What kind of algae?

[jameslafo]

I was just wondering if anyone can tell me what kinds of algae these are plus the little creatures.. I believe they are a kind of copepod?? I also have a lot of string hanging bubbles if anyone knows what those are

 

[Jonify]

Looks like two ... Dinos and something else, which is odd, because Dinos usually only grow when nothing else is growing. What are your nitrate and phosphate parameters?

 

[jameslafo]

Looks like two ... Dinos and something else, which is odd, because Dinos usually only grow when nothing else is growing. What are your nitrate and phosphate parameters?

Nitrate is 0 and phosphate is .25 ppm

 

[Jonify]

First, phosphates are really high--they should be closer to .02 - .1ppm. Consider feeding less, and make sure you're blowing off your rock and vacuuming your sand, and then doing regular water changes. Second, are you sure your nitrates are zero (tell us about your test kit)? If they're actually zero, that's probably why you have Dinos--your nutrients bottomed out, and Dinos sprung up because there wasn't anything else to outcompete it. You can dose something like Brightwell NeoNitro to bump that up to 1-2.5ppm. If your nitrate is bottomed out, your phosphate won't fall much, so bumping your nitrates up a little should help bring your phosphates back down, too.

 

[jameslafo]

First, phosphates are really high--they should be closer to .02 - .1ppm. Consider feeding less, and make sure you're blowing off your rock and vacuuming your sand, and then doing regular water changes. Second, are you sure your nitrates are zero (tell us about your test kit)? If they're actually zero, that's probably why you have Dinos--your nutrients bottomed out, and Dinos sprung up because there wasn't anything else to outcompete it. You can dose something like Brightwell NeoNitro to bump that up to 1-2.5ppm. If your nitrate is bottomed out, your phosphate won't fall much, so bumping your nitrates up a little should help bring your phosphates back down, too.

Okay awesome and that should hopefilly get rid of the algae?

 

[jameslafo]

The test kit is an api master saltwater test kit and I have api phosphate and calcium test. I just ran my calcium test and it was over 600ppm so I’m kinda worried about that. Should I do an emergency waterchange?

 

[Jonify]

Okay awesome and that should hopefilly get rid of the algae?

It's complicated--but it will help. Once you get rid of one algae, another one grows. It can be an endless cycle of ridding one, only to find another. But getting your nutrients in the right place will allow good bacteria to populate surfaces and inhibit algae growth. It may not completely eradicate algae, as algae loves the same water conditions that your coral love, but that's what your clean-up crew is for--they can keep algae at a minimum, once your nutrients are at the right levels.

 

[Alexopora]

I was just wondering if anyone can tell me what kinds of algae these are plus the little creatures.. I believe they are a kind of copepod?? I also have a lot of string hanging bubbles if anyone knows what those are

Maybe ramping up your power heads might help.

Also, the the little critters are munnid isopods. Harmless algae eater

 

[Jonify]

The test kit is an api master saltwater test kit and I have api phosphate and calcium test. I just ran my calcium test and it was over 600ppm so I’m kinda worried about that. Should I do an emergency waterchange?

re: calcium, no. Let it fall on its own and let it correct with your regular water changes. Re: API phosphate, that isn't a great test and won't be able to measure the level of phosphate we keep in our thriving reefs. Perhaps grab a Hanna Ultra-low Phosphate checker (I don't think any reefer should be without this--it's a crucial piece of hardware). They run about 50 bucks.

 

[jameslafo]

It's complicated--but it will help. Once you get rid of one algae, another one grows. It can be an endless cycle of ridding one, only to find another. But getting your nutrients in the right place will allow good bacteria to populate surfaces and inhibit algae growth. It may not completely eradicate algae, as algae loves the same water conditions that your coral love, but that's what your clean-up crew is for--they can keep algae at a minimum, once your nutrients are at the high levels.

What kind of clean up crews do you recommend for a 20 gallon w 2 clowns, a hammer coral and zoas

re: calcium, no. Let it fall on its own and let it correct with your regular water changes. Re: API phosphate, that isn't a great test and won't be able to measure the level of phosphate we keep in our thriving reefs. Perhaps grab a Hanna Ultra-low Phosphate checker (I don't think any reefer should be without this--it's a crucial piece of hardware). They run about 50 bucks.

I want to get a whole test kit of everything I need on Hanna but they’re so expensive I’ve been saving for a kit tho

 

[vetteguy53081]

Much of that algae is Ulva which is a type of macro algae
Do increase water flow. Not sure about Dino but more lack of water change
Dino typically golden brown and stringy looking like snot with bubbles
Reduce white light intensity a little. You can blow the bubbles loose with a turkey baster and siphon or net the loose particles
I believe Jonify mentioned- do add liquid bacteria 1ml per 10 gallons during day for a week and discontinue adding both coral foods and NoPox If yore adding either.
Don’t worry about CA unless you have coral in tank

ca 440
Alk 8/9
Salinity 1.025
Temp 77-79
Ph 8.1-8.3
Nitrate < .04
Pho’s < .04
Ammonia < .03

 

[Jonify]

What kind of clean up crews do you recommend for a 20 gallon w 2 clowns, a hammer coral and zoas

I want to get a whole test kit of everything I need on Hanna but they’re so expensive I’ve been saving for a kit tho

For algae, astrea/turban/trochus snails are BEASTS, and nausarrius/cerith/conches can churn up your sand bed. A good rule of thumb is 1 snail per 2 gallons. So in your case, about 10 snails total. Urchins are also fantastic nano CUC citizens and can mow down an unreal amount of algae, but make sure your rock is stable--they can squeeze into tight places and move rocks. Shrimps can help eat detritus, but they can also harass coral (they don't eat the them, but they can make them close up), so I don't use them; same for crabs--some crabs are fine, like blue leg hermits and emeralds, but I refuse to house crabs in general.

 

[Alexopora]

What kind of clean up crews do you recommend for a 20 gallon w 2 clowns, a hammer coral and zoas

I want to get a whole test kit of everything I need on Hanna but they’re so expensive I’ve been saving for a kit tho

On the topic of clean up crews (cuc) I have two of my fav algae control; limpets and stomatella snails. The limpets are the small ones that hitchhike on coral frags and live rock. Make sure that the limpets u get aren’t corallivores (coral eaters).
And then stomatella snails, these readily breed in reef tanks and they are strictly herbivorous. They are speedy and excellent algae eater.

The best part, both limpets and stomatellas aren't bulldozers, they won’t knock over your frags. However, the problem is getting these snails as they are not normally sold but enter our tanks as hitchhikers. I suggest the next time u visit the lfs, take a good look in their frag tanks and see if you can spot any. Sometimes the lfs may even give these guys to you for free.

This is purely anecdotal but I do think the limpets regulate what kind of algae grows in your tank. The areas in my tank which has limpets tend to only have the hard calcareous green algae. I did read somewhere that suggests limpets conduct gardening in which they eradicate other forms of algae to cultivate their favourite hence in someway promoting less nuisance forms of algae.