and nitrate bottomed out too. I had to double dose neophos and neonitro for multiple weeks to get measurable numbers even with full tank of fish. Around 8 months the numbers began to stabilize on their own at decent levels.