Algae issues

Cwilliam

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Hi everyone. My 70 gallon reef tank is now been running for seven months. I’m testing weekly and everything seem stable at
Nitrate - 0
dKh - 6.5
PH - 8.2

Im still learning and realise i should be testing Phosphates so have ordered a test kit from red sea. My issue is my tank has been through the ugly stages like all new tank but i’m just wondering what’s the best option for controlling this purple slime/thread like algae which is currently going wild in the tank.
Stock is as follows:
• Clownfish x 1
• Bi colour blenny x 1
• Bangal cardinal x 1
• Yellow tailed Damsel x 1
• Hermit crab x2
• Trochus snail x 3

I’m just wondering what the best option is whether it be more CUC or is it a case of letting time take care of thing.
I do 15% water change weekly, have a small refugium in my sump containing cheato and macro algae and run a skimmer.

Im always worried about feeding too much so feed less than half a frozen cube of brine shrimp daily.

Sorry for the long post just wanted to include all info. Will attach pictures below.

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MnFish1

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It looks like cyanobacteria. Is it easily brushed (I mean with water current from your hand)? Does it tend to be minimal in the AM - and then more present at night (If either one it looks like cyano).

IMHO - often increasing flow helps this alot, as well as siphoning it off (I used large syringe - and merely sucked it off the rocks. Eventually it went away. Also IMHO - chasing various N and P ratios is not always helpful - and can cause other issues. If it is cyano - there is a product called chemiclean - which will not damage other things - but sometimes manual removal and increased flow are the way to go. It would be good to know what your phosphate is. Second - what test kits are you using. My guess is that your nitrate is not '0', but actually something between 0 and the first graduation on your kit?
 

Slayyyter

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+1 on the chemiclean worked wonders in my 60g with a ton of cyano and didn't hurt my snails, shrimps and my soft corals . You can buy it at petco or online
 
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Cwilliam

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Thank you so much for you advice i have turned up flow and already can see rocks being cleared of it. I am in scotland so i don’t think chemiclean is available here. I have had advice to add Dr Tims beneficial bacteria as that will kill of the cyanobacteria would this be a good idea? I’m using red sea test kits and the nitrate test is definitely reading 0 as is completely clear and no signs of pink. My RODI unit has been up and running for around 7 months do you think this could be needing new filters even though still reading 0 TDS. Thanks again for advice means a lot.
 

Slayyyter

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Thank you so much for you advice i have turned up flow and already can see rocks being cleared of it. I am in scotland so i don’t think chemiclean is available here. I have had advice to add Dr Tims beneficial bacteria as that will kill of the cyanobacteria would this be a good idea? I’m using red sea test kits and the nitrate test is definitely reading 0 as is completely clear and no signs of pink. My RODI unit has been up and running for around 7 months do you think this could be needing new filters even though still reading 0 TDS. Thanks again for advice means a lot.
Glad everything is working out better. Every six to twelve months is recommended for changing rodi filters
 

zuri

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look's like your right on track for a healthy maturing tank. typically you see the cyano at the very end of a cycle as it burns itself out spihon it during waterchanges . you should start to see bubble algae very soon
 
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Cwilliam

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Hi i finally got my Phosphate test kit as was delayed in post. I’ve just done a test and it’s reading 0.00ppm how likely is this? I did syphon out all the cyno but underneath on the rocks there’s brown what looks like dyno.
 

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Cwilliam

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I was thinking to try some DinoX. Am i just worrying too much and should just let the tank do it’s thing naturally. Guess being a new marine keeper i’m worrying i’m doing something wrong. Should i continue weekly 10% water changes i did read somewhere that spacing out water changes helps fight cyno/dyno is this true?
 

MnFish1

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Every test has a margin of error. Its probably not '0.0'.
 

MnFish1

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I was thinking to try some DinoX. Am i just worrying too much and should just let the tank do it’s thing naturally. Guess being a new marine keeper i’m worrying i’m doing something wrong. Should i continue weekly 10% water changes i did read somewhere that spacing out water changes helps fight cyno/dyno is this true?
PS - I think the N/P ratio, etc etc that everyone talks about might not be entirely accurate for every tank. For example - A NO3 of 100 and a PO4 of 1 is the same as an NO3 of 1 and a PO4 of .o1
 

MnFish1

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Just remember, if you use Chemiclean it is a BANDAID. You need to still figure out the issue.
True - but the issue might be that cyano took over unoccupied territory. If its gone - other things can come in, take over and prevent its recurrence. I totally disagree that there is a 'chemistry' that will prevent cyano - except perhaps - large water flow. Which - totally cured mine.
 

MnFish1

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Hi i finally got my Phosphate test kit as was delayed in post. I’ve just done a test and it’s reading 0.00ppm how likely is this? I did syphon out all the cyno but underneath on the rocks there’s brown what looks like dyno.
0 phosphate is probably the reason of your dinos if that is really dinos. You really want to get that pushed up 0.03+ and keep it there. Nitrates to 5-15ppm
As per chemiclean +1 for that
I was thinking to try some DinoX. Am i just worrying too much and should just let the tank do it’s thing naturally. Guess being a new marine keeper i’m worrying i’m doing something wrong. Should i continue weekly 10% water changes i did read somewhere that spacing out water changes helps fight cyno/dyno is this true?
DinoX has bad rep for a reason -I would stay clear from that. (Works for only some strains and some corals don’t tolerate it)

ID your dinos with a microscope. If you know which stains you have you can get specific treatment for them. attached helps with that.

fix your nitrate and phosphate first before deal with Dinos. Often doing just that they disappear.
 

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