Algae issue

skipb1956 · Mar 18, 2016

HAving an issue with algae, tank is almost 7 months old. I think I read here that someone turned there lights off for like 3 days. Was wondering how that would affect the fish and corals?
I know it doesn't take care of the cause. I'm 90% sure I am not overfeeding my fish but wondering if target feeding corals, adding phyloplankton and zooplankton, and cuclopeeze are my issue and if so what do you recommend for feeding the corals?

Thanks,
Skip

Retro Reefer · Mar 18, 2016

Lights out for 3 days wont hurt your coral/fish but as to how effective it would be really depends on how much and what type of algae your dealing with, have any pic's?

skipb1956 · Mar 18, 2016

AllSignsPointToFish · Mar 18, 2016

As long as you have a good skimmer, carbon dosing will help trim the nutrient issue immensely.

Retro Reefer · Mar 18, 2016

Doesn't look that bad mostly GHA.. How big is your tank and how many fish do you have? Do you have a CUC in your tank? I would stop all feedings except for your fish and limit what you are feeding them. manually remove all algae you can, check your nitrate and phosphate levels, make sure you have lots of flow with no dead spots and use a turkey baster to blow detritus off rocks when doing water changes..

ReeferBob · Mar 18, 2016

This is typically a sign that your cycle is doing well and nitrate production is in full swing. I highly suggest you start an algae turf scrubber (ATS). It is an easy Saturday morning project. You need something to use those nitrates or else it is a never ending battle. The lights out won't help as it does not address the underlying issue. Water changes and using up the nitrates are your best bets.

brandon429 · Mar 18, 2016

one of the neatest ways to see your issue w algae is in two parts, a removal and a preventative.

there is no biological harm in killing that algae within 24 hours, leaving the rest of the tank minus the algae, and then employing those preventatives mentioned above. You can see its taking weeks to get a change, and its weeks more to starve it out and then you risk taking it too far and bleaching corals, restricting feed, all kinds of nutrient worry

when you kill algae first, then employ changes in preventatives, you judge them solely off growback prevention, but in not using them as the remover you gain 24 hour control over your tank. the method has been documented in just massive threads that's for sure but either way not a big deal, algae is natural on the reef. yours is low lying, not 100% coverage, and would have grown on a healthy reef just like that only because of no matched grazers, not a prob w nutrients. in the end the choice is simple, how long do you want the algae.
If you want it further def leave it in place. your tank is 100% easy to fix by Monday though don't forget that option. there is no biological consequence of ridding the tank of that algae fast, the enjoyment factor you paid for goes up. the #1 thing that goes up is your tank esteem when you watch others check out your tank in person, no joke. killing algae restores tank pride its got psy impacts too heh