I don’t even know what to do at this point...

[Sleeping Giant]

Get a bunch of turbo snails, a tuxedo urchin, emerald crabs. Pick out the biggest parts manually on a daily or bi-daily.
Maybe get a canister filter instead of a HOB type, which I did 6 years ago, just to increase water volume and allow you to set it up with similar filtration your using on the HOB, I try to think of it as a small sump..but with a little more maintenance. I use a HOB skimmer from AquaMaxx, it's amazing.

 

[Casket_Case]

Get a bunch of turbo snails, a tuxedo urchin, emerald crabs. Pick out the biggest parts manually on a daily or bi-daily.
Maybe get a canister filter instead of a HOB type, which I did 6 years ago, just to increase water volume and allow you to set it up with similar filtration your using on the HOB, I try to think of it as a small sump..but with a little more maintenance. I use a HOB skimmer from AquaMaxx, it's amazing.

Thanks so much!! I’ll definitely start looking at Canister Filters

 

[Sleeping Giant]

The pellet food could also be a source of algae, maybe try frozen and/or flakes

 

[Casket_Case]

The pellet food could also be a source of algae, maybe try frozen and/or flakes

Oh, I didn’t know pellets were that bad. I thought shrimp was worse. Are there any foods you recommend I try feeding?

 

[AlgaeBarn]

Hi! I've had that same issue before. Find the source of your problem and try to correct it. To take care of the current algae I would try a tuxedo urchin, they will strip that right off! ~Shaun K.

 

[Casket_Case]

Hi! I've had that same issue before. Find the source of your problem and try to correct it. To take care of the current algae I would try a tuxedo urchin, they will strip that right off! ~Shaun K.

Thanks!!

 

[snowhite]

Eliminate excess nutrients... brush and vaccuum, brush and vaccuum, brush and vaccuum, brush and vaccuum, brush and vaccuum, brush and vaccuum,

 

[Thespammailaccount]

It was... is there anyway I can lessen this algae growth?

I would put the sump back online if possible and light the sump and turn down the white green and red if possible in the display. In the meantime you can vacuum the algae off the sand and add a few margarita or turbo snails

 

[Casket_Case]

I would put the sump back online if possible and light the sump and turn down the white green and red if possible in the display. In the meantime you can vacuum the algae off the sand and add a few margarita or turbo snails

I loved having the sump but it was too much, I was using powerheads to return water to the display and had to adjust water flowing down with a ball valve. It would consistently wake me up in the Night and I’d have to mess with it to adjust it back which typically took about an hour. There also was the risk of suction being lost and the Display overflowing. I’d also have to adjust with water level or whenever the skimmer was on. Sumps are great... but there was too many cons and risks for me with having a non-drilled tank. I’ll definitely look at HOB sumps, canister filters, and urchins/snails.

 

[Sump Crab]

Hey man, Are you using RODI water? Its hard to believe how much bad advice is given on this site. First thing you need to do is test your water for nitrate. If its crazy high then you have a overstocking/overfeeding problem that your corals and water changes are not keeping up with. If you have high nitrates start with some nice big water changes over the next month and limit your feeding to like 3 days a week to starve the algae. Contrary to some ppls opinion fish do not need to eat every day, besides they graze in the tank anyway. How long are you running your lights? Try to keep light to 8 hours a day. Back to RODI water, if you are not using this then you need to switch immediately. RODI will help you maintain water that algae wont thrive in. Don't bother with more CUC as that will just add more nutrients to the system which will grow more algae. If you add anything it should be more coral to help absorb some of the nitrates. Your tank looks on the newer side so water changes will be very important for you until your reef finds its natural balance. You will find that an old, mature reef needs very few if any water changes to maintain a nice, algae free display. Good luck and don't become too discouraged as anyone who has been in this hobby for as long as I have (15 years) has gone through this too.

 

[Casket_Case]

Hey man, Are you using RODI water? Its hard to believe how much bad advice is given on this site. First thing you need to do is test your water for nitrate. If its crazy high then you have a overstocking/overfeeding problem that your corals and water changes are not keeping up with. If you have high nitrates start with some nice big water changes over the next month and limit your feeding to like 3 days a week to starve the algae. Contrary to some ppls opinion fish do not need to eat every day, besides they graze in the tank anyway. How long are you running your lights? Try to keep light to 8 hours a day. Back to RODI water, if you are not using this then you need to switch immediately. RODI will help you maintain water that algae wont thrive in. Don't bother with more CUC as that will just add more nutrients to the system which will grow more algae. If you add anything it should be more coral to help absorb some of the nitrates. Your tank looks on the newer side so water changes will be very important for you until your reef finds its natural balance. You will find that an old, mature reef needs very few if any water changes to maintain a nice, algae free display. Good luck and don't become too discouraged as anyone who has been in this hobby for as long as I have (15 years) has gone through this too.

Thank you so much! Yeah I try to pick up RODI water every time I’m at my LFS since I don’t have an RODI system. I’m gonna go soon and get more RODI to help with algae and eventually get an RODI system.
ATM I’m also running a HOB skimmer to help with algae too. (It took a while to get running since I had to end up DIYing a couple things to rid the bubbles in the display since I have lots of Gorgonians)
I’m just trying to decide whether I should go with an RODI system or a Canister Filter... it’s either one or the other since I’m on a budget

 

[Sump Crab]

RODI system, skip the canister. I would dump the HOB also. Keep the HOB to run carbon if ever need be. The biological filtration in your reef is done by the bacteria in your rocks so the filter is not needed for that. Your CUC will help prevent detritus build up and the rest can be removed via small siphon tube during water changes. Concentrate on using 100% RODI water in your reef for all SW water changes and for FW top off. Go heavy on these water changes and manually remove hair algae with fingers until it quits growing.

 

[Sump Crab]

Also, out of curiosity, what type of sand do you have? It almost looks like play sand from home depot...

 

[LeadHead83]

My tank was almost as bad as that

Spend some time to remove what you can using a hose pipe pinch off the rocks and suck it right up not leaving any in the tank and then try a three day black out cover tank in dark towels to prevent any light getting to tank and leave it for 3 days and when i uncovered it most of it was dead just little bit my clean up crew will deal with.

Also when you uncover the tank lower the light intensity by 50% if you can and adjust photo period to about 8 hours no more and you should be able to sort it

Don't expect it to go over night and keep up removing it when you can by hand and don't leave it to float about the tank get it out of the water before it can break down and release more Nitrites and phosphates

 

[Casket_Case]

Also, out of curiosity, what type of sand do you have? It almost looks like play sand from home depot...

It’s natural sand, I got it from a place near the coastal plain of Georgia, it’s called the ‘Providence Layer’ and was the sand of beaches about 67 to 70 million years ago in the Cretaceous period. It’s formed from quartz and koalin clay. I washed and soaked it thoroughly until the water ran clear... that removed the koalin clay and as much silica as possible. (If you didn’t know quartz is composed of Silica and Oxygen (SiO2) or Silica Dioxide) I experienced some diatom bloom but it died out in a week or two.

 

[Perthegallon]

I had a huge issue with this were I couldn’t see a inchi in my 45 gallon tank I bought 4 urchins and got a refgium Boom taken care of

 

[Casket_Case]

I had a huge issue with this were I couldn’t see a inchi in my 45 gallon tank I bought 4 urchins and got a refgium Boom taken care of

I’d definitely get a refugium but since my tank isn’t drilled it’s kinda difficult XD

 

[Lowell Lemon]

Vibrant is a good option.

 

[Casket_Case]

Does anyone know where you can get cheap easy Macroalgae? I’m looking for Sargassum specifically but I’d like to get something to help compete hair algae once I get it taken care of.

 

[LeadHead83]

I’d definitely get a refugium but since my tank isn’t drilled it’s kinder difficult XD

have you thought about a hang on refugium

Does anyone know where you can get cheap easy Macroalgae? I’m looking for Sargassum specifically but I’d like to get something to help compete hair algae once I get it taken care of.

I would look at other method of control if cannot have a refugium. Lower light hours and more water changes and less food going in the tank. maybe consider a skimmer upgrade if its not cutting it. There are more then one way to skin a cat.