Algae taking over cant stop it need help

[kratosxxl]

Hi all so my tank is 4 month old i did cycle it with bacteria and stuff (not my first tank ) but dyno just taking over, i tested water all in range but im assuming cuz algea eating it. I tried back out it worked fine but 2 days after everything came back. I have huge skimmer fuge but my chateo doesnt grow either it getting smaller actually. 100 gal disp 45 gal sump. I keep wm off cuz it makes it worse. I started scraping algae from front acrylic using credit card hoping it wont make huge scratches. Any ideas/advises ?

 

[kratosxxl]

 

[roc1hmr]

Everyone is gonna ask what you’re parameters, let’s start there.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Microscope identification is needed to see if it's dinoflagellates, diatoms or cyanobacteria.

Young systems starting out with dry rock and having low nutrients, N03 and P04 can have dinoflagellate outbreaks.

Need to know what your N03 and P04 is exactly.

If dinoflagellates are what you have, you need to have at least 5 ppm N03 and .02 P04. Depending on the strain of dino's, using a UV sterilizer may help along with adding more biodiversity in copepods, phytoplankton and bacterial strains. Even adding live rock from a established system or LFS is helpful.

 

[Acskippy]

Is your RODI water 0.00 Tds?

 

[kratosxxl]

Microscope identification is needed to see if it's dinoflagellates, diatoms or cyanobacteria.

Young systems starting out with dry rock and having low nutrients, N03 and P04 can have dinoflagellate outbreaks.

Need to know what your N03 and P04 is exactly.

If dinoflagellates are what you have, you need to have at least 5 ppm N03 and .02 P04. Depending on the strain of dino's, using a UV sterilizer may help along with adding more biodiversity in copepods, phytoplankton and bacterial strains. Even adding live rock from a established system or LFS is helpful.

Thank for ur reply. No3 are around 10 dont have test fro po4i did 20% water change last week planning another 30% tomorrow. So i do hve a microscope 1000x if i post picture will that help ? Also i found couple pieces of metal in the sand in brand new sand bag from amazon. Also my mangroves are almost dead.

 

[kratosxxl]

Is your RODI water 0.00 Tds?

Yes. Tested with different meters

 

[Flippers4pups]

Thank for ur reply. No3 are around 10 dont have test fro po4i did 20% water change last week planning another 30% tomorrow. So i do hve a microscope 1000x if i post picture will that help ? Also i found couple pieces of metal in the sand in brand new sand bag from amazon. Also my mangroves are almost dead.

You need a P04 test kit.

Metal in the sand? Is it corroded? Is it magnetized? If so, I'd dump the sand and buy a different brand. What brand was it?

A picture of the sample would definitely help.

 

[kratosxxl]

You need a P04 test kit.

Metal in the sand? Is it corroded? Is it magnetized? If so, I'd dump the sand and buy a different brand. What brand was it?

A picture of the sample would definitely help.

Nature's ocean, yes corroded yes magnetised (thats how i find it my kid threw magnet small toy by acc in to the tank and whne i pulled it metal was stuck to it. ) i did stirred sand no more metal but it was in a tank for almost 2 months untill i noticed it. So 100% water change and replace sand ? That is pretty dificult

 

[kratosxxl]

Let me scrap some algae and post microscope pictures

 

[Acskippy]

Hey Flip, wouldnt using uv kill off the pods you are trying to populate the tank with?

kind of curious bc i refrained from using one just because of that possibility..

also KRATO...can u send a pic of the entire tank? From the pics u sent it dosent look like there is much rock/livestock in there.... might be the perfect time to change out sand.... cuz once its filled w stuff changing it completely will be basically impossible without disturbing the balance in the tank

 

[Flippers4pups]

Hey Flip, wouldnt using uv kill off the pods you are trying to populate the tank with?

Plenty of people, including myself run a UV 24/7 with no effect on pod populations. Copepods, isopods and amphipods tend to stay on the substrate, rocks or tank walls. Seldom do they swim in the water column, thus don't get sucked into a UV sterilizer. No worries.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Nature's ocean, yes corroded yes magnetised (thats how i find it my kid threw magnet small toy by acc in to the tank and whne i pulled it metal was stuck to it. ) i did stirred sand no more metal but it was in a tank for almost 2 months untill i noticed it. So 100% water change and replace sand ? That is pretty dificult

For fear of more metal fragments, I'd suck the sand out a little at a time and replace it. I use Caribsea aragonite special grade in my tanks.

I've replaced sand in established tanks, even my current 125 gallon.

Remove a small amount of sand during a water change, using a gravel vacuum hose.

Take a small amount of the new sand and rise it in a fish net, some panty hose till clear. Drain it, Dump it into a bucket. When done, add some RO/DI water and a little Prime.

Take a length of PVC pipe, 1" or so in diameter and place it in the tank. Long enough to reach the bottom. With a funnel at the top of the pipe, dump small amounts of new sand down the pipe. There will be some dust, but its way better than just dumping it in the water.

Works very well.

 

[kratosxxl]

Sorry this is best i can do with 40 $ microscope

 

[kratosxxl]

Hey Flip, wouldnt using uv kill off the pods you are trying to populate the tank with?

kind of curious bc i refrained from using one just because of that possibility..

also KRATO...can u send a pic of the entire tank? From the pics u sent it dosent look like there is much rock/livestock in there.... might be the perfect time to change out sand.... cuz once its filled w stuff changing it completely will be basically impossible without disturbing the balance in the tank

i will, so i dont have much rock in the tank but i do have 5 fish in it, i do use marine pure media alot of it like 10x more in my sump

 

[Acskippy]

Plenty of people, including myself run a UV 24/7 with no effect on pod populations. Copepods, isopods and amphipods tend to stay on the substrate, rocks or tank walls. Seldom do they swim in the water column, thus don't get sucked into a UV sterilizer. No worries.

Ok cool.... i have soooooo many pods and dose around 60-90 ml daily of phyto... i have a monthly delivery of 8 jars of ecopods (more than enuff for 200gal)from AB and would never look back... algae has been non existant and 99% of livestock are fat n happy!

 

[kratosxxl]

For fear of more metal fragments, I'd suck the sand out a little at a time and replace it. I use Caribsea aragonite special grade in my tanks.

I've replaced sand in established tanks, even my current 125 gallon.

Remove a small amount of sand during a water change, using a gravel vacuum hose.

Take a small amount of the new sand and rise it in a fish net, some panty hose till clear. Drain it, Dump it into a bucket. When done, add some RO/DI water and a little Prime.

Take a length of PVC pipe, 1" or so in diameter and place it in the tank. Long enough to reach the bottom. With a funnel at the top of the pipe, dump small amounts of new sand down the pipe. There will be some dust, but its way better than just dumping it in the water.

Works very well.

shouldve went with no sand less headache

 

[phatduckk]

Sorry this is best i can do with 40 $ microscope

change up the zoom settings and compare what you see to the pics in the attachment of this post: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/d...tling-altogether.293318/page-431#post-7057875

 

[kratosxxl]

Ok cool.... i have soooooo many pods and dose around 60-90 ml daily of phyto... i have a monthly delivery of 8 jars of ecopods (more than enuff for 200gal)from AB and would never look back... algae has been non existant and 99% of livestock are fat n happy!

i just added around 1k pods like couple weeks ago

 

[Flippers4pups]

Sorry this is best i can do with 40 $ microscope

Well it's tough to tell from the picture. It was a great try on you part though. They say you need around 500-1000x to really see them properly.