Help me save my digitata from algae

[Steamreefer]

Hey all. So I have a small digitata frag that was previously doing ok but now seems to be getting over taken by algae. Its the only frag in the tank with algae on it. Im guessing its turf algae since thats what I think I have on my rock work. Also pretty new to reefing FYI.

Its basically right in front of my power head thats on pulse mode.

 

[rayadog]

Is it right in front of powerhead or right below it line of sight wise?

 

[Steamreefer]

Its like 8 or 10 inches in front and maybe 3 inches to the side. Its a very wide flow pattern though.

Too much flow can cause this?

Also its about mid tank under a hydra 32

 

[Subsea]

If you can remove the frag from tank, give it a10 minute bath in a 10% solution of 3% peroxide.

 

[mcarroll]

If you're doing water testing, we'd be intereseted in seeing all the usual info: salinity, ca, alk, mg, no3, pop

 

[Steamreefer]

If you can remove the frag from tank, give it a10 minute bath in a 10% solution of 3% peroxide.

I commonly use peroxide in the dt to kill algae on rocks. Should I just squirt a little on it in the tank? I was worried this would hurt the coral.

 

[Steamreefer]

If you're doing water testing, we'd be intereseted in seeing all the usual info: salinity, ca, alk, mg, no3, pop

All other frags are doing great.

I check parameters about every 2 to 3 days as of a day or 2 ago
Salinity 1.026
Cal 450ish
Mag1350ish
Nitrate 5-10
Phos 15ppb

Tank is about 8 months old

 

[Steamreefer]

I just read a post suggesting to use a toothbrush to scrub the coral. I may try that and peroxide if you guys think thats ok

 

[mcarroll]

I commonly use peroxide in the dt to kill algae on rocks. Should I just squirt a little on it in the tank? I was worried this would hurt the coral.

It's already hurt and that's why there was room for these algae to settle on it.

It's not a big coral, so if you have some time try just manually plucking all the algae off (maybe using tweezers if it's hard to grab). When you feel like you've exhausted that option, if the algae still looks bad, then I say go for the peroxide spot treatment. (I've got a thread on it.)

But don't gloss over the underlying cause....often nutrient issues....usually too little. Possibilities. Whoa, this just in....

Phos 15ppb

Not ppm?

And do you mean phosphorous? Checked by this meter?

Saltwater Aquarium Ultra Low Range Phosphorus Colorimeter - Checker® HC

The HI736 Checker®HC (Handheld Colorimeter) provides a simple, accurate and cost effective way to measure phosphorus in marine systems.

hannainst.com

That requires conversion to phosophate and ppm...

https://knowledge.hannainst.com/hubfs/006-finished-content/Aquarium/phosphorus-to-phosphate-conversion-table--hanna-instruments.pdf

So 15 ppb phos translates to <5 ppm PO4. That's very low, and would spike critically low during (eg) water changes, coral growth spurts, or any other big demand events. I'd recommend reducing excess demand (eg excess filtration) and make sure you're feeding the fish well. If you do water changes, dose the new water so that the tank's no3 and po4 levels don't drop.

 

[Fish Fan]

In my opinion, keep the hydrogen peroxide out of your display tank. I don't agree with dosing hydrogen peroxide into display tanks, this is a newer freshwater trend that I think is also a bad idea in freshwater systems too.

Hydrogen peroxide is an indiscriminate oxidizer, it works on anything organic, which includes beneficial organisms, not just algae. There are much better ways to deal with algae in marine tanks rather than adding hydrogen peroxide

I agree that you can dip corals in a hydrogen peroxide bath, but unfortunately Acropora are on the lower end of the tolerance scale; I would use some caution here. I tend towards the guidelines from Justin Credible for dipping corals in hydrogen peroxide found here if you decide that a dip is prudent:

peroxide dipping guidelines

I used to reference a table created by Justin Credible that specified the amount of time you could dip a coral in a particular hydrogen peroxide solution organized by the various genera of coral. Unfortunately the link to that chart no longer works. Does anyone have a copy that they could post...

www.reef2reef.com

Best of luck!

 

[Steamreefer]

It's already hurt and that's why there was room for these algae to settle on it.

It's not a big coral, so if you have some time try just manually plucking all the algae off (maybe using tweezers if it's hard to grab). When you feel like you've exhausted that option, if the algae still looks bad, then I say go for the peroxide spot treatment. (I've got a thread on it.)

But don't gloss over the underlying cause....often nutrient issues....usually too little. Possibilities. Whoa, this just in....

Not ppm?

And do you mean phosphorous? Checked by this meter?

Saltwater Aquarium Ultra Low Range Phosphorus Colorimeter - Checker® HC

The HI736 Checker®HC (Handheld Colorimeter) provides a simple, accurate and cost effective way to measure phosphorus in marine systems.

hannainst.com

That requires conversion to phosophate and ppm...

https://knowledge.hannainst.com/hubfs/006-finished-content/Aquarium/phosphorus-to-phosphate-conversion-table--hanna-instruments.pdf

So 15 ppb phos translates to <5 ppm PO4. That's very low, and would spike critically low during (eg) water changes, coral growth spurts, or any other big demand events. I'd recommend reducing excess demand (eg excess filtration) and make sure you're feeding the fish well. If you do water changes, dose the new water so that the tank's no3 and po4 levels don't

Yes I have the ultra low range phosphorus kit. I thought ideal phosphate levels were .1ppm?

 

[Steamreefer]

In my opinion, keep the hydrogen peroxide out of your display tank. I don't agree with dosing hydrogen peroxide into display tanks, this is a newer freshwater trend that I think is also a bad idea in freshwater systems too.

Hydrogen peroxide is an indiscriminate oxidizer, it works on anything organic, which includes beneficial organisms, not just algae. There are much better ways to deal with algae in marine tanks rather than adding hydrogen peroxide

I agree that you can dip corals in a hydrogen peroxide bath, but unfortunately Acropora are on the lower end of the tolerance scale; I would use some caution here. I tend towards the guidelines from Justin Credible for dipping corals in hydrogen peroxide found here if you decide that a dip is prudent:

peroxide dipping guidelines

I used to reference a table created by Justin Credible that specified the amount of time you could dip a coral in a particular hydrogen peroxide solution organized by the various genera of coral. Unfortunately the link to that chart no longer works. Does anyone have a copy that they could post...

www.reef2reef.com

Best of luck!

Well before I read this I scrubbed a bit with a toothbrush and spot treated with h2o2 and ya its not looking good for this coral lol we'll see in the morning I guess.

 

[Fish Fan]

Yes I have the ultra low range phosphorus kit. I thought ideal phosphate levels were .1ppm?

Try these for target ranges. If nothing else, just skip to the summary at the bottom:

Article: Thoughts on Nutrient Target Ranges

Folks confused by all the different opinions on nutrient target ranges might want to check out this new article. I do not eliminate the confusion. I just give a detailed rundown of why it exists for logical reasons...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Steamreefer]

Try these for target ranges. If nothing else, just skip to the summary at the bottom:

Article: Thoughts on Nutrient Target Ranges

Folks confused by all the different opinions on nutrient target ranges might want to check out this new article. I do not eliminate the confusion. I just give a detailed rundown of why it exists for logical reasons...

www.reef2reef.com

Ill have a looksie.

Im not necessarily shooting for .1ppm but he said im under 5ppm and thats dangerously low? 200ppb is only 0.6ppm phosphate and thats as high as this test goes

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

How is the rest of the tank, is there algae anywhere else in the tank or its only on this one frag? How long has this frag been in your tank?

 

[Steamreefer]

How is the rest of the tank, is there algae anywhere else in the tank or its only on this one frag? How long has this frag been in your tank?

Rest of the frags are good, have what I think is turf algae on the rocks but rest of the tank is doing good. Frag is a few months old.