New to the hobby and need Help! (algae issues)

Verified · Oct 14, 2015

Hello everyone, I am brand new to the forums. And now that I have found the forums I would appreciate some help.

Issue: For the last 3 months or so I have green algae growing everywhere (Including Diatoms on the sand bed). Ive tried 80% water changes, using 50-50 carbon & ferric oxide, switched from flakes to pellets.

Tank: Innovative Marine Mini 40 Fusion (Age 8 Months), (Cycled 14 day's before first fish.)
Reactors: 1 Inovative Marine/with 100% Ferric Oxide ( Granules Changed Twice a Month.)
Filter: (Stock Filters, Never replaced.)
Light Used: Kessil A360N Tuna Blue (10 Hr Cycle)
Power Head: VorTech Mp10 (Run @ 30-80%)
Water used: Publix distilled water. (Water Changes Once a Month)
Salt used: Red Sea Coral Pro
Fish: 3 Clown Fish: I Feed them a pinch 2-3 pellets to every fish twice daily.
Food used: Ocean Nutrition (Formula Two Pellets)

Below I have attached a couple of pictures.

Water Parameters

Nasty Algae with diatoms

More Nasty Algae

DannyB · Oct 14, 2015

You will have to look into another means of nutrient export. Nutrients may be leaching out of the rocks or sand. I would clean out the filters as best as possible and add some other type of nutrient export, ATS phosban, biopellets, zeolite.

ocean gems · Oct 14, 2015

You going have to run reactors carbon or gfo do more water changes

cameronh · Oct 14, 2015

DannyB said:
You will have to look into another means of nutrient export. Nutrients may be leaching out of the rocks or sand. I would clean out the filters as best as possible and add some other type of nutrient export, ATS phosban, biopellets, zeolite.

+1.

Tahoe61 · Oct 14, 2015

If you could post a nitrate and phosphate value that would be great.

Are there sufficient members to your clean up crew?

Where did you get that rock?

That is a significant algae issue, not a typical new tank bloom. What happens when you manually remove it?

Verified · Oct 15, 2015

Wow I did not expect to see so many replies this quick, Thanks to all of you!

1. (You will have to look into another means of nutrient export. Nutrients may be leaching out of the rocks or sand. I would clean out the filters as best as possible and add some other type of nutrient export, ATS phosban, biopellets, zeolite.)

Response: I just cleaned out the filters. As for the nutrient export, I have a media reactor already running with granule ferric oxide. Btw I also have some Phosphate Sponge which according to the label it is a ceramic medium. Ive used it before (Minimal results) however, I don't know if I am using the right amount for the amount of algae i have.

2. If you could post a nitrate and phosphate value that would be great.
Are there sufficient members to your clean up crew?
Where did you get that rock?
What happens when you manually remove it?

Response:
I did my best to post a picture with the test tubes and their corresponding levels. If there is something I am missing please let me know.
Clean up crew consist of 3 Hermit Crabs.
The rocks are Key West Limestone rocks, I purchased them as dry or in other words dead rocks.
And when I manually remove it, it just grows back on the sand bed and spreads like wildfire.

Once again Thank you all for your responses & help.

RareEarthCorals · Oct 15, 2015

One method is bump your Magnesium between 1600-1800 after you have cleaned out the best you can. Stay on top of it dose and keep the levels up there and you should be able to regain control. Dosing must be done slowly and please educate yourself on the process. Don't just take my advice.

Verified · Oct 15, 2015

(One method is bump your Magnesium between 1600-1800 after you have cleaned out the best you can. Stay on top of it dose and keep the levels up there and you should be able to regain control. Dosing must be done slowly and please educate yourself on the process. Don't just take my advice.)

To be honest with you, I never even thought about checking magnesium levels till you mentioned it. I will go out and buy a tester and post the results.

Ahruk · Oct 15, 2015

There's also the possibility of hydrogen peroxide dosing. I have never personally done it but I have been seriously considering doing it. It's a cheaper alternative to magnesium.

Cameron · Oct 15, 2015

A few turbo snails would be in heaven to come across that kind of buffet

Tahoe61 · Oct 15, 2015

I would try to contact John at ReefCleaners.org. send him an image and he will set you up with some inverts that will assist in cleaning up and keeping the algae at bay.

https://www.reefcleaners.org/

Did not see the color cards for the test, sorry.

Remove what you can manually by siphoning it out during a water change and then leave the light out for 2-3 days, do not turn the lights on. Add the appropriate clean up crew.

Algae issues are immensely frustrating and take time to resolve but they do resolve if you keep at it.

Good Luck.

cincyreef · Oct 15, 2015

+1 on a few turbo snails

chefjpaul · Oct 15, 2015

I personally, since there is no corals and its new, strip the nutrients with something like Prodibio Bio Clean or similar - some kind of carbon / bacteria regiment.

These rocks are probably leaching, by stripping the system totally will be a good start.

Run the skimmer wet.

Don't keep changing methods, let one work, it takes time.

I always highly advise to acid wash dry rock prior to the cycle.

Javen · Oct 17, 2015

Hi I had that same algae for a few months it drove me crazy and I could never get rid of it no matter what I did. Recently me and my dad went to cruising the cost car show and I went walking the beach and found striped hermit crabs. They where eating the algae off of some pipes so I was all like "I wonder if they would get rid of my algae" so I took 2 of the biggest ones I could find and put them in my tank. Cost $0 . in 1 and a half days all of my algae was gone! I was very happy. Not only are they safe with all of my inhabitants they are very funny to watch. It you live close to a beach or somewhere you can find some get a few of the biggest you can find. They work amazing

Javen · Oct 17, 2015

They might help with the tank cycle too

jonh2765 · Oct 17, 2015

+ chef Paul no mention of a protein skimmer. Watch what wild stock you add.

Javen · Oct 17, 2015

Give it a freshwater dip before you add them

SantaMonicaHelp · Oct 17, 2015

Have you ever considered building one of these? Effective against many types of nuisance algae:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/l...urf-and-slime-algae-from-your-aquarium.86207/

~SF

PatW · Oct 18, 2015

Algal blooms are pretty common in newly established tanks.

Your nutrient levels in the water look decent. But algae can remove nutrients from the water making it look like nutrients are low.

You might try a multi pronged approach:

Careful adding of clean up crew. If you add too many, some will starve.

Weekly water changes for nutrient export.

I did not see if you had a protein skimmer. Many people with small tanks just rely on water changes. But protein skimmers help in removing nutrients.

If you have an over sized protein skimmer, you can run carbon dosing. The idea is that the carbon serves as food for bacteria. The bacteria population goes up. In the process of growing, the bacteria remove nitrates and phosphates. The skimmer removes the bacteria.

You can do the same thing with a revugium running macro algae or running a turf scrubber. It is the same idea as carbon dosing. Only in this case you are growing algae to take up nutrients and then removing algae to export nutrients.