Algae Help Please!

JGTPA

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I'm looking for help from fellow reefers on getting rid of my algae problem. I'm not entirely sure what algae I've been battling fort the past 2 months. I'm pretty sure it's not just one kind. I keeping getting brown algae on the glass that easily wipes away. I don't see any bubbles so I'm guessing diatoms. I replaced all RODI filters and have done 3 water changes over the past month. It keeps coming back but with white lights it actually looks green and not brown.
Second...I had green algae on a few of my rocks that my Tang and urchin wouldn't touch. It looks like hair algae but, I was guessing bryopsis since nobody would eat it. I manually removed as much as possible. It's still there but doesn't seem to be getting long.
Third, I had what looked like green cyano on my rocks. It all blew off with a turkey baster.
My parameters all seem to be fine but, I lost a cleaner shrimp, my Duncan keeps closing up, and my urchin is slowing down and losing spines. But all other soft Coral and fish are completely fine.
pH -8.1
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 6.8 (was 11.5 a month ago)
Phosphate - 0 (took GFO out to try to raise a little).

Any ideas on what I need to do to get this under control?
Thank you in advance!

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tmccaff

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Is it slimy? Looks like Cyano. Hard to ID algae without a microscope. You can get a cheap one and worth it. How old is the tank?
 
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JGTPA

JGTPA

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The tank is a little over 8 months old. I'm up for getting a cheap microscope but, how do I ID once I'm looking at it?
 

NS Mike D

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Is it slimy? Looks like Cyano. Hard to ID algae without a microscope. You can get a cheap one and worth it. How old is the tank?

that would be consistent with the lack of PO4. But I agree, a microscope is never listed in threads on what equipment to get, but given how often cyano, Dinos and other nasties can ruin one's experience, and how proper ID can avoid making the problem worse, IMO, it makes sense given how inexpensive one is compared to other reef hobby equipment.
 

NS Mike D

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The tank is a little over 8 months old. I'm up for getting a cheap microscope but, how do I ID once I'm looking at it?


take a picture through the eyepiece with your phone and post it here (or in the dino thread). There was a thread the other day help a member take the picture. it should appear with a search
 

NS Mike D

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How long are the lights on every day? And what type of light?

if it's green cyano:


you can turn off the lights for several days - but until the underlying cause is addressed, it will come back.

fully curing rock is often overlooked, dosing bacteria should help with a long term solution.

(need to confirm) I recall cyano can be toxic (ie closing duncan and clean up crew won't clear it and could be the cause of the fatality with the cleaner shrimp).


If my suspicions are confirmed, the GFO stripped the tank of PO4 opening the door for cyano to out compete your corals, and continuing to do so. So the combination of dosing bacteria and turning off the lights should (I can't prove this so let other comment on my post) help by enabling the bacteria to outcompete the cyano for space on your rocks and sand.

Consider a sand rinsing and out of tank rock scrubbing strategy (@brandon429 ) as a reset if bacteria dosing and getting the PO4 up doesn't work.
 
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JGTPA

JGTPA

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if it's green cyano:


you can turn off the lights for several days - but until the underlying cause is addressed, it will come back.

fully curing rock is often overlooked, dosing bacteria should help with a long term solution.

(need to confirm) I recall cyano can be toxic (ie closing duncan and clean up crew won't clear it and could be the cause of the fatality with the cleaner shrimp).


If my suspicions are confirmed, the GFO stripped the tank of PO4 opening the door for cyano to out compete your corals, and continuing to do so. So the combination of dosing bacteria and turning off the lights should (I can't prove this so let other comment on my post) help by enabling the bacteria to outcompete the cyano for space on your rocks and sand.

Consider a sand rinsing and out of tank rock scrubbing strategy (@brandon429 ) as a reset if bacteria dosing and getting the PO4 up doesn't work.
All of this makes sense. What bacteria do you recommend you dose? Any of the common nitrifying bacteria brands?
I typically don't like using chemicals but, is it worth giving chemiclean a try and then dose bacteria?
 

shewolfwarrior

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Hydra 32's. They're on for 6 hours/day with a 30 minute ramp up& ramp down. Blues 50% whites 16%. No reds or greens.
i’d try to bump it down a little bit, tank is still relatively new, maybe something like 30% blue 10% white, i was having a similar problem with my 24gal aquatop with an AI prime, now running the lights at 25% blue and like 5% white and reduced my algae significantly.
 

NS Mike D

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All of this makes sense. What bacteria do you recommend you dose? Any of the common nitrifying bacteria brands?
I typically don't like using chemicals but, is it worth giving chemiclean a try and then dose bacteria?

Dr Tim is an expert and many members recommend his products. I have a petco very near and they carry Microbe-Lift Special Blend so that convenience is why I use it. Anecdotally,. I attribute the Micro-lift (among other things) to helping keep the cyano and Dinos at bay which had started to creep back after a total tank tear down 2 years ago. The tank is now very hands off and apparently stable , I think (7 years old and 2 years after the restart). I dose Microbe-lift every two weeks. I can't say for sure, I assume extra bacteria will be consumed by the corals or removed by the skimmer. I assume my tank is not cyano and dino free (I believe they are ever present) but since dosing bacteria helps to keep the levels up and diversified they outcompete the Dinos and cyano preventing them from taking over.

at least that is what I think is happening.
 

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