200g+ reef with algae issues, please help ID and recommend CuC remediation plan

[blackstallion]

Up until recently, I was battling 0ppm NO3 and PO4 during and after going fallow for 3 months in my 200+g reef.

Right now, there is only one 5" yellow tang that I am attempting to overfeed to keep PO4 elevated, which hovers from 0.03ppm to 0.05ppm. NO3 I try to keep around 1-2ppm. I have been dosing NeoNitro and NeoPhos to compensate when the natural sources of NO3 and PO4 in the tank become depleted to quickly.

After the fallow period, seems I lost a majority of my hermits and Nassarius snails, but I still have about 8 medium to large Trochus, 10 Cerith, 2 large Conch snails, 1 hermit that I can see and 1 crab.

Unfortunately, this CuC (to include the YT) cannot keep up with what you see in the videos and pictures.

I realize the story is incomplete without my lighting schedule, mechanical filtration, etc. but I am trying what I can there to help ie. reduce lighting intensity/color, reduce mechanical filtration, etc. As a note, I do not have a UV sterilizer YET.

Can some experts please suggest what CuC I should add to help potentially get all this algae and/or bacteria under control?

One major area of concern for me is the turf and/or hair algae that's on the overflow plenum. It's a bit difficult to remove so I'm assuming it's turf algae. Can someone confirm?

For a look at what the overall tank looks like with corals and LR, you can look at my build thread for an updated shot.

 

[Subsea]

Aside from buying someone else’s system less than 1 yr ago, what reef keeping experience do you have?

Please show nuisance algae picture under white light. With respect to turf algae:

Nuisance Algae ID Guide- Reef Cleaners

Nuisance Algae ID Guide. Red Slime, Cyano, Cyanobacteria. Green Film Algae, Film Algae. Green Hair Algae. Green Turf Algae. Bryopsis pennata and B. plumosa. Bubble Algae, Valonia. Lobophora. Blue Green Cyano.

www.reefcleaners.org

What is known as "Green Turf Algae" in the hobby is really a generic name given to hundreds of different species of macroalgae that describe certain similar characteristics. They are coarse, wiry, and generally have thicker wider blades than Green Hair Algae. They may or may not have a mat like root structure, sometimes they just seem to sprout from the rock.

Turf algae that sprouts directly from the rock can be a pain to control, as it is difficult if not impossible to pluck it all. Once discovered it should be treated outside of the aquarium, perhaps by dipping the affected rock or frag in water treated with an algaecide.Turf algae that grows with a "root" mat can be peeled by pushing down on the algae as you scrape your thumb against the rock dislodging it in one swoop. Let it get big enough so you have leverage. The 3reef member who removed this piece did it perfectly.

Clean up Crew members that will eat Green Turf Algae include inverts with considerable cutting power like urchins, chitons, and emerald crabs.

 

[blackstallion]

Aside from buying someone else’s system less than 1 yr ago, what reef keeping experience do you have?

Please show nuisance algae picture under white light. With respect to turf algae:

Nuisance Algae ID Guide- Reef Cleaners

Nuisance Algae ID Guide. Red Slime, Cyano, Cyanobacteria. Green Film Algae, Film Algae. Green Hair Algae. Green Turf Algae. Bryopsis pennata and B. plumosa. Bubble Algae, Valonia. Lobophora. Blue Green Cyano.

www.reefcleaners.org

What is known as "Green Turf Algae" in the hobby is really a generic name given to hundreds of different species of macroalgae that describe certain similar characteristics. They are coarse, wiry, and generally have thicker wider blades than Green Hair Algae. They may or may not have a mat like root structure, sometimes they just seem to sprout from the rock.

Turf algae that sprouts directly from the rock can be a pain to control, as it is difficult if not impossible to pluck it all. Once discovered it should be treated outside of the aquarium, perhaps by dipping the affected rock or frag in water treated with an algaecide.Turf algae that grows with a "root" mat can be peeled by pushing down on the algae as you scrape your thumb against the rock dislodging it in one swoop. Let it get big enough so you have leverage. The 3reef member who removed this piece did it perfectly.

Clean up Crew members that will eat Green Turf Algae include inverts with considerable cutting power like urchins, chitons, and emerald crabs.

Thanks for the excerpt from reefcleaners. One of the reasons I posted here is to get unbiased opinions on what I'm dealing with and how to best proceed with CuC.

Prior to having purchased this reef from my neighbor, I had been out of the hobby for many years, but I've had reef and fresh water tanks in the past.

Regardless though, the hobby and knowledge has advanced quite a bit since then so I've been soaking up as much as possible over the past 8 months since taking on the tank.

Regarding the pictures, are you suggesting I should use only the white channels when taking the pictures?

 

[Subsea]

For pictures, white will help others to identify.

I don’t see an algae problem with pictures on your build thread.

For stubborn wire algae on weir overflow, use toothbrush dipped in peroxide.

 

[blackstallion]

For pictures, white will help others to identify.

I don’t see an algae problem with pictures on your build thread.

For stubborn wire algae on weir overflow, use toothbrush dipped in peroxide.

Yea sorry, the picture in the build thread was not in white light and was intended to mask any algae.

The pictures I posted in this thread are the nuisance algae close ups I took to help identify.

I will retake the pictures tomorrow with white lights only.

Regarding toothbrushing with peroxide, hydrogen peroxide will do? And these trace amounts of peroxide getting into the tank won't do any harm, including the algae that is brushed off?

 

[Greg P]

In your pics I'm seeing;
1 - green and red cyanobacteria
2 - valonia/bubble algae
3 - a mix of film and possibly turf and/or spirorbid snails. Hard to see.
Vid #2 preview is turf algae

1- keep siphoning or other means of removing 'till goes away and/or search cyano removal threads for options
2 - hand/tongs/tweezers removal
3 - scrape glass and then clean filter sock or other filtration you have

Turf - hand removal. As you can see, turf adores higher light and flow as this is the most nutrient-rich area with the best lighting conditions.
First pinch off what you can, then scrub with a toothbrush/fingernail brush.
If you have corals, use minimal peroxide daily. If not, you can be more aggressive but still need to not over-do how much you use. Search peroxide/tank volume safe amounts.
I used too much once and hurt my corals/bacteria.

 

[Zoa_Fanatic]

Mexican turbo snails. That’s literally all you need. Get 5-7 of these dudes and turn them loose. Dad has 2 in his 160 and algea can’t grow fast enough

 

[Greg P]

Mexican turbo snails. That’s literally all you need. Get 5-7 of these dudes and turn them loose. Dad has 2 in his 160 and algea can’t grow fast enough

Mexis work well if you get the kind that live long enough. The ones we typically get here aren't very long-lived.
Strawberry tophats are also great work horses, but I've never experienced either working on long-ish algae. They keep it from coming back if you first remove the bulk of the length.

 

[Zoa_Fanatic]

Mexis work well if you get the kind that live long enough. The ones we typically get here aren't very long-lived.
Strawberry tophats are also great work horses, but I've never experienced either working on long-ish algae. They keep it from coming back if you first remove the bulk of the length.

We get the massive sized ones here and they unfortunately seem to live forever so when they get 2”+ across you have to rehome them if you have a small tank like me

 

[blackstallion]

Here are updated photos with white light only. Really looks like an ugly phase.

 

[Greg P]

Even it's an ugly phase, you're still going to need to apply some hands-on cleaning/intervention.

I mentioned above some steps you should consider to get ahead of the 4 separate issues you have.

 

[blackstallion]

Even it's an ugly phase, you're still going to need to apply some hands-on cleaning/intervention.

I mentioned above some steps you should consider to get ahead of the 4 separate issues you have.

Understood, I'll be manually removing as much as possible.

Regarding the sand bed, if I'm fighting low NO3 & PO4, would it be better to not syphon the sand bed for now?

Also, speaking of low NO3 and PO4, I've been trying to dose both to keep at readable level's. Is this counter productive until I can get the algae under control? I have not been dosing a ton, just enough to register about 1ppm NO3 and 0.03ppm PO4.

 

[Greg P]

Personally, I'd keep cleaning stuff to remove what's not testable (and remove the algae), and keep performing your low dosing to allow other critters to help out compete the algae. You also don't want your N&P to get any lower as other stuff will show up; possibly diatoms or even dinos.

 

[blackstallion]

I've been running only the 4 blue and UV channels on my Radions for the past couple weeks since this post. I no longer see red cyano after running Chemiclean, but still have alot of this green stuff, growing bubble's.

Been overfeeding and dosing nitrates. Last I tested, my Nitrates are now around 4.5 ppm with the Hanna checker and my phosphates around 0.06 ppm.

Not sure if any of this look like dino's. Would it be advisable to use Dino X to see if I can get this under control?

 

[Greg P]

You are now going through a green hair algae phase.
Manually remove the long fuzzy stuff and keep your N&P where they are.
If all goes well, within a few weeks/month you'll be able to get a grip on things.
It'll take time, so be patient and wait it out.
In the meantime, keep manually removing the slime

It could take longer than a month or so ... be patient