Algae and nutrients

allof fish

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Hey all I recently have had a huge hair algae outbreak within last 5 days or so and seems to keep exploding day after day. I had to take all my fish out to qt them all and will be going fallow for 30 days. After that the algae has exploded. My nutrients are really low nitrates at 0 phosphates .1 so to me seems like algae is just feeding on the nutrients before the corals can. My nitrates haven’t really been high at all since it’s newer tank but algae is getting out of control, I got a sea hare today since I’ve heard they can mow thru hair algae. I need to get this under control I’ve heard increasing nitrates can help since corals will out compete but want clarification. Would dosing nitrates help at all? I know it’s a part of the ugly stages but I need to control it and try to cut back on it since it all started when I removed fish. Thanks for help
 
How many fish do you have and how much do you feed and what is the filtration? How old is your tank? Pictures help too.
 
Last edited:
What does your cuc look like?
Photos of the tank?
 
I would not rely on any clean up crew to fix a hair algae problem that’s out of control.

You can fix this with a little bit of time and minimal work.

Take out the rocks in groups. Put on newspaper. Spray with hydrogen peroxide all over. Let sit 10 min. Put back in the tank.

Repeat on next group of rocks.

Repeat until all affected rocks have been sprayed.

When staying (they sell hydrogen peroxide in spray bottles) go heavy on the algae and rock surfaces and light on any corals

In 24-48 hours the algae will be dead or look like it got the crap kicked out of it. Repeat process once more if algae persists
 
How many fish do you have and how much do you feed and what is the filtration? How old is your tank? Pictures help too.
No fish in tank all in qt. So haven’t really been feeding it except reef roids for corals since nutrients are so low. Should I dose nitrates to raise them up so corals out compete algae? Good filtration. Filter socks skimmer refugium. 2 months old
 

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Cuc is decent amount of snails and hermit crabs. A sea hare now and I have pods
 
I know hydrogen peroxide can work well as I’ve had to use it to dip corals with lots of algae but that can be a huge pain I wouldn’t consider that as last resort. I’m going to see how this sea hare does in next week or so but need to bring nitrates up. Should I dose them for corals to out compete algae and get rid of it?
 

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