Deciding on next step for algae control

OP
OP
C

Cbones1979

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 15, 2018
Messages
1,457
Reaction score
406
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Well so after retesting Hanna multiple times it came back .15 so better than .00 but not good and would explain my algae growth. Got the skimmer, Hog1x, and chemipure rolling. I’ll retest in a few days
 

Orm Embar

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 11, 2017
Messages
468
Reaction score
298
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
If you're having nuisance algae problems, I would focus on increasing nutrient export since it doesn't sound like you can feasibly reduce nutrient import (I don't rinse frozen foods; I think Randy did an analysis of phosphate in frozen foods and most were present in the food itself and therefore not removed by rinsing), and a better clean up crew doesn't solve the underlying tendency of your system to grow nuisance algae.

2 great articles by Randy:

As a fan of macroalgae nutrient export (chaeto/refugium), I generally recommend that (or reactors/small scrubbers if space is limited). Alternatively, you could carbon dose +/- GFO, but I don't have experience with carbon dosing or GFO.

Good luck!
 
OP
OP
C

Cbones1979

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 15, 2018
Messages
1,457
Reaction score
406
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
If you're having nuisance algae problems, I would focus on increasing nutrient export since it doesn't sound like you can feasibly reduce nutrient import (I don't rinse frozen foods; I think Randy did an analysis of phosphate in frozen foods and most were present in the food itself and therefore not removed by rinsing), and a better clean up crew doesn't solve the underlying tendency of your system to grow nuisance algae.

2 great articles by Randy:

As a fan of macroalgae nutrient export (chaeto/refugium), I generally recommend that (or reactors/small scrubbers if space is limited). Alternatively, you could carbon dose +/- GFO, but I don't have experience with carbon dosing or GFO.

Good luck!
Yup, went with an algae scrubber and will leave chemipure in until numbers reduce a bit.
 
OP
OP
C

Cbones1979

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 15, 2018
Messages
1,457
Reaction score
406
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Patches of hair algae. Worst it’s been in the last month.
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    273.6 KB · Views: 14
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    224.6 KB · Views: 16
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    261.1 KB · Views: 13
OP
OP
C

Cbones1979

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 15, 2018
Messages
1,457
Reaction score
406
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
If you're having nuisance algae problems, I would focus on increasing nutrient export since it doesn't sound like you can feasibly reduce nutrient import (I don't rinse frozen foods; I think Randy did an analysis of phosphate in frozen foods and most were present in the food itself and therefore not removed by rinsing), and a better clean up crew doesn't solve the underlying tendency of your system to grow nuisance algae.

2 great articles by Randy:

As a fan of macroalgae nutrient export (chaeto/refugium), I generally recommend that (or reactors/small scrubbers if space is limited). Alternatively, you could carbon dose +/- GFO, but I don't have experience with carbon dosing or GFO.

Good luck!
If Hanna says .00 but algae growing in tank it can’t be right...correct?
 

Orm Embar

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 11, 2017
Messages
468
Reaction score
298
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
If Hanna says .00 but algae growing in tank it can’t be right...correct?
Both can be accurate; the nitrates/phosphates can be taken up by the nuisance algae so that your free water levels aren't elevated, but enough is still being produced to cause nuisance algae growth. Another way of putting it - you need to weight the ration of nutrient import (feeding/fish biomass) to export more towards the export end or less on the input end. Since underfeeding fish isn't a good long term strategy, unless you're going to catch fish and remove them (or stop overfeeding; I haven't found a clear guidelines on this besides only feed what your fish will eat in 30 seconds per day for a "standard" fish - there are numerous exceptions to this), increasing nutrient export is where I would focus. Good luck!
 
OP
OP
C

Cbones1979

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 15, 2018
Messages
1,457
Reaction score
406
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Both can be accurate; the nitrates/phosphates can be taken up by the nuisance algae so that your free water levels aren't elevated, but enough is still being produced to cause nuisance algae growth. Another way of putting it - you need to weight the ration of nutrient import (feeding/fish biomass) to export more towards the export end or less on the input end. Since underfeeding fish isn't a good long term strategy, unless you're going to catch fish and remove them (or stop overfeeding; I haven't found a clear guidelines on this besides only feed what your fish will eat in 30 seconds per day for a "standard" fish - there are numerous exceptions to this), increasing nutrient export is where I would focus. Good luck!
Thanks boss. Skimming and got algae scrubber running...may take a week or so
 

Orm Embar

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 11, 2017
Messages
468
Reaction score
298
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Thanks boss. Skimming and got algae scrubber running...may take a week or so
I would say that a scrubber and a skimmer should work well.

FYI, don't try to rush things. To quote/paraphrase Julian Sprung, "Bad things happen quickly. Good things happen slowly." Good luck!
 
OP
OP
C

Cbones1979

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 15, 2018
Messages
1,457
Reaction score
406
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I would say that a scrubber and a skimmer should work well.

FYI, don't try to rush things. To quote/paraphrase Julian Sprung, "Bad things happen quickly. Good things happen slowly." Good luck!
Yes, skimmer been rolling since beginning. Just need some scrubbing and I already pulled the chemipure just in case
 
OP
OP
C

Cbones1979

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 15, 2018
Messages
1,457
Reaction score
406
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Really annoying I just cleaned this stuff up and it’s back a day later.
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    156.1 KB · Views: 13

pochaxoo

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 9, 2020
Messages
160
Reaction score
159
Location
Canton, Georgia USA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Really annoying I just cleaned this stuff up and it’s back a day later.
I call mine Superman Princess Leigh Nuclear Green Medusa Hair Algae and tell all my visitors it is super rare and hard to find. They Oooo and ahhh and ask me for a few frags for their own aquarium. I can sell you some of mine for $100 a hair, GUARANTEED to not be DOA. Shipping is free.

But I do sympathize with you and am going to try a little Vibrant on mine to beat it back a bit.
 
OP
OP
C

Cbones1979

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 15, 2018
Messages
1,457
Reaction score
406
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I call mine Superman Princess Leigh Nuclear Green Medusa Hair Algae and tell all my visitors it is super rare and hard to find. They Oooo and ahhh and ask me for a few frags for their own aquarium. I can sell you some of mine for $100 a hair, GUARANTEED to not be DOA. Shipping is free.

But I do sympathize with you and am going to try a little Vibrant on mine to beat it back a bit.
If it was neon green I’d buy it haha. Just continuing the battle until tank matures and we see if this scrubber helps out
 
OP
OP
C

Cbones1979

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 15, 2018
Messages
1,457
Reaction score
406
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So phosphates appear to be at .00 w Hanna but algae growing all over in tank.
Scrubber and skimmer noting picking up anything so I’ll assume measurement is correct. Going to turn skimmer off to try to get scrubber going

image.jpg image.jpg image.jpg
 
OP
OP
C

Cbones1979

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 15, 2018
Messages
1,457
Reaction score
406
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Literally pulling patches daily from substrate and pulling from rock when it gets long enough.
Algae scrubber starting to turn color so hopefully I can start growing in there instead of dt. Skimmer barely pulling much so must be on the low side. Chemipure is partially in water just to scrub any weird chemicals that may have come off my hands.
4 month old tank...
 
OP
OP
C

Cbones1979

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 15, 2018
Messages
1,457
Reaction score
406
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Algae is as bad as ever. Skimmer not pulling any foam and nutrients at almost zeroes still. Going on month 5 and hoping tank maturity comes faster not slower. Algae long enough to pull with fingers but still hard to get to it in my tank.
Think my cleanup crew is undersized as well and since my pitho crabs have all died I noticed this sudden bloom
 
OP
OP
C

Cbones1979

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 15, 2018
Messages
1,457
Reaction score
406
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Nitrate almost 0
Phosphates .04

still algae growing daily. I ripped a bunch out the other day and it grows like weeds.
Algae scrubber starting to color up a tad...
image.jpg
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    169.4 KB · Views: 5
  • 8FF696EE-44B3-4363-A072-9F17590819A1.jpeg
    8FF696EE-44B3-4363-A072-9F17590819A1.jpeg
    91.1 KB · Views: 21

Gator_Reefer

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 25, 2019
Messages
106
Reaction score
89
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Nitrate almost 0
Phosphates .04

still algae growing daily. I ripped a bunch out the other day and it grows like weeds.
Algae scrubber starting to color up a tad...
image.jpg
Thoughts on impact from the scrubber thus far? Have been considering a drop in one for a while now for my 30.2 gal AIO....like to rely less on GFO.
 
OP
OP
C

Cbones1979

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 15, 2018
Messages
1,457
Reaction score
406
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Thoughts on impact from the scrubber thus far? Have been considering a drop in one for a while now for my 30.2 gal AIO....like to rely less on GFO.
Zero impact at this point. I’m told it is because my tank isn’t mature yet.
 

Gator_Reefer

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 25, 2019
Messages
106
Reaction score
89
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Interesting.....thanks. Wonder if it’d have the same result in my 1 yr old tank.

I would think if you had the nutrients to support nuisance algae in the display tank, growing it in a scrubber would be no different.

Interested to see if it eventually start growing something in the next couple of week.



Zero impact at this point. I’m told it is because my tank isn’t mature yet.
 

Algae invading algae: Have you had unwanted algae in your good macroalgae?

  • I regularly have unwanted algae in my macroalgae.

    Votes: 48 34.8%
  • I occasionally have unwanted algae in my macroalgae.

    Votes: 29 21.0%
  • I rarely have unwanted algae in my macroalgae.

    Votes: 11 8.0%
  • I never have unwanted algae in my macroalgae.

    Votes: 10 7.2%
  • I don’t have macroalgae.

    Votes: 36 26.1%
  • Other.

    Votes: 4 2.9%
Back
Top