Algae issues in a 7 month old tank !!!

[dart]

Might wanna lower the power heads so the flow grazes the rock more. Both seem to be the same height.

Best not to worry too much about algae this early. Its just part of the process. Its worse to tinker and swing numbers too much in the other direction. Issue is more flow in the tank given your numbers though. Nitrates feed algae in places it can settle. Usually where nothing else is growing or moving.

Thanks a lot for the suggestion! That makes sense — I hadn’t considered both powerheads being at the same level. I’ll lower one to improve flow around the rocks and sand. I’ll focus on stable numbers and better flow instead of chasing the algae too hard. Appreciate the advice!

 

[chickendirt]

Thanks a lot for the suggestion! That makes sense — I hadn’t considered both powerheads being at the same level. I’ll lower one to improve flow around the rocks and sand. I’ll focus on stable numbers and better flow instead of chasing the algae too hard. Appreciate the advice!

I'm into it maybe a little more than a year ahead of you. I figured out the flow the hard way. Replaced a Sicce pump with a Nero 5 and the left side of tank is really clean and the right that still has the sicce is kinda skunky.

That and some chemi pure blue and purigen in the cannister filter has my nitrate around 15ish and Phosphate at 0.1. Have been adding blue hermit crabs as well. Now up to 21 in a 75 gallon. I figure on a few of em dying off.

But flow seems to make a huge difference and can't be underetimated.

Oh, and I never really vaccumed out the sand bed before either. The booggers you find after a few vaccumes. My worst spot was right under the filter suction under the edge of the rock. GROSS!!!!

lol!!!

But it feels so good when you make progress on it.

 

[dart]

I'm into it maybe a little more than a year ahead of you. I figured out the flow the hard way. Replaced a Sicce pump with a Nero 5 and the left side of tank is really clean and the right that still has the sicce is kinda skunky.

That and some chemi pure blue and purigen in the cannister filter has my nitrate around 15ish and Phosphate at 0.1. Have been adding blue hermit crabs as well. Now up to 21 in a 75 gallon. I figure on a few of em dying off.

But flow seems to make a huge difference and can't be underetimated.

Oh, and I never really vaccumed out the sand bed before either. The booggers you find after a few vaccumes. My worst spot was right under the filter suction under the edge of the rock. GROSS!!!!

lol!!!

But it feels so good when you make progress on it.

Absolutely—it's surprising how much of an impact proper flow can have. I haven’t done much fine-tuning yet, but I’m planning to adjust things and dial it in to see how it improves the tank. I’ve got two Nero 5s on my 65-gallon, but they’re probably not positioned optimally right now.

Totally relate on the sandbed—my first vacuuming felt like pulling up something from the deep. Had no idea so much detritus could collect in those tucked-away spots.

I’m just hoping what I’m seeing is regular algae that’s part of the normal cycle, and not dinos. Unfortunately, I don’t have a microscope to confirm it.

Is it a good idea to add some copepods (Tisbe and Apocyclops) now?

 

[bubbgee]

Absolutely—it's surprising how much of an impact proper flow can have. I haven’t done much fine-tuning yet, but I’m planning to adjust things and dial it in to see how it improves the tank. I’ve got two Nero 5s on my 65-gallon, but they’re probably not positioned optimally right now.

Totally relate on the sandbed—my first vacuuming felt like pulling up something from the deep. Had no idea so much detritus could collect in those tucked-away spots.

I’m just hoping what I’m seeing is regular algae that’s part of the normal cycle, and not dinos. Unfortunately, I don’t have a microscope to confirm it.

Is it a good idea to add some copepods (Tisbe and Apocyclops) now?

It's been a while, so copepods should be good.

 

[Freenow54]

The green on the rocks is just normal and good. As Lavey29 said, you will go thru a lot of algae stages in the first year or more. Just let it be.

I put up with it for a couple of years finally added Nassarius snails for no reason. Rock beautiful now just make sure corals are glued on they are goofy mindless things

 

[dart]

It's been a while, so copepods should be good.

Sure, I will add some copepods soon. Thank you

 

[dart]

I put up with it for a couple of years finally added Nassarius snails for no reason. Rock beautiful now just make sure corals are glued on they are goofy mindless things

Adding Nassarius snails was on my checklist anyway. I'll check if my LFS has some when I visit next time.

 

[Freenow54]

Adding Nassarius snails was on my checklist anyway. I'll check if my LFS has some when I visit next time.

Get lots

 

[vabben]

Nassarius snails for the sand. Rock honestly looks fine. Throw in an urchin or two if the rock starts to get hairy.

Dry rock can take a very long time to mature.

 

[chickendirt]

Absolutely—it's surprising how much of an impact proper flow can have. I haven’t done much fine-tuning yet, but I’m planning to adjust things and dial it in to see how it improves the tank. I’ve got two Nero 5s on my 65-gallon, but they’re probably not positioned optimally right now.

Totally relate on the sandbed—my first vacuuming felt like pulling up something from the deep. Had no idea so much detritus could collect in those tucked-away spots.

I’m just hoping what I’m seeing is regular algae that’s part of the normal cycle, and not dinos. Unfortunately, I don’t have a microscope to confirm it.

Is it a good idea to add some copepods (Tisbe and Apocyclops) now?

I just added my second Nero 5 two days ago. What a difference on the left side of the tank. I have one high and one low. One is close to the back and the other the front of the glass. Its not quite perfect but I'm just about reaching the end of the algae battle. I think now its more about getting the bacteria balanced out.

And yes, copepods!!! The more the merrier!!! Feed with phytoplankton. My understanding is that Phytoplankton will compete with algae for resources. Too much can cloud the water but a good base bio layer is a good way to go. The fewer chemicals you have to add the better. They are also mixed with stuff that can build up in the tank.

But 7 months its also good to keep in mind the tank is gonna do what the tank is gonna do. What you correct now can save you tons of headaches down the road. I'm kicking myself now for not really learning how KH works when I started this tank. Also the value of a sump over cannister filter. Mainly just for the cleaning aspect. I already have the sump built I just gotta get off my lazy butt an do the plumbing.

 

[dart]

I just added my second Nero 5 two days ago. What a difference on the left side of the tank. I have one high and one low. One is close to the back and the other the front of the glass. Its not quite perfect but I'm just about reaching the end of the algae battle. I think now its more about getting the bacteria balanced out.

And yes, copepods!!! The more the merrier!!! Feed with phytoplankton. My understanding is that Phytoplankton will compete with algae for resources. Too much can cloud the water but a good base bio layer is a good way to go. The fewer chemicals you have to add the better. They are also mixed with stuff that can build up in the tank.

But 7 months its also good to keep in mind the tank is gonna do what the tank is gonna do. What you correct now can save you tons of headaches down the road. I'm kicking myself now for not really learning how KH works when I started this tank. Also the value of a sump over cannister filter. Mainly just for the cleaning aspect. I already have the sump built I just gotta get off my lazy butt an do the plumbing.

Sounds like your setup is really coming together! Glad to hear you're getting to the end of the algae battle

I’m just waiting for copepods and phytoplankton to come back in stock so I can place an order. I'm a little hesitant to add them though, since I’m not sure if I’m dealing with dinos. I’ve read that dinoflagellates can be harmful to pods, but I’m not sure how true that is. Either way, I’m not planning to chase the issue with chemical treatments—I’d rather let the tank run its course and stabilize naturally.

KH has been stable on my end, thanks to dosing AFR. The only other thing I’m dosing right now is phosphate, since it keeps dropping to zero. I suspect it's getting bound up by the dry rock and sand.

 

[Freenow54]

I just added my second Nero 5 two days ago. What a difference on the left side of the tank. I have one high and one low. One is close to the back and the other the front of the glass. Its not quite perfect but I'm just about reaching the end of the algae battle. I think now its more about getting the bacteria balanced out.

And yes, copepods!!! The more the merrier!!! Feed with phytoplankton. My understanding is that Phytoplankton will compete with algae for resources. Too much can cloud the water but a good base bio layer is a good way to go. The fewer chemicals you have to add the better. They are also mixed with stuff that can build up in the tank.

But 7 months its also good to keep in mind the tank is gonna do what the tank is gonna do. What you correct now can save you tons of headaches down the road. I'm kicking myself now for not really learning how KH works when I started this tank. Also the value of a sump over cannister filter. Mainly just for the cleaning aspect. I already have the sump built I just gotta get off my lazy butt an do the plumbing.

Why don't you like a canister? I use both

 

[chickendirt]

Sounds like your setup is really coming together! Glad to hear you're getting to the end of the algae battle

I’m just waiting for copepods and phytoplankton to come back in stock so I can place an order. I'm a little hesitant to add them though, since I’m not sure if I’m dealing with dinos. I’ve read that dinoflagellates can be harmful to pods, but I’m not sure how true that is. Either way, I’m not planning to chase the issue with chemical treatments—I’d rather let the tank run its course and stabilize naturally.

KH has been stable on my end, thanks to dosing AFR. The only other thing I’m dosing right now is phosphate, since it keeps dropping to zero. I suspect it's getting bound up by the dry rock and sand.

Algae eats phosphates. Dinos tend to grow in zero phosphate systems and if you are dosing phosphates the Dino would die back. The phosphates wouldn't go down. I was reading zero phosphates as well and when I started scrubbing things off the rocks it went up to 0.1. Reason for it is there was no vegetation to eat it. I did a 25 gallon water change and the number now sits at .07ish.

Tests can be decieving. I think there's the number that free floating in the water and then there is whats actually getting taken up by Algae, bacteria and the like as soon as its created in the cycle. Took me a bit to figure this out. Read a lot of the advice posted here. So your phosphate dosing right now is probably just feeding the algae.

Copepods are pretty resilient little jerks. They are like the cockroaches of the ocean. They can survive as nuke.

My ugly phase its extended mainly cause of my own lousy maintainance habits and overstocking. Keeping tank at 5 fish. No more!!! :grinning-face-with-sweat:

 

[chickendirt]

Why don't you like a canister? I use both

I plan on using both. I don't necasarily hate or dislike it. I was expecting more out of it I guess. An FX6 on a 75 gallon should technically be overkill. Knowing now what I know about export I think the sump does a way better job. Was watching a WWC tutorial about utilizing flow for nutrient export and it made total sense. To keep the cannister running efficiently it seems you have to clean the sponges Bi weekly opposed to the monthly maintanence they recommend.

Trick is to keep food suspended so It flushes out of the tank. The cannister filter intake just sits at the bottom of the tank and doesn't really pick everything up. The Weir on the intake you intstall on a sump is like a constant running toilet and the mechanical filtration alone is much more through with the surface are provided with the filter floss or sock set up. I have a 40 gallon aqueon with the fiji cube inserts.

I'm looking at the bubble magus 7 for protein skimmer which gives me room to move up to a bigger tank later.

 

[Freenow54]

I plan on using both. I don't necasarily hate or dislike it. I was expecting more out of it I guess. An FX6 on a 75 gallon should technically be overkill. Knowing now what I know about export I think the sump does a way better job. Was watching a WWC tutorial about utilizing flow for nutrient export and it made total sense. To keep the cannister running efficiently it seems you have to clean the sponges Bi weekly opposed to the monthly maintanence they recommend.

Trick is to keep food suspended so It flushes out of the tank. The cannister filter intake just sits at the bottom of the tank and doesn't really pick everything up. The Weir on the intake you intstall on a sump is like a constant running toilet and the mechanical filtration alone is much more through with the surface are provided with the filter floss or sock set up. I have a 40 gallon aqueon with the fiji cube inserts.

I'm looking at the bubble magus 7 for protein skimmer which gives me room to move up to a bigger tank later.

Well let me know how you make out ( pictures ) I use the canister to add remove things a large choice if media by Fluval. On the other hand I use Batton I buy from a Material store that removes the " Toilet Refuse vey well. I buy 6 feet by 4 feet an inch thick and stuff it in a weir of the sump I just remove every week and throw it out. It is always filthy. I cut it up into pieces lasts about 2-3 months. Cost me 20