Trying to get rid of the algae!

Brian Baker · Apr 28, 2019

Based on what you see in my tank. Do you think that turning the lights off for a week will help my algae problem after I try and remove as much as possible or will it hurt some of the livestock?

Miami Reef · Apr 28, 2019

All your livestock is photosynthetic. I’m sure they can survive a day to three without light, but a week? No.

Why don’t you try a more proactive approach and try to find out why you are getting algae in the first place. Algae uses light to survive, but their main source of food is nitrates and phosphates. Whether you are adding too much food (nitrates) or not using a good source of water like tap (phosphates) you could be adding it to your system.

Are you exporting nutrients as well? Skimming and water changes and the best ways.

Have you tried getting a CUC like snails?

To me, your algae doesn’t look bad at all. It’s not even on the rocks, just glass which most people have. Your corals look really healthy too, so that’s a great sign as well!

Brian Baker · Apr 28, 2019

Miami Reef said:
All your livestock is photosynthetic. I’m sure they can survive a day to three without light, but a week? No.

Why don’t you try a more proactive approach and try to find out why you are getting algae in the first place. Algae uses light to survive, but their main source of food is nitrates and phosphates. Whether you are adding too much food (nitrates) or not using a good source of water like tap (phosphates) you could be adding it to your system.

Are you exporting nutrients as well? Skimming and water changes and the best ways.

Have you tried getting a CUC like snails?

To me, your algae doesn’t look bad at all. It’s not even on the rocks, just glass which most people have. Your corals look really healthy too, so that’s a great sign as well!

So, I have slowed down feeding for the past month to once every two or three days. I have a slimmer in the back as well. Also I have about 3 snails and 5 hermits. I do water changes with RO water that I get from the LFS. I mix Red Sea’s Coral Pro Salt mix. I have changed the lighting schedule to have the full on lights for only about 5 or 6 hours then it goes blue for a few hours. (Not much you can do about the light schedule with a BioCube) not sure what else to do. I had less algae when my tank was overstocked.

Anyhow here is all the algae! The last one is the rock that has it the worst. And it is hard for me to get to all of it cause I am afraid of hurting my Nems.

cracker · Apr 28, 2019

Hey Brian, Nice looking tank. Algae isn't that bad at all....yet . It could get out of control real quick. First thing I'd do is clean up that power head !
Then get a bunch of snails whether You have some already or not. Now for the always asked question. What are your current N03 ,& Po4 levels ?
try too pull off what Ya can etc Good Luck algae issues can be a bear !
OK Iv'e just noted the update. Looks like You have made a big inprovement .

Brian Baker · Apr 28, 2019

cracker said:
Hey Brian, Nice looking tank. Algae isn't that bad at all....yet . It could get out of control real quick. First thing I'd do is clean up that power head !
Then get a bunch of snails whether You have some already or not. Now for the always asked question. What are your current N03 ,& Po4 levels ?
try too pull off what Ya can etc Good Luck algae issues can be a bear !
OK Iv'e just noted the update. Looks like You have made a big inprovement .

So my NO3 is 15mg/l and Po4 is .2mg/l. Nitrates aren’t the problem it’s the phosphates. They are killing me. I have thought about making an algae scrubber to let it grow on that instead of my wall and rock, but not sure if I want to do that.

Retro Reefer · Apr 28, 2019

Big CUC and manual removal will help get a handle on it.. if that’s a 30 gallon Biocube I would have about 30-40 mixed pieces in your CUC.

High ICP · Apr 28, 2019

Scrape the flat surfaces. Pull all the algae out.

Take the powerheads out. Soak in H2O2. Then vinegar. Clean them out. Replace.

Get an algae eating fish or two. And maybe an emerald crab. Snails don’t eat that stuff in my experience.

Turn down the whites by half. Turn up the blues.

I take a flat razor, heat it up with a propane torch and stick into the end of an acrylic rod. It bends behind rocks. And you can scrape the rocks with it too. Replace when it gets dull. Works better than anything you can buy.

I don’t even care what nitrate and phosphate levels are at this point. 1) The tanks is telling you too much. 2) The algae is eating it all anyway, it’s probably zero on tests.