New here and have algae problem!

[trikkinoy]

Hi, I am new here and our tank is about 4 months old. We have a 25gal tank with 5 small fish and a couple corrals and 5 snails and 3 hermit crabs. We have some very long brown hair algae. What is the best way to get rid of it? Did the peroxide dip on a couple corals but seems like it’s starting to come back on those guys. Did a water change this last Sunday. Keeping the lights down as well.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Pictures will help to ID the algae.

Algae is common in newer tanks. Overfeeding and lack of flow and under filtration are the usual causes of algae in newer tanks.

If you have corals in the tank, then you should not turn down the lights or the corals will suffer.

Your tank is fully stocked, what type of filtration are you running to handle this bioload? Do you use rodi water or tap water? Can you share your water parameters?

 

[trikkinoy]

We have a 25gal Red Sea tank. The filtration is sock, purigen and carbon. We also have a wave maker. We ONLY use RODI water and never tap. I took a sample to the aquarium store to have everything checked and parameters were perfect, but I know algae eat nitrates too. I have done the peroxide dip on some corals and used toothbrush on some other areas. The aquarium store gave me some Flux RX to use after I do another water change. Just don’t know where this is coming from though! Only really feed once a day and use liquid corral food once a week. I attached pics. The algae is in very random areas.

 

[00W]

Well, let's see here.
Hard for me to see much.
Pretty dark.
What are your parameters?
I don't know what perfect is because it's different for every tank.
Tank is full and young.
Lots of uglies come in the first year.
What's your flow like?
Just a little more info, pics under white light would be good.

 

[trikkinoy]

Well, let's see here.
Hard for me to see much.
Pretty dark.
What are your parameters?
I don't know what perfect is because it's different for every tank.
Tank is full and young.
Lots of uglies come in the first year.
What's your flow like?
Just a little more info, pics under white light would be good.

I will work on getting parameters information, but the store just said everything was perfect. We have decent water movement. I have attached some more pics and video. So hard to get good pics

 

[trikkinoy]

I will work on getting parameters information, but the store just said everything was perfect. We have decent water movement. I have attached some more pics and video. So hard to get good pics

The algae just flows like hair driving in a convertible

 

[trikkinoy]

The algae just flows like hair driving in a convertible

I don’t think it’s letting me post small videos. To see water movement!

 

[00W]

I don’t think it’s letting me post small videos. To see water movement!

Posting to YouTube works.

 

[00W]

The algae just flows like hair driving in a convertible

Yes.
GHA.
Green hair algae, looks brown under blue lights. Common in lots of tanks and will take over as you are seeing.
Excess nutrients, phosphate in particular.
Manual removal right now, gently around the corals.
Need to get accurate tests done but phosphate won't register right there's so much of it tied up in this GHA.
Remove as much as you can by hand, change some water.
Feed the fish, don't starve them.
This is going to be some work and I'll stick with you through it but let's get some testing done preferably not at the same store.
Do you have any tests?

 

[trikkinoy]

Yes.
GHA.
Green hair algae, looks brown under blue lights. Common in lots of tanks and will take over as you are seeing.
Excess nutrients, phosphate in particular.
Manual removal right now, gently around the corals.
Need to get accurate tests done but phosphate won't register right there's so much of it tied up in this GHA.
Remove as much as you can by hand, change some water.
Feed the fish, don't starve them.
This is going to be some work and I'll stick with you through it but let's get some testing done preferably not at the same store.
Do you have any tests?

Yes, I do! I have nitrate, phosphate, magnesium and calcium test! I will work on those tomorrow. I planned on doing another 25% water change tomorrow or Sunday. I try not to put my hands in the tank too much, but I guess at this point I should to try and get this off the rocks too! Should I use the Flux RX after the water change? They said it would kill the algae in 7 to 14 days. I just did not want to hurt the corrals. I also assume I should not feed the corrals at this point? It’s been 11 days since the last time I feed the liquid food. Thank you!

 

[00W]

Yes, I do! I have nitrate, phosphate, magnesium and calcium test! I will work on those tomorrow. I planned on doing another 25% water change tomorrow or Sunday. I try not to put my hands in the tank too much, but I guess at this point I should to try and get this off the rocks too! Should I use the Flux RX after the water change? They said it would kill the algae in 7 to 14 days. I just did not want to hurt the corrals. I also assume I should not feed the corrals at this point? It’s been 11 days since the last time I feed the liquid food. Thank you!

Well I've never used Flux RX so I can't speak for that but I had someone who used it on my showcase thread with varying results.
They're are good instructions on the bottle.
Right now yes manually remove what you can first.
Do some testing and get back to me so we can formulate a game plan I'll help as much as I can.
Test.
Test yourself so you know, and you get good at /understand it.
Try posting this same question on my showcase thread for help. Couple people on there who have first hand knowledge of that product I believe.
Don't worry about putting your hands in your tank. Sometimes you have to get down and dirty with it and nows a good time.
Siphon some water into a bucket, pull out a rock and scrub/pull/scrape in the bucket.
Just be careful of the corals. Might wanna do those in the tank.
Any more questions, you know where to find me.
Trust yourself on testing, not someone else.
Joel

 

[trikkinoy]

Sorry for the delay been running all day! The phosphates are between 0 and .03
Nitrates are about 10.
Salinity is 1.26
I was going to do another 25% water change tomorrow and pull some algae

 

[trikkinoy]

Well I've never used Flux RX so I can't speak for that but I had someone who used it on my showcase thread with varying results.
They're are good instructions on the bottle.
Right now yes manually remove what you can first.
Do some testing and get back to me so we can formulate a game plan I'll help as much as I can.
Test.
Test yourself so you know, and you get good at /understand it.
Try posting this same question on my showcase thread for help. Couple people on there who have first hand knowledge of that product I believe.
Don't worry about putting your hands in your tank. Sometimes you have to get down and dirty with it and nows a good time.
Siphon some water into a bucket, pull out a rock and scrub/pull/scrape in the bucket.
Just be careful of the corals. Might wanna do those in the tank.
Any more questions, you know where to find me.
Trust yourself on testing, not someone else.
Joel

The phosphates are between 0 and .03
Nitrates are about 10. Salinity is 1.25.
I did a water change today and scrubbed a bunch of the algae.
Nikki

 

[00W]

The phosphates are between 0 and .03
Nitrates are about 10. Salinity is 1.25.
I did a water change today and scrubbed a bunch of the algae.
Nikki

Awesome!
Phosphate is most likely higher, lots of it bound up in the GHA itself but numbers look good.
Like I said don't be afraid to get your hands in there for a bit and do another round of cleaning
I prefer never adding anything to the tank other than my hands.
Keep in mind it's tough stuff and doesn't go away overnight. Be persistent.
Also, unlike dinos and cyno GHA likes flow so you might see it on your powerheads and return nozzle too.
Keep me updated and add some new pictures!!
Joel

 

[trikkinoy]

Awesome!
Phosphate is most likely higher, lots of it bound up in the GHA itself but numbers look good.
Like I said don't be afraid to get your hands in there for a bit and do another round of cleaning
I prefer never adding anything to the tank other than my hands.
Keep in mind it's tough stuff and doesn't go away overnight. Be persistent.
Also, unlike dinos and cyno GHA likes flow so you might see it on your powerheads and return nozzle too.
Keep me updated and add some new pictures!!
Joel

Tank is starting to look better, but still need to scrub that back rock more. Just been doing it a little at a time, but overall looking better. One of the zoas looks a lot better, but the other one seems to still be really mad and not really opening up much. Thanks for the help!
Nikki

 

[00W]

Tank is starting to look better, but still need to scrub that back rock more. Just been doing it a little at a time, but overall looking better. One of the zoas looks a lot better, but the other one seems to still be really mad and not really opening up much. Thanks for the help!
Nikki

Looking much better!
Slow and steady is the way to go!