Crazy Algae Issues! Please help!!

[cody_brown11]

Hi all, hopefully you can help me!!
I have a 24 gallon AIO waterbox peninsula, roughly 8 months old.

I have been battling algae for the last 4-5 months. I believe its a combination of diatom, dinos and maybe cyano?
the algae doesn’t completely disappear at night, but does reduce slightly. If i remove the brown “dust” algae from the sand, it reappears within a few hours.
Over the last couple weeks, i have encountered brown snot like algae with air bubbles. But has since disappeared (it comes and goes)

please help me Identify this algae

i have lost a bunch of corals.
I have changed my rodi sediment and carbon filters. and reduced my lighting significantly and pumped up my nero 3s flowrate to 100%

parameters:
Ammonia - 0
Alk - 9.5
Phos - 0.05
Nitrate - 20 mg/l

filtration:
Filter floss (changed daily as it clogs within 36 hours)
Seachem matrix (bio filtration)
No skimmer because nano skimmers suck
Weekly 20% WC
I have a good cleanup crew of zombie snails and a bunch more (around 8 snails total)

Im going to purchase waste away, microbacter7, vibrant, and some more bacterias and dose all slowly and alternating over the next 4 weeks.

these photos were taken 2 nights ago in the middle of the night (lights off)

im almost certain this is dino… anyone know how to beat??
Thanks everyone

 

[jesse88]

I would start with a UV LIGHT

 

[Reefahholic]

Bring the NO3 down to 5 to balance out the ratio.

Sounds like some Dino’s and diatom’s.

 

[cody_brown11]

Bring the NO3 down to 5 to balance out the ratio.

Sounds like some Dino’s and diatom’s.

Ok will do, what do you recommend is the best way to do that (besides WC)

 

[cody_brown11]

I would start with a UV LIGHT

Thank you, im looking into that now.

 

[Lavey29]

Your parameters aren't bad but I agree bring the nitrates down to 5 to 10. Cut lights back to 6 hours with blue and uv only no whites. Siphon what you can. Increase diverse cleaner crew like turbos. You situation is not that bad. Dose phytoplankton daily and get some good bacteria dosed like PNS probio.

 

[Reefahholic]

Ok will do, what do you recommend is the best way to do that (besides WC)

Siporax

 

[Kmst80]

For Starters you need to find out what it is, dinos or cyano or other algae.
Here is a way to find out what it is:

Dinoflagellates – Are You Tired Of Battling Altogether?

@mcarroll I am linking a thread I started that noticed my ORP was super low and I thought that was probably due to dinos. Anyone else notice the same thing? https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/can-dinos-cause-really-low-orp.325625/#post-4035164 I'll continue updating there.

www.reef2reef.com

I would start there than just changing random things.

 

[Jackal799]

UV will be your friend here.

 

[Jekyl]

Instead of going chemical route I'd recommend phyto dosing.

 

[polyppal]

Ok will do, what do you recommend is the best way to do that (besides WC)

WC, thorough sandbed vacs, microaglage (chaeto) and reduced feeding.

edit: just saw no skimmer - that's likely huge contributor. Get a Tunze 9001, its the least sucky of the Nano skimmers

 

[cody_brown11]

WC, thorough sandbed vacs, microaglage (chaeto) and reduced feeding.

edit: just saw no skimmer - that's likely huge contributor. Get a Tunze 9001, its the least sucky of the Nano skimmers

Thank you, having a look between the 9001 and 9004 a bit overwhelmed with choice. Dont know which to choose. Have you any experience with the 9004?

 

[polyppal]

Thank you, having a look between the 9001 and 9004 a bit overwhelmed with choice. Dont know which to choose. Have you any experience with the 9004?

I have both and prefer the 9004 if you have room for it, but the 9001 is a nice low profile. If you look at my tank builds, the 9001 is on my 18g zoa tank and the 9004 on my 68g lps

 

[Conchman]

I believe in less is more. W/C 2x week if possible cutting amount. less peaks and lows. I vac'ed sand in "zones" each time i changed water. Less light, less often, and cut feeds to a minimum. Fish need less than we think, I leave only the minimum when I travel for my tank sitter, Eliminates over feed issue. @ 8 months is still the tail end of any "ugly stage", so keep up good practices, this to will pass.

 

[Aqua Man]

Im going to purchase waste away, microbacter7, vibrant, and some more bacterias and dose all slowly and alternating over the next 4 weeks.

VIBRANT is NOT bacteria!!!!! It’s an algacide and most likely make your DINO issues worse

 

[XtraKargo]

I recommend the MicroBacter7 for sure. I add it shortly after a WC.

I had read somewhere on here as well to leave the sand bed alone if it is Dynos. There is a way to check with a coffee filter, but a microscope is best if you have one. (I seen a cheap one in the "fun isle" at Aldi's)

And agree with the lighting schedule already mentioned. I made a similar mistake in the beginning with too much light, and of course the algae ran a muck.

Good luck, you got this!

 

[cody_brown11]

I have both and prefer the 9004 if you have room for it, but the 9001 is a nice low profile. If you look at my tank builds, the 9001 is on my 18g zoa tank and the 9004 on my 68g lps

Sounds good im looking at the 9004, im not sure if itll fit in my AIO chamber, website says both have a 110mm width, have you noticed a difference in their size? (besides height). do you have the DC or AC version?

 

[Dan_P]

Hi all, hopefully you can help me!!
I have a 24 gallon AIO waterbox peninsula, roughly 8 months old.

I have been battling algae for the last 4-5 months. I believe its a combination of diatom, dinos and maybe cyano?
the algae doesn’t completely disappear at night, but does reduce slightly. If i remove the brown “dust” algae from the sand, it reappears within a few hours.
Over the last couple weeks, i have encountered brown snot like algae with air bubbles. But has since disappeared (it comes and goes)

please help me Identify this algae

i have lost a bunch of corals.
I have changed my rodi sediment and carbon filters. and reduced my lighting significantly and pumped up my nero 3s flowrate to 100%

parameters:
Ammonia - 0
Alk - 9.5
Phos - 0.05
Nitrate - 20 mg/l

filtration:
Filter floss (changed daily as it clogs within 36 hours)
Seachem matrix (bio filtration)
No skimmer because nano skimmers suck
Weekly 20% WC
I have a good cleanup crew of zombie snails and a bunch more (around 8 snails total)

Im going to purchase waste away, microbacter7, vibrant, and some more bacterias and dose all slowly and alternating over the next 4 weeks.

these photos were taken 2 nights ago in the middle of the night (lights off)

im almost certain this is dino… anyone know how to beat??
Thanks everyone

A bit off topic. The bottom of the aquarium looks like it is not fully supported. It hangs over the edge. This will stress the glass and might void any warranties.

 

[polyppal]

Sounds good im looking at the 9004, im not sure if itll fit in my AIO chamber, website says both have a 110mm width, have you noticed a difference in their size? (besides height). do you have the DC or AC version?

I doubt the 9004 would fit, it’s almost like two 9001s in width.