Still having trouble with algae

[1fastrock]

Hello everyone.

I have asked for help with this algae a few weeks ago and tried applying all advice but still haven't been able to kick it out.

I have attached some pictures of the algae and my latest test. I have near or at 0 on all parameters and have had that pretty much since starting about 9 months ago. It is a 90 gallon tank with 2 Kessil lights that I have only on for 4 hours a day at minimum intensity per advice on my previous thread. The tank is stocked with 4 fire fish, 1 cardinal, 1 royal gramma, 2 clown fish, a bunch of hermit crabs, and an abalone. I feed very minimally one time per day through a pipette so that there is little to no waste.

I hope this is enough info to get back on track
1fastrock

 

[Bribo12]

I believe you are getting a false phosphate reading as the algae is sucking it up and using it to grow hence why you have 0. Do you run gfo or any sort of phosphate remover? How old is the tank?

 

[John08007]

Parameters shouldn't be at zero, risking dino outbreak. What does your clean up crew consist of? Other than hermit crabs I would pick up some emerald crabs and snails. I have a 75gal and have prob 8-9 emerald crabs in there

 

[1fastrock]

Thanks for the advice! Is there anything you suggest to up my parameters? More fish? More feeding? Would low parameters cause this type of algae?

 

[1fastrock]

The tank is about 9 months old. I do have a 2 stage brs reactor that I am only running carbon in currently because all my levels are so low

 

[UCF Alum]

Is that Carib Sea rock?

 

[1fastrock]

Yes it is their arches rock

 

[1fastrock]

I ran my tank cycle using a bio block from my local fish store if this helps

 

[UCF Alum]

I knew it. I had the same problem with their rock that you’re having. I believe the rock leaches phosphates. Not until I took my rock out and sprayed it with 12% hydrogen peroxide, did I notice a difference. The algae died 24 hours later and never came back. The fact that your phosphates and nitrates are zero will have no effect on the continued outbreak.
I recommend taking the rock out, one piece at a time, spraying it with peroxide and letting it sit for about three minutes. After that dip it a few times in a 5 gallon bucket of RODI water and put it back in the tank. This worked for me and I never had another outbreak.

 

[1fastrock]

Awesome I will give that a try. I do have a little bit of algae on my sand bed also. Did you experience as well? I only have fish in my tank currently would I be able to do all the rock at the same time or is that a mistake?

 

[UCF Alum]

Awesome I will give that a try. I do have a little bit of algae on my sand bed also. Did you experience as well? I only have fish in my tank currently would I be able to do all the rock at the same time or is that a mistake?

good catch that I forget to advise you of.
I did about 1/4 of my rock then waited 2 days before i did the next 1/4, etc., until I got them all.
As far as the sand bed is concerned, I got rid of mine since it was nothing but problems for me. My tank is bare bottom now and I love it.

 

[John08007]

Thanks for the advice! Is there anything you suggest to up my parameters? More fish? More feeding? Would low parameters cause this type of algae?

I eventually realized that my bio filter was too strong, and my protein skimmer is a little large for my tank. I couldn't keep chaeto in my fuge, xenia wouldn't thrive. My zoanthids would spread, but not fast and wouldn't fully extend. My nitrate tested almost 0, along with phosphate.

I have since started dosing sodium nitrate and tried sodium phosphate to get mine up. I removed my gfo and pellet reactor and added chaeto to my sump along with a grow led light. Last I tested my nitrate is 4, phosphate I think is .08.

My chaeto is still green, time will tell if it survives. My zoanthids appear to be larger than they were before. I have had some gha form on my rocks, emerald crabs are knocking that out nightly. I would strongly suggest get some emerald crabs.

 

[1fastrock]

Hello everyone I gave all this a try including taking all the rock and cleaning down with hydrogen peroxide.

I just tested and parameters are
Nitrite:0
Ammonia:0
Phosphate:0
Nitrate2
salinity: 1.026
Temp:77.6

my tank has 3 fire fish 1cardinal fish,1 anthias, 1 royal gramma, 1 hawk fish , and 2 clown fish

cleanup crew is 1 Alba lone and maybe a dozen hermit crabs that have dwindled down from about thirty.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated

 

[John08007]

I didn't read all the past posts but you need more of a cleanup crew. Emerald crabs in particular will knock out green hair algae. Also, you need nitrate, phosphates in the tank.


What does your filter consist of? Any refugium?

 

[1fastrock]

Thanks for the advice. Are emrald crabs reef safe and if so can I have multiple or what would you add to my clean up crew?

I actually just got a tank that ha room for a refugium but didn’t think I could or should start one with such low levels. Is that incorrect thinking?

thanks again for the input

 

[Midrats]

A bunch of Astrea would probably help.

 

[John08007]

I have a 75 gal, I would imagine I probably have 8-10 emerald crabs in there. You can probably get away with half that and see how it goes. I have never had a problem with them eating any of my corals, one time saw one standing on some zoanthids pulling algae from between them.

You are correct, most likely your chaeto will melt away and die because your nutrients are so low.. I just switched from a pellet reactor and gfo to a refugium and I'm still having trouble getting mine to grow..

Thanks for the advice. Are emrald crabs reef safe and if so can I have multiple or what would you add to my clean up crew?

I actually just got a tank that ha room for a refugium but didn’t think I could or should start one with such low levels. Is that incorrect thinking?

thanks again for the input