Algae in the Lagoon

surgio · Mar 23, 2023

Hello R2R community!

I’m in need of some help perhaps advice. I’m dealing with an algae issue that I can’t seem to figure out how to fix. Yes I can scrub the rock or get a fish but that doesn’t help me get to the root cause which is what I want to do. I’ve attached photos with info for reference. I think I’m clearly missing some obvious thing here on getting phosphate to go down but it just isn’t clicking for me. I’m trying to find the most chemical free approach and looking for ideas/suggestions that have worked for any of you. Thanks for the help in advance.

Start Date: 1/28/23
Tank: Innovative Marine 25 lagoon
Salt: Tropic Marin Reef Pro
Test Kits: Salifert
Dosing: Tropic Marin All For Reef
Lights: AI Prime (2)
Rear Chamber: Purigen/filter pad/chemipure blue nano, skimmer.
Water Changes: every Wed, 3 gal
Livestock: snails , 1 crab and a pink streaked wrasse

blaxsun · Mar 24, 2023

Why do you need to decrease your phosphate level?

ShawnSaucier · Mar 24, 2023

Honestly, you have no corals listed so:
Lights off, and let that biome build. Keep the lights off for the month. When you do return to using your lights, take a month to ramp them up. This will help the bacteria out compete algae.
Stop dosing, you have no corals.
save your money for later. With a 25 gallon system your water changes should keep your parameters in check. But currently you have nothing that should be consuming calcium at the moment. If you are doing weekly water changes, it will be quite a while until you will need to dose, depending on the types of corals you choose.
So, summed up: lights out for a month at least. Stop dosing, and do weekly water changes. Fish and crab will be fine without the lights. Feed daily, but not too much. Try to avoid excess if feeding pellets. if feeding frozen, what ever the fish can eat in about 10 seconds (without excess floating around) should be enough.
Your tank is very young and over the next year to 18 months it will be maturing. So it will have its ugly stages. Do everything in moderation….

CoastalTownLayabout · Mar 24, 2023

Agree on reducing light, you don’t necessarily have to switch off totally but significantly reducing isn’t going to harm your fish and CUC atm.

Also, what are you using for water movement, additional to your return pump? You haven’t provided any info on this. Exporting detritus off rocks and sand via your mechanical filtration is important. Good variable flow gets the win.

Get basics right, clean RO DI, regular water changes etc. Don’t panic, set a plan and stick to it.