Dose Nitrates For Algae

[willkolbrener]

I am new to saltwater tanks, my tank is about 3 months old. After cycling my tank the nitrates have consistently been around 0 to 1 ppm. I am starting to get green hair algae. My phosphates are currently at 0.2. Should I dose nitrates to help with the algae and to help lower my phosphates given that my tank has always had low to no nitrates?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

More nitrate will never reduce green algae, but it might prevent a worse possible problem, dinos.

 

[willkolbrener]

More nitrate will never reduce green algae, but it might prevent a worse possible problem, dinos.

Do you have any suggestions as to what to do?

 

[Fish Fan]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

#WelcometoR2R

Can you post a pic or two of your tank, which might help others to better help you?

In addition to manual removal, often adding more clean up crew members can help with hair algae issues.

Good luck!

 

[mook1178]

IMHO, your tank is way to new to worry about dosing. Let it go through the natural stages of a new tank, including pesky Dinos. Keep up with your water changes. Your tank needs biodiversity in the microbe biome more than anything when new. Get a pound of live rock from the LFS. IF they let you, get a pound from a display tank as well. Get some live rock from local reefers.

At 1 year and after adding as much diversity as you can, you are still battling algae and dinos, start dosing.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Do you have any suggestions as to what to do?

About what?

For the algae, I'd make sure the clean up crew is adequate for the task. Trying to control algae via nutrients often is a fail.

For the nitrate, I'd either feed more or dose N. I dose N as ammonium bicarbonate (daily) or sodium nitrate (when I want a sudden boost). Calcium nitrate is another fine choice.

 

[exnisstech]

Was it a dry rock start up? Some have great luck using all dry but it has always been a struggle for me because of nuisance algae. I'll no longer start a tank without some live rock the more the better.
I agree with @mook1178 and would let it run and see where levels end up naturally without intervention.

 

[willkolbrener]

Do you have any suggestions as to what to do?

I am new to saltwater tanks, my tank is about 3 months old. After cycling my tank the nitrates have consistently been around 0 to 1 ppm. I am starting to get green hair algae. My phosphates are currently at 0.2. Should I dose nitrates to help with the algae and to help lower my phosphates given that my tank has always had low to no nitrates?

I am new to saltwater tanks, my tank is about 3 months old. After cycling my tank the nitrates have consistently been around 0 to 1 ppm. I am starting to get green hair algae. My phosphates are currently at 0.2. Should I dose nitrates to help with the algae and to help lower my phosphates given that my tank has always had low to no nitrates?

Photo as reference

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Photo as reference

The picture looks to me like a case of wanting more clean up crew.