20g with an algae bloom

[reefmaster70]

This is my 20g Nuvo reef. It's 15 months old and has always pretty much pristine for water, glass, sand bed. Never have had any nuisance algae after the uglies during the cycling process. Parameters are always spot on. The only thing that has changed at all in the last week was probably how the water flows in the tank. I took out a softball size rock that was full of waving hand anthelia and two RBTA'S. otherwise no other changes. You can see my water parameters here In my most recent test and I've included a couple of pics of the algae on my glass and sand. Hoping to clear it back up ASAP.

 

[BonnieB]

What are you using to test? Looks like Dino’s and maybe cyano too. Is there water flow in the lower part of the tank? Besides some of your levels being low, what’s your lighting schedule like? Any way you can give us a white light only video to help make a better informed recommendation?

 

[reefmaster70]

Hanna Master test kit. I'd say the lower portion of the tank has very little flow normally. There are no power heads in this tank, never has been, just the two return heads with random flow generators. Lights a 10 hour period with hour ramp up and down at either end. Max percentage at full is 65% for blue channels, 25% white, 0 for red and green. Uv sterilizer in one back chamber. Carbon and filter floss in the other. Have macro growing quite successfully in the back return chamber.

 

[BonnieB]

Hanna Master test kit. I'd say the lower portion of the tank has very little flow normally. There are no power heads in this tank, never has been, just the two return heads with random flow generators. Lights a 10 hour period with hour ramp up and down at either end. Max percentage at full is 65% for blue channels, 25% white, 0 for red and green. Uv sterilizer in one back chamber. Carbon and filter floss in the other. Have macro growing quite successfully in the back return chamber.

If it is just the Dino/cyano and not a bacterial bloom, I would manually remove it by brushing and either netting or suctioning it out as best you can. The macro may be doing too good of a job and sucking up all your nutrients. Then do a partial WC, like 5g, and change the floss. Those two troublemakers love low/no flow so maybe see if a nano powerhead helps out. If the water is cloudy as well (I can’t tell with the blue lights) then change the carbon as well and it should with everything else help clear it up.

 

[reefmaster70]

If it is just the Dino/cyano and not a bacterial bloom, I would manually remove it by brushing and either netting or suctioning it out as best you can. The macro may be doing too good of a job and sucking up all your nutrients. Then do a partial WC, like 5g, and change the floss. Those two troublemakers love low/no flow so maybe see if a nano powerhead helps out. If the water is cloudy as well (I can’t tell with the blue lights) then change the carbon as well and it should with everything else help clear it up.

Yeah, there really is pretty much no flow hardly at all down in that lower right area and I spy a patch of red cyano on the sand over there. I am going to get a small pump going on the back corner pushing water to the front corner. I'll do another water change tomorrow of 5 gallons. As I do that weekly anyway. Change the floss out and I think I am going to bump the lighting down maybe 10-15% for a few days. I do have a clam and a couple torches in the tank, otherwise nothing that needs any intense light.