Bad algae

[Ewelina]

Hi. A couple of months ago I started having some trouble with my fish tank. Due to some ich medication I was not able to use skimmer for quite a while, and that's when the troubles started. A very resistant algae developed not only on rocks, shells, but also on or close to corals. I've put a baggie filled with phosban but it doesnt seem to be helping the problem. I try to remove the algae manually as well but it's a hassle and always possible. Any ideas?

 

[Flippers4pups]

Okay, what's your source water?

What's your water pramameters?

 

[Ewelina]

Nitrates nitrites both on 0, Kh 180 but it always was like that. I changes water 2 weeks ago with rodi water (20%) and before I was using ro water for evaporation (but I used rodi for anything else). Also, my daughter added some real seashells to the rank, so I wonder if that changed the chemistry

 

[Flippers4pups]

Do you test for anything other than nitrates and dkh?

What test kits do you have?

Just need more info. Hang with me on the questions. We will get to the reason of your problems.

 

[biophilia]

What type of cleanup crew do you have? Adding some hermits or algae-eating fish would probably help quite a bit.

 

[Ewelina]

Do you test for anything other than nitrates and dkh?

What test kits do you have?

Just need more info. Hang with me on the questions. We will get to the reason of your problems.

I just tested for calcium and magnesium. They are perfect (400 and 1340 PM respectively). I use api for now no3 kh g and aquaforest for cal mg. Water ph is quite low to me (7.6) but I have never been able to raise it much higher, and I didnt have this problem before. The quality of water got pretty bad some time ago, when I couldn't use this skimmer (it was going nuts with the medication). Also, for some reason, possibly during the water change, I noticed lost 2 shrimps (fire and peppermint) and a crab. Also, my bleent died around that time too, but he looked more as if something attacked him.

 

[Ewelina]

What type of cleanup crew do you have? Adding some hermits or algae-eating fish would probably help quite a bit.

The truth is thati lost quite a few. I have some snails that are covered in algae themselves, and plenty baby ( freshly hatched) snails. My crab is missing so I'm assuming he died. Same with 2 shrimps

 

[Flippers4pups]

I just tested for calcium and magnesium. They are perfect (400 and 1340 PM respectively). I use api for now no3 kh g and aquaforest for cal mg. Water ph is quite low to me (7.6) but I have never been able to raise it much higher, and I didnt have this problem before. The quality of water got pretty bad some time ago, when I couldn't use this skimmer (it was going nuts with the medication). Also, for some reason, possibly during the water change, I noticed lost 2 shrimps (fire and peppermint) and a crab. Also, my bleent died around that time too, but he looked more as if something attacked him.

What medication did you use and why?

 

[Ewelina]

What medication did you use and why?

I used microbe-lift herbatana cause one of my clownfish had flukes. She died eventually. at first I was trying to catch her and was not able too so I treated the whole tank and skimmer was producing nothing but foam. It was going crazy so had to be turned off probably for 2 weeks

 

[Flippers4pups]

I used microbe-lift herbatana cause one of my clownfish had flukes. She died eventually. at first I was trying to catch her and was not able too so I treated the whole tank and skimmer was producing nothing but foam. It was going crazy so had to be turned off probably for 2 weeks

Okay, so do you test for phosphates?

 

[Ewelina]

Okay, so do you test for phosphates?

No..

 

[Erica-Renee]

Testing for Nitrates and Phosphates are the two recommended test to help keep bad algae away. With that being said and the Amount of Algae your tank has testing at this point may not help. This is because the Amount of Algae you have Could very well be consuming the Nutrients in the tank.

The trick to battle hair algae is to Lower Nutrients , Starving the Algae out . The best approach with Quickest results is to Lower Nutrient input and Remove the Algae. Lower Feeding amounts and Light intensity and time on... Never scrape the Algae off rocks while they are inside the tank. This just helps it spread.If you can remove the rocks one at a time. Use two buckets of Tank water . one to scrub the Algae off the rocks in. Rinse the rocks in the second bucket then put back into the tank. This minimized the spread of the spores into the tank. CLEANING the rocks is not always needed but it will give you the best approach .

After you get the Algae down some then start testing for Nitrates and Phosphates .
There are other things to help as well.. Look into Algae turf scrubber and Carbon dosing i DO NOT Recommend dosing carbon or running Bio pellets until you have the Algae at least heading in the right direction. this usually trades one problem for another (cyano and other bacteria ) Will bloom out of control due to a huge die off of Bacteria consuming the Algae .. Huge Water changes would need to be a part of any Carbon dosing ..

The above is from my Experience and others may do things Differently. Hair algae is a BATTLE One that must be attacked from all sides ..

 

[Ewelina]

Testing for Nitrates and Phosphates are the two recommended test to help keep bad algae away. With that being said and the Amount of Algae your tank has testing at this point may not help. This is because the Amount of Algae you have Could very well be consuming the Nutrients in the tank.

The trick to battle hair algae is to Lower Nutrients , Starving the Algae out . The best approach with Quickest results is to Lower Nutrient input and Remove the Algae. Lower Feeding amounts and Light intensity and time on... Never scrape the Algae off rocks while they are inside the tank. This just helps it spread.If you can remove the rocks one at a time. Use two buckets of Tank water . one to scrub the Algae off the rocks in. Rinse the rocks in the second bucket then put back into the tank. This minimized the spread of the spores into the tank. CLEANING the rocks is not always needed but it will give you the best approach .

After you get the Algae down some then start testing for Nitrates and Phosphates .
There are other things to help as well.. Look into Algae turf scrubber and Carbon dosing i DO NOT Recommend dosing carbon or running Bio pellets until you have the Algae at least heading in the right direction. this usually trades one problem for another (cyano and other bacteria ) Will bloom out of control due to a huge die off of Bacteria consuming the Algae .. Huge Water changes would need to be a part of any Carbon dosing ..

The above is from my Experience and others may do things Differently. Hair algae is a BATTLE One that must be attacked from all sides ..

How often would you suggest feeding my tank then? I remember being told that it should be fed every day, skipping the 7th day. But today is lfs they told me to feed it twice a week. I'm lost.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Don’t get too caught up in the no3 Po4 thing. Yes lower numbers help.
It doesn’t stop it.

Your algae isn’t that bad.

Add some snails. Use a toothbrush.

Feed the fish healthfully. If you want to feed daily you can. I do.
The fish should eat all of it in a few seconds. It simply takes practice and good observation of the fish.
Once you feel like the fish are healthy eating , look at the nutrients.
If Po4 and no3 are going g up, increase export methods. Water changes , aggressive skimming , gfo , Refugium etc.
if you stay consistent with feeding , export methods and needs generally do as well, and the bio filter will generally adjust to it too.

It’s one of the reasons folks say go slow. Stay consistent, changes will occur slowly, make changes one at a time , and observe over time.
Weeks , sometimes months.

 

[Erica-Renee]

How often would you suggest feeding my tank then? I remember being told that it should be fed every day, skipping the 7th day. But today is lfs they told me to feed it twice a week. I'm lost.

Feeding your fish everyday or even twice a day is perfectly OK They should be eager and waiting for the food eating it up in seconds.