Constantly battling algae

[Gsxkid]

Curious why I’m constantly battling algae. My numbers don’t seem that off too me but it’s a constant thing I battle. My tank is 2 years old just tested my water. My top off water goes through a 7 stage RO DI reading 0 tds on 2 separate meters.

cal 460 Hanna
Kh12. Hanna
Mag 1350. Sali
Nitrate 4. Red Sea
Phosphate .01 Red Sea
Ph8.2 API
Salinity 1.026. Refractometer

 

[LaneBrain]

Following....

 

[this is me]

Lights? Is the tank get exposure to sunlight? And also what you’re feeding?

 

[Chris A.]

If you can take a daylight picture to identify the algae. If you can get the water test done by another source to compare notes. Also icp tells more to the story if you can do one.

 

[coralfishreef]

That looks like green cyano. If it is, vacuuming the sand and additional flow can help keep detritus from accumulating and feeding it.

 

[Gsxkid]

Tank unfortunately does get hit by a little sunlight just before sunset. Which I was wondering if that was part of my issue.

I alternate between flake/ frozen brine/ frozen mysis and sheets of nori. Tank typically gets frozen food 2 times a week that’s a mix of brine and mysis. flakes in between I only feed once a day at night.

also it’s weird it’s done this before then backs down to a point of not being there at all then slowly creeps back

1 more edit lol I do think it’s green cyano has a similar consistency to the red cyano I’ve had cycling new tanks. If I just wave my hand at it the flow blows it away.

 

[cablez]

ur nitrates are a biyt too low to be honest my man.....I like nitrate a bit higher, and phosphates higher a bit too....0.03-1 for phosphate lower than that causes wierd issues with cyanos and dinos. Try to dirty the tank a bit. Let nitrates get to about 20-30 and phos raise a slight amount. You already got algae what I say is either gonna help or make it a little bit worse. But atleast you will know for sure, and attack accordingly. Because the normal algae fix things are generally just scavenging bacteria that go in and eat nitrates, and organics out of the rocks. You have like no nitrates....So I think thats why...in MY opinion your tank is a bit too clean, bacterial competition.

 

[this is me]

I never understand the concept of too low nutrient produces unwanted algae but what do I know. My tank run undetected nitrate and <0.08ppm PO4. It’s real easy for me to up those number if I want to.
green slime/film algae usually a sign of sunlight exposure and/or wrong spectrum lights. If it’s seasonal, take notice on the sun hitting the tank. I know in the summer, my side gets hit by the sun if I don’t pull down the shade in the early morning. This usually produce a greenish slime on the sand and rocks and will go away without any intervention if I remember to pull down the shade the night before. I do like the natural look of the fish colors under sunlight though.

 

[Gsxkid]

I never understand the concept of too low nutrient produces unwanted algae but what do I know. My tank run undetected nitrate and <0.08ppm PO4. It’s real easy for me to up those number if I want to.
green slime/film algae usually a sign of sunlight exposure and/or wrong spectrum lights. If it’s seasonal, take notice on the sun hitting the tank. I know in the summer, my side gets hit by the sun if I don’t pull down the shade in the early morning. This usually produce a greenish slime on the sand and rocks and will go away without any intervention if I remember to pull down the shade the night before. I do like the natural look of the fish colors under sunlight though.

How would I determine if my lights were the wrong spectrum

 

[Joe Rice]

What sort of and how many algae eaters do you have in the tank? Snail, hermits, tangs?

I get a decent amount of direct sunlight on my tank, and while I had a lot of algae issues in the first two or three years, now I have almost none in the tank. I also run a macroalgae refugium. I supplement with iron to help the macroalgae. Hard to say what exactly it is that keeps the algae at bay but I lean towards having lots of algae grazers.

 

[Gsxkid]

Not 100% on the types of snails I forget but no hermit crabs. I do run a refugium as well with chaeto and grape caulerpa.

 

[Joe Rice]

I'd guess I have between 100 and 200 small hermits in my 150 gallon tank and I'm thinking of getting more.

While I believe that algae grazers are an important part of keeping algae under control, it's unlikely that they will be able to tame a large outbreak. For that, I think you'll need to help by manually removing as much as possible.

@frank180reef and reefcleaners.org are good sources of reasonably priced hermits. Make sure to get some assorted size shells as well for them to move into as they grow.

FS - Crabs and snails available

27 for $25 Mix match

bostonreefers.org

Empty Hermit Shells

Empty shells that will make for great new homes for hermits as they get bigger. These shells cover micro to medium-sized hermits, like blue leg hermits. Got a larger hermit? You can find shells for...

www.reefcleaners.org

Also, for what it's worth, I have a Kole Tang, a Royal Blue Tang, and two Molly Miller blennies (similar to lawnmower blennies) that help control algae in my tank.