Help with algae

[PowChickaPowPow]

Hi, I'm dealing with different types of algae and not sure how to deal with it. I have a 15 gallon tank with two clowns and a tailspot blenny. Cleanup crew is 4 blue leg hermit crabs, 2 nassarius snails, 1
pink pincushion urchin, 2 bubble bee snails, 1 pithos crab, 7 cerith snails.

Another thread identified one type of algae as Ulva. I think I also have some green hair algae and maybe another type. Attached are some pictures with white light. I think it might be related to my phosphate levels. I'm slowly using GFO to bring that down targeting around 0.1. I am also thinking about trying NeoNitro as I haven't been able to maintain much Nitrate. I am using Hanna test kits for Nitrate, Phosphate, and Calcium. Salifert for Mag.

Any help would be much appreciated as I am a newer hobbiest. This is my first tank and it was started about 9 months ago. What would you recommend?
Thanks!

 

[JTP424]

I'd say manual removal for the Ulva and bubble algae. Based on those images it doesn't look like it's a "problem" per se....
Is it overtaking your tank?

 

[PowChickaPowPow]

Thanks, I'll try manually removing the ulva and bubble aglae during my water change in two days. No, nothing seems to be taking over the tank right now. The bubble algae is only in that one spot right now. The ulva is in a couple places.

Since it is my first reef tank I'm just trying to stay on top of things since I don't know how the different algaes play out over the long run.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Despite what your test result shows, you have algae because the water is nutrient rich. Dosing neonitro would be like feeding it IMO.

I agree its not a problem, but it can become a big problem pretty fast, so I would be fighting to control it. If the bubble algae is in that one spot, then I would pick it out, don't let it be, thats a nasty algae that can get out of control easily.

If its possible to pull the rocks out then you can apply hydrogen peroxide to the affected area's, this will kill the algae right away, especially the ulva and brown hair algae, but not so much the bubble algae.

Keep the feeding in check, basically be careful not to add more excess nutrients to the tank. In time you will ride it out.

 

[PowChickaPowPow]

Despite what your test result shows, you have algae because the water is nutrient rich. Dosing neonitro would be like feeding it IMO.

I agree its not a problem, but it can become a big problem pretty fast, so I would be fighting to control it. If the bubble algae is in that one spot, then I would pick it out, don't let it be, thats a nasty algae that can get out of control easily.

If its possible to pull the rocks out then you can apply hydrogen peroxide to the affected area's, this will kill the algae right away, especially the ulva and brown hair algae, but not so much the bubble algae.

Keep the feeding in check, basically be careful not to add more excess nutrients to the tank. In time you will ride it out.

Would you add more GFO to lower phosphate? I'll see if I can pick out the bubble algae today.

 

[JTP424]

Would you add more GFO to lower phosphate? I'll see if I can pick out the bubble algae today.

I think your phosphate is probably ok... but that's personal opinion :)

 

[PowChickaPowPow]

Despite what your test result shows, you have algae because the water is nutrient rich. Dosing neonitro would be like feeding it IMO.

I agree its not a problem, but it can become a big problem pretty fast, so I would be fighting to control it. If the bubble algae is in that one spot, then I would pick it out, don't let it be, thats a nasty algae that can get out of control easily.

If its possible to pull the rocks out then you can apply hydrogen peroxide to the affected area's, this will kill the algae right away, especially the ulva and brown hair algae, but not so much the bubble algae.

Keep the feeding in check, basically be careful not to add more excess nutrients to the tank. In time you will ride it out.

Forgive me but I'm circling back on this becuase I'm a bit confused. I'm not arguing but trying to deepen my understanding. You're saying my water is nutrient rich, but I don't quite follow. I understand that to mean Phosphate and Nitrate levels are high. Are you suggesting my testing results are incorrect or maybe other nutrients are high? Any clarity here would be helpful.

Someone else a while back told me I should dose Nitrate since I haven't been able to maintain >1ppm. This was before I was dealing with as much algae. Most of my corals look good, especially zoas and acan, so I'm hesitant to change to much right now.

On a different note, I was able to manually remove the bubble algae and most of the ulva so I'll keep an eye on those and continue manual removal. Pulling out the rocks isn't an easy option since it is my primary rockscape with corals attached.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Forgive me but I'm circling back on this becuase I'm a bit confused. I'm not arguing but trying to deepen my understanding. You're saying my water is nutrient rich, but I don't quite follow. I understand that to mean Phosphate and Nitrate levels are high. Are you suggesting my testing results are incorrect or maybe other nutrients are high? Any clarity here would be helpful.

Someone else a while back told me I should dose Nitrate since I haven't been able to maintain >1ppm. This was before I was dealing with as much algae. Most of my corals look good, especially zoas and acan, so I'm hesitant to change to much right now.

On a different note, I was able to manually remove the bubble algae and most of the ulva so I'll keep an eye on those and continue manual removal. Pulling out the rocks isn't an easy option since it is my primary rockscape with corals attached.

Algae needs nutrients to grow, so if you see it spreading and growing, then you have to believe your eyes over the test. Our tanks are always in a constant battle between good and bad bacteria. If at some point the algae tips the scale, then majority or all nutrients go to the algae. When it gets to that point , then dosing nutrients is like feeding the algae. You have to bring the tank back into balance before worrying about stabilizing the nutrients. Basically you can’t balance nutrients and fight algae at the same time. Know what I mean?