Phosphate algae nightmare somebody help me
- Thread starter aquariumrescueunit
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kgk
Active Member
Yeah the phosphates are in the algae. Add it dies back you will need gfo our something to take it or of the water. You can help this on by scrubbing the rocks with a stiff bristled toothbrush or something.
yes, algae tells you you have excess phosphate. I'd suggest trying to manually scrub the rock with a tooth brush or something similar to at least start the process of getting rid of it. You can try a lights out period of 3 days following that. How long do you run your lights? as others have mentioned, you'll want to improve your nutrient export - through running some phosphate absorbing media (GFO, phosguard). how often do you do water changes? you may want to increase the frequency of them if you aren't doing them weekly. For the chaeto to make an impact, you'll need a larger amount of it.
I might suggest that you do some more reading on maintaining levels in a reef tank (calcium, magnesium, and alkalinity). I'm concerned what your ph buffer may be doing. As someone mentioned, don't worry about ph, if the big 3 are in order, your ph should be fine.
I might suggest that you do some more reading on maintaining levels in a reef tank (calcium, magnesium, and alkalinity). I'm concerned what your ph buffer may be doing. As someone mentioned, don't worry about ph, if the big 3 are in order, your ph should be fine.
Maximo
Community Member
Your algae is sucking up your phosphates as fast as it is being released in your tank! That's why your tank is covered! I had a really really really bad problem with algae in my nano from cheap live rock that when I received it was completely dry! First diatoms then horrific dinoflagellates then complete covering I hair algae! I found that running gfo (killed my clams because I wasn't careful enogh with the alkalinity) and adding a spiny urchin was the kiss of death for the algae. I gave the urchin away about 2 months later and switched to carbon! The tank ran great for the next year or so until I got my 80g rimless with basement fish room set up(dream system; I love owning my own home). It was a crash course for me but I learned soo much in the process! The nano wasn't even my first tank I had already had a full blown 65 gal setup when I lived in my apt! My nano was a pita for the first year but I grew so much from that **** tank! Ps I love your flame hawk! I miss mine he passed away in 06 and to this day my wife still bugs me to get another one! I'm just worried he will eat my shrimps!
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aquariumrescueunit
Active Member
Lol the flame hawk is cool I love him but I really want a shrimp and I'm scared he'll eat it oh we'll flame hawk it is. I purchased a CPR nano tumbler reactor for my tank that should be here tomorrow, I'll be running GFO and I'll be careful about my alk levels. And I just might add a spiny urchin now that you say that
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aquariumrescueunit
Active Member
I do a 5 gallon water change once a week I Run Phosguard and I test and control alk and calcium although I don't have a test for magnesium because my fish store said the only test they could get was 45 dollars and they would have to order it my ph drops and I find myself adding buffer maybe twice a week how important is magnesium and do you have any suggestions as far as a mag test kit? If I can find a reasonable test kit for that I know the mag buffers aren't too pricey...and starting tomorrow I'll be running GFO as well
what size is your tank? it looks like a biocube so maybe 30 gallons? I would stop using the ph buffer - if your alk, calcium, and mag are in line, ph should not be a problem. If you do 5 gallon water changes weekly, then I would think your tank wouldn't be depleting the big 3 by a lot in between changes since you replenish these with each water change. you may want to change out your phosguard and add fresh a little more frequently and if you do run GFO - you may need to change it out frequently too because these products can get depleted quickly if you've got a lot of phosphate.
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aquariumrescueunit
Active Member
It is a biocube so yea 30 gallons (29) and I've been changing out my Phosguard every 4 days but only for about a week and a half and I just got my reactor set up with GFO which I plan to change out weekly and slowly add more and more (I've never ran GFO so I'm starting with 1gram per 5 gallons and I'll eventually bump it up to 1g per 1gallon and in the next week I'm gonna pick up an urchin and a month from hopefully I'll be algae and phosphate free!!!
just know that you are not alone with fighting algae in this hobby 
I think almost every hobbyist struggles with this at some point or multiple points in time in the hobby. I also really like my fighting conch - a good CUC addition - they turn the sand and eat algae. Adding some more snails and hermits can't hurt either. I hope the GFO does the job for you!
I think almost every hobbyist struggles with this at some point or multiple points in time in the hobby. I also really like my fighting conch - a good CUC addition - they turn the sand and eat algae. Adding some more snails and hermits can't hurt either. I hope the GFO does the job for you!
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aquariumrescueunit
Active Member
I ran a little test on my supplements today that goes along the lines of what y'all were saying my ph was a little low about 8.1 so I tested my calcium and alkalinity and both were a little low I like to run my calcium at 400 and my alkalinity at 12. The calcium supplement I add says it also maintains magnesium and strontium so what I was really testing was if that supplement keeps my magnesium at good standings so I brought my alkalinity up to 12 and dosed to calcium mag strontium supplement bringing it back up to 400 from 380 and bam! My ph was perfect again, no buffers or nothin. So thanks for teaching me this y'all were right about the big 3-cal,mag,and alk controlling ph and I'm happy to say goodbye to ph buffers. I feel like I'm finally getting my tank down to a science
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aquariumrescueunit
Active Member
So this happened today! Came home to my tank slowly leaking out the bottom!!! I moved everything to a Rubbermaid bin temporarily. Looks like I'm going tank shopping on Monday! Since all the fish stores are closed on Sunday because it's South Carolina. Jesus.
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aquariumrescueunit
Active Member
My buddy sold me this for 75 we'll actually 100 but he gave me a ton of live rock too plus he gave me a piece of coral he didn't like cause he said it's not bright and flashy enough I was whaaaat!!!?? I'll take it haha
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