Algae issues :/

GKLEIN · Dec 14, 2023

6 gallon tank, been running for 6-7 months and now really battling algae issues the past 2 months. Nitrates look like 0, phosphate was unreadable on Salifert test. 2 sexy shrimp and thats it for bioload and the 1-2 times a week I feed the shrimp and rock flower nem a little bit of mysis. Probably need some good CUC, whats good for a 6g tank?

Is my bacteria colony not good? Flow? Just now going through the ugly stage?

Any questions/advice would be appreciated!

Spare time · Dec 14, 2023

Looks like a type of cyano called chrysophytes. Cyano seems that it can thrive at 0 nitrate. I would the nitrate.

Mikeltee · Dec 14, 2023

You need to get your nutrients up or you will get dinos. Luckily you don't have much to start over. Go grab a new rock from the lfs and transfer your corals. Dose nutrients if you have to but you shouldn't have to. Feed more and limit your skimmer. Using gfo or dosing nopox is just a bad idea.

GKLEIN · Dec 15, 2023

Spare time said:
Looks like a type of cyano called chrysophytes. Cyano seems that it can thrive at 0 nitrate. I would the nitrate.

I dosed some nitrate last night. Funny bc my LFS said that I need to remove the nitrates bc thats whats feeding the algae, but bottoming out at 0 seems worse than a little bit of nitrate, right?

Spare time · Dec 15, 2023

GKLEIN said:
I dosed some nitrate last night. Funny bc my LFS said that I need to remove the nitrates bc thats whats feeding the algae, but bottoming out at 0 seems worse than a little bit of nitrate, right?

The idea is that 0 nitrate is understandable to everything but cyano who couldn't care less.

GKLEIN · Dec 15, 2023

Spare time said:
The idea is that 0 nitrate is understandable to everything but cyano who couldn't care less.

Ik what you mean. When i tested about 6-8 weeks ago i had probably 5ish No3, do you think flow could be an issue too? How about clean up crew to help mitigate?

Debramb · Dec 15, 2023

Adding pods will help with substrate and LR!

Spare time · Dec 15, 2023

GKLEIN said:
Ik what you mean. When i tested about 6-8 weeks ago i had probably 5ish No3, do you think flow could be an issue too? How about clean up crew to help mitigate?

I don't think flow matters. I've seen cyano grow on dead sps in front of powerheads. As someone else mentioned, copepods might help, certain snails and such too.