Red matt algae that wont go away

[lostinreef]

Hello all.



I have been battling this red matted algae in my 25 gallon nuvo for months now. I have tried several methods for removal and changed only a few things at a time. Nutrients have been very low to undetectable since November. At first I tried manual removal every other day to every 3 days while feeding less about every 3 days as well and added a second power head to increase flow. When the nutrients bottomed out to zero I shut off the protien skimmer and a few weeks later when they were still not visible I pulled the filter socks as well after a few more weeks I increased feeding to every other day to everyday. Then I started dosing Dr. Tims one and only as per the instructions starting at 5ml per 10 gallons once per week gradually increasing to 10ml per 10g over 4 weeks. I preform a month wc of 5 gallons using fritz blue box.



I am search for a new method of out competing or removing the algae. At the moment the plan is to swap out the skimmer for a refugium and if that doesn't work then Fluconazal as a last resort.



Anywhere or insite anyone could provide would be greatly appreciated.



TANK: NUVO 25 Black drilled

Sump 10G diy sump.

Skimmer: SCA 301

Light: orpheck compact

No3.: 0.0

Po4: 0.0

Kh: 7.2

CA: 430

MG: 1360

 

[TriggerFinger]

It looks like cyano and not so much an algae. 0 nitrates and phosphates are not a good place to sit at. What worked for my outbreak was turning off all the lights for a week, daily manual removal and turning up my flow. The cyano wiped out my corals within a few days so I didn’t have to worry about coral not having any light. You may try to shut off all but the blue and violet channels, siphon out as much as possible every day and up your flow again. Turkey baste between the coral since you can’t blast them with flow.
That’s a really beautiful tank, I hope you can get the upper hand.

 

[LegendaryCG]

Definitely cyanobacteria. More flow, reduce lightning, peroxide dosing, UV should help.

 

[taricha]

Just for curiosity, what are you feeding the fish & corals?


One and Only is a tank cycle product. Did you mean Waste Away?

 

[lostinreef]

Just for curiosity, what are you feeding the fish & corals?


One and Only is a tank cycle product. Did you mean Waste Away?

I have been feeding a mix of coral frenzy, rods original frozen, and dosing redsea ab+, and Benereef coral food

 

[PeterC99]

Just started this week 2 new things to fight my cyano and already having success. Run my lights high intensity for 13 hours and didn’t want to change because SPS’s are growing very well.

1) Oxydator
2) Tertraselmis Phytoplankton

Both are cheap, natural, and easy to use. Read about both and their successes right here on R2R. Before and after pics below: