10g nano - algae issues just starting - help me nip in the bud?

[illdoya]

hi all - hoping for some insight and wisdom. I have the beginnings of an algae problem but am somewhat at a loss. it sprang up a few weeks ago and is steadily (but slowly) growing not sure of the type of algae growth - hair or bryopsis?

• My phosphates are at .125ppm, nitrates untraceable, dKh 8.5, calcium 480. Are those phosphate levels high enough to be a problem?
• Its a 10g mixed reef with HOB AC70 - running chemipure elite, sponge, floss and biopellets. Chemipure elite and pellets rinsed 2 weeks ago. Lighting is 90w reef-smart fixture.
• flow comes from 1x 240gph powerhead (koralia) + outflow from AC70 w/ mod'd impeller (est. 150gph)
• The rock work is joined in most places, with coral attached all over..very touch to break up and scrape outside of tank..
• I feed 1/2 cube frozen mysis every other day, every three days 5ml of marine snow.

add more CUC? specific critters? dose with straight GFO? phosban? (with test kit results not sure about this..) Hydrogen peroxide dose? more ideas?

what would you do? what you you think I should do?

FTS: old shot, things have changed a bit, shot is just for visual perspective.

 

[Pkunk35]

Nice 10gal!

If it were me I would scrape as much algae off by hand as i could and then do a WC. You could then ease up feeding a bit/target feed and add some CUC if you like.

Do you have a skimmer on here? Without skimmer on a 10 gal you might consider doing very small water changes on it a couple times a week, this may help if you want to keep feeding the tank well.

 

[illdoya]

Nice 10gal!

If it were me I would scrape as much algae off by hand as i could and then do a WC. You could then ease up feeding a bit/target feed and add some CUC if you like.

Do you have a skimmer on here? Without skimmer on a 10 gal you might consider doing very small water changes on it a couple times a week, this may help if you want to keep feeding the tank well.

thanks alot!! i was thinking about scraping..but am nervous about getting all into the tank like that i try to keep my hand out as much as i can. Ive been toying with the idea of an hob skimmer...would that help you think? Am I still over feeding? my params were always in the green zones and with good placement my corals all seem to thrive so the algae thing is a mystery to me! more filtration needed?

i also noticed my Alk was way low, is usually is around 11, but i added some SPS, could they be resposible for the 3pt drop? water change twice a week would help stabilize that parameter you think?

i always assumed higher phosphates would lead to algae, but my phosphate was detectable but low. I have noticed some blooms on the sandbed, redish brown (diatoms or slime?) - could those be related or a cause?