Algae but good parameters?

[Benga]

I'm getting some GHA in very small select spots on rocks. I also have this turf type algae on rocks and this almost corraline but not(because it's green) algae on my glass. My water parameters are good as far as i can tell. I'm hitting six months with this tank, 7 small corals, 4 fish. I haven't been able to get my hands on a microscope either..

I'm turning off the white channel and keeping the blue strictly for a week. Should I expect any adverse effects of that?

Are my water parameters feeding algae?
Salinity: 1.025
pH: 8
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
Phosphate: 0.25
Alkalinity: 10
Calcium: 460
Magnesium: 1450

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Is the phosphate test an api?

And yea, high Po4 will do that.

I don’t know what that stuff is on the rocks ? Does it blow off?

What foods are you feeding ? Coral foods ,aminos?

 

[Benga]

Is the phosphate test an api?

And yea, high Po4 will do that.

I don’t know what that stuff is on the rocks ? Does it blow off?

What foods are you feeding ? Coral foods ,aminos?

Indeed it is an api.

Does not blow off nor does it scrub off essile with a toothbrush.
Half cube of brine one day then half cube of mysis the next. Small amount of reef roids once a week. Pellets added to the mix every 2-3 days

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Indeed it is an api.

Does not blow off nor does it scrub off essile with a toothbrush.
Half cube of brine one day then half cube of mysis the next. Small amount of reef roids once a week. Pellets added to the mix every 2-3 days

Yea api is a some to too much test.
Def test a couple times in a row and compare.
Seems .25 is like the api error code. Lol.
With api ime , you want it to look like none or almost none.

That rock stuff is weird. IF it’s hard and kinda smooth it could actually be a corraline. I have some but it grows slow for me.

The white fuzz is weird. Some coral foods will do that. Bacteria or sponges sometimes.

The green hair in the glass I’d let it grow out a bit in a spot to see if it Branches or starts to look like feathers. Bryopsis.

You are using rodi?

 

[Benga]

Yea api is a some to too much test.
Def test a couple times in a row and compare.
Seems .25 is like the api error code. Lol.
With api ime , you want it to look like none or almost none.

That rock stuff is weird. IF it’s hard and kinda smooth it could actually be a corraline. I have some but it grows slow for me.

The white fuzz is weird. Some coral foods will do that. Bacteria or sponges sometimes.

The green hair in the glass I’d let it grow out a bit in a spot to see if it Branches or starts to look like feathers. Bryopsis.

You are using rodi?

Yea it was hard to tell to begin with it seemed like 0 but also seemed like 0.25 so I went with worst case scenario there.

I do have bryopsis in the tank mostly on frag bases that I trip back carefully and plenty of bryopsis in the fuge. I plan to use fuconazole this month. But you're probably right those strands probably are bryopsis.

Yea the fuzz is their werd part, its also been there before I started reef roids. I do have lots of sump sponges under rocks and what not but the stuff on the algae seems to move with the flow of water unlike my sponges. If it is bacteria should I be worried?

Only RO with tds of 9ppm

 

[mcarroll]

My guess is that no-DI is contributing some.

The PO4 being so high while NO3 reads zero may be as well. Any chance you can get a better PO4 test done at the LFS?

How is your system's filtration set up?

 

[Benga]

My guess is that no-DI is contributing some.

The PO4 being so high while NO3 reads zero may be as well. Any chance you can get a better PO4 test done at the LFS?

How is your system's filtration set up?

All the lfs here use api tests too or at least that's what I've seen them using lol

I have a 20g refugium that uses a filter sock, skimmer, LR, chaeto, and the water goes through a final pass through a black foam.

 

[mcarroll]

No media reactors or chemical solutions vs nutrients?

If not, then I'd guess that maybe you're closer to 0.00 ppm than 0.25 ppm....which means that both NO3 and PO4 are near-zero....which (if correct) also eliminates the mystery.

If your chaeto seems to be growing, then that somewhat confirms....it may be using up almost all excess N and P giving you the low readings on the test kit.

That said, you might find that the algae you have growing like the low nutrient situation...I wouldn't jump to any conclusions about low numbers being necessarily good.

How old is this tank?

How long are your lights on per day?

Do they run a sunrise-sunset program?

What is flow like? (pumps? placement? a photo would be great!)

How do the socks and sponges fare between cleanings? Do they get really nasty?

How are your corals doing?

 

[Benga]

No media reactors or chemical solutions vs nutrients?

If not, then I'd guess that maybe you're closer to 0.00 ppm than 0.25 ppm....which means that both NO3 and PO4 are near-zero....which (if correct) also eliminates the mystery.

If your chaeto seems to be growing, then that somewhat confirms....it may be using up almost all excess N and P giving you the low readings on the test kit.

That said, you might find that the algae you have growing like the low nutrient situation...I wouldn't jump to any conclusions about low numbers being necessarily good.

How old is this tank?

How long are your lights on per day?

Do they run a sunrise-sunset program?

What is flow like? (pumps? placement? a photo would be great!)

How do the socks and sponges fare between cleanings? Do they get really nasty?

How are your corals doing?

No reactors or chemical solutions.

Tank is 6-7 months old.
No sunrise/sunset program. Lights typically run 100% blue channels 25% white channel
800Gph powerhead, 500gph sump return. Powerhead on one side of the tank and sump return on the other. I wouldn't say nasty. I've never had to clean it.
Socks last 3 days, picture of removed one attached.
Corals are doing great, frogspawn and duncan are probably weakest right now but I believe I placed them too close to the light so I moved them back and they're slowly getting better.
Xenia of course growing like people say it does. Anemone is alive and well too, though it isn't open all day. Birdsnest is calcifying well too.
I get a lot of secondary light from the two windows behind it, but i'm keeping the blinds closed this week to see what happens.

 

[mcarroll]

No sunrise/sunset program. Lights typically run 100% blue channels 25% white channel

I'm guessing without having you take some #lux readings (get an app), but there's a strong chance that your lights should only be on from 5-7 hours a day. More could favor algae more than corals.

But that's not all...

I like the tankscape! Plan on adding another 800GPH pump on the right wall. When you do, then run both pumps on timers so that one runs for 3-4 hours, then the other one runs for 3-4 hours. MUCH better than what you have...no need for wavemakers or anything further until much later.

Corals are doing great, frogspawn and duncan are probably weakest right now but I believe I placed them too close to the light so I moved them back and they're slowly getting better.

Anemone is alive and well too, though it isn't open all day.

Your Ducans, Frogspawn and Anemone are indications of phosphate limitation. It plays a big part in sensitivity to light stress. All corals have a significant need for phosphate, but anemones are known phosphate hogs.....probably due to body mass. I'm guessing the other corals that are apparently suffering are also "hogs".

You might want to remove 90% of your chaeto or even try running the system without it for a few weeks....I bet your corals perk up.

 

[mcarroll]

Hm.....summary.....your light is fine once the flow and phosphate situations become more favorable.

It's unlikely that your corals will be happy under current circumstances – seems like they are battling for nutrients and not winning.

Lowering light does lower their nutrient demand, but that's a short term answer to the issue if that's what it turns out to be. These corals tend to like dirty water and higher nutrients.

I think I forgot to ask what your CUC is like? Blenny doesn't really count and I don't see any snails in the pic!

Seems like that could be the reason for the little bit of algae growth you have in the display....if so, I'd actually remove the chaeto until later when the tank needs it.

(But based on the tank pic, it doesn't seem like you really have much algae to be worried about! )

 

[Benga]

Hm.....summary.....your light is fine once the flow and phosphate situations become more favorable.

It's unlikely that your corals will be happy under current circumstances – seems like they are battling for nutrients and not winning.

Lowering light does lower their nutrient demand, but that's a short term answer to the issue if that's what it turns out to be. These corals tend to like dirty water and higher nutrients.

I think I forgot to ask what your CUC is like? Blenny doesn't really count and I don't see any snails in the pic!

Seems like that could be the reason for the little bit of algae growth you have in the display....if so, I'd actually remove the chaeto until later when the tank needs it.

(But based on the tank pic, it doesn't seem like you really have much algae to be worried about! )

Thank you for the compliments and also thank you for taking the time to help!

I just added the 800gph powerhead i use for my salt mixer into the tank. I'll get a new one for the salt. I'll have to pick up some timers though for sure. I like the idea!
So phosphate may be a limiting factor in my current coral health? but at the same time phosphate adds to the algae growth?
Is there any way to safety add phosphates if that's what may be needed. I should add that the duncan although not doing its best is also sprouting three new heads.
I'll cut back on lighting hours slowly likely over the course of a week.
I actually just cut back a lot of my chaeto but just looked at it a minute ago and I think i'll cut some more.

CUC is simply 2 turbo snails (in refugium), 2 astrea snails, and a peppermint shrimp. The turbos dont seem to do too well in the DT, they constantly fall off the glass. Haven't had issues in the refugium though. My snails are always dormant during lighting hours and come out at night.

 

[mcarroll]

The turbos dont seem to do too well in the DT, they constantly fall off the glass.

That's a sign either of starvation or possibly of toxins.

Once green algae gets established, it seems likely for many species to become chemically "unpalatable". This explains the potential of having algae AND starving.

Toxins could be from a number of algae (e.g. dino's, diatoms, cyano, etc) but not typically green fuzzy ones.

Snails in the display only coming out at night is suspicious.

Is the blenny or anyone else persistently pestering/attacking the snails during the day?

 

[Benga]

That's a sign either of starvation or possibly of toxins.

Once green algae gets established, it seems likely for many species to become chemically "unpalatable". This explains the potential of having algae AND starving.

Toxins could be from a number of algae (e.g. dino's, diatoms, cyano, etc) but not typically green fuzzy ones.

Snails in the display only coming out at night is suspicious.

Is the blenny or anyone else persistently pestering/attacking the snails during the day?

It was most likely starvation as they seem to thrive in the refugium where algae is ample.
The blenny would occasionally munch on algae on their shell but it was a very seldom occasion.

 

[mcarroll]

I would try smaller snails like Ceriths or <gasp> hermit crabs in the main display.

I prefer snails, personally, but YMMV....it's possible a combo would be better in your case.

Here's the Cerith's I'm talking about:

(The hermits you get would probably come in these same shells.)

 

[Benga]

I would try smaller snails like Ceriths or <gasp> hermit crabs in the main display.

I prefer snails, personally, but YMMV....it's possible a combo would be better in your case.

Here's the Cerith's I'm talking about:

(The hermits you get would probably come in these same shells.)

Yea I was reading into ceriths and trocus snails as well as hermit crabs. Haven't pulled the trigger yet but most likely this weekend I will.

But going back to phosphates, you were advising me to raise the phosphates a little as well as cut back the chaeto?

 

[kswan]

I'm fairly new and have only had my tank running for 9 months. I was having issues with algae in my sand bed. My nitrate and phosphate were reading zero from the beginning and my phosphate slowly started to climb about the time the algae started. I added a GFO reactor and turned off the skimmer to attempt to increase nitrate and reduce or manage phosphate. For me, this worked and I got my nitrate up to around 2-4 ppm and phosphate stable at 0.8. The algae is gone from the sand and only a few spots of GHA on the rocks. Corals and RBTA are also showing significantly more growth. I'm sure the others posting here know more than me but I wanted to share my experience.

 

[mcarroll]

If flow is good, you are decreasing your photoperiod to around 6 hours, and cutting back your chaeto (maybe consider just removing it if you dont have a problem getting more) then I'd leave it at that for at least a few weeks to see how things develop.

I'd wait to hit the GFO button, or use very little if you start it....be extremely conservative with it. (Note @kswan only stabilized po4 at 0.8, didn't try to zero it out.)