REEFERS WHO BATTLED ALGAE....help

[Miguel Negron]

My tank is currently having a brown/green substance I have tried various things

-2 day blackout
-DinoX
-Vibrant
-lowered the light intensity (helped a tiny bit)
-New GFO
-less feeding

Nothing else is working and my reef parameters are all in check. I don’t have test kits for phosphate or nitrates. Any advice is appreciated!

 

[Webslinger]

How old is tank? Has it already gone through all the algae uglies? Looks like it could use more live rock

 

[Miguel Negron]

How old is tank? Has it already gone through all the algae uglies? Looks like it could use more live rock

I transferred everything except the sand bed from a 20L I had. I been having this issue for a while now and it’s getting frustrating. It went through the diatom faze and now it’s stuck on this algae. I wish it was something simple like GHA or cyano because it’s easy to treat

 

[Tuan’s Reef]

If you want to control algae you are going to need the two test kits you lack. Can’t fix the unknown. Appears you have cyano by the looks of the pics. What do you have for flow?

 

[Miguel Negron]

If you want to control algae you are going to need the two test kits you lack. Can’t fix the unknown. Appears you have cyano by the looks of the pics. What do you have for flow?

You right. I have a Nero 5, do you believe it’s from not having flow in that area?

 

[EMeyer]

Manual deep cleaning and water change. Repeat weekly til it clears up. IME once is usually enough.

 

[Tuan’s Reef]

More flow will definitely help. What’s your maintenance like? Do you siphon the sand bed when you do a water change?

you can also get critters than can help you turn the sand over... look for sand shifting snails, conchs, brittle starfish, etc . Should help.

lastly , chemiclean will clear that up. But best to find the source first before going the chemical route

 

[creativeballance]

I've had great luck with the critters I got from ReefCleaners.

 

[NS Mike D]

If you want to control algae you are going to need the two test kits you lack. Can’t fix the unknown. Appears you have cyano by the looks of the pics. What do you have for flow?

+1

super important. Algae problems can be the result in both high NO3 and PO4 or, and this is important, too low nutrients. The conventional wisdom is that it's too high and so that is the knee jerk reaction we see in the advice, and cures are added to the tanks and filtration methods are altered. But if it's because of , say NO3 bottomed out, these steps can make the problem worse and invite other problems, leading to an endless cycle of fixes.

FYI, API are not adequate test kits for NO3 and PO4 for reef tanks. I don't recommend getting them

 

[William Mumford]

Could be a dead spot in the tank where the flow is not sufficient. Algee can establish in areas like this. You can judge this be turning up your flow or moving your powerhead to accommodate.

 

[Cory]

Algae is the reult of nutrients. Its a copy of an ecosystem. So its going to grow. Get something to eat it. Algae and bacteria are primary producers for bigger things to eat.

 

[Miguel Negron]

Could be a dead spot in the tank where the flow is not sufficient. Algee can establish in areas like this. You can judge this be turning up your flow or moving your powerhead to accommodate.

I recently changed my powerhead towards the opposite side and since April 1. My sandbed has changed white! Thanks for the information. I guess it was my torch blocking the flow from the sandbed. Thanks again!