I left my tank alone for 1 week and it looks like this!!!

[Randallh99]

15 isn’t super high. Then again your nitrates May be testing lower due to the algae..

 

[Fishko]

You’re going to get the same advice as last time. I would get more cuc members. You can buy a pack at reef cleaners for a great price

Reef Cleaners - Clean up Crews and Macroalgae

We specialize in algae eating invertebrates, natural filtration, and algae solutions for saltwater aquariums.

www.reefcleaners.org

John is the plug His cuc package worked so well. Only regret is not acclimating the florida cerith separately, they sadly all got wiped out by my cleaner shrimp

 

[ZoWhat]

You have yet to discuss what was going on with the tank while you were gone...

Anyone overseeing the tank?
What did they do?

I was gone for 15days, 800miles away on vacation but had an Apex I looked at 3x a day and a Sister in Law who had specific feeding instructions with premeasured food. Came home with tank in the same state as when I left it.


.

 

[Kris 2020]

All Algae Crew (30 Gallon)

Shipped for free via Priority Mail you will get: 26 Dwarf Ceriths - these smaller Cerith snails range in size from a half and inch to almost 1'', but are slender. Their tiny size allows them to...

www.reefcleaners.org

If you look at this, it shows what you SHOULD have for a cleanup crew in a 30 gallon tank. They ship free. Everyone is trying to be helpful and point you in this direction. This is not an emergency, its someone who doesn't want to listen after multiple posts about algae.

 

[Luckyduck]

Yes I just tested 15 ppm nitrate is that too much? Because I thought that was okay.

Meh, it's not terrible but a little high. Usually wanna keep it under 10ppm. 5 is target. What about Phosphates. When I first started reefing 18 years ago I never checked phosphates. Not up until recently did I realize the importance of checking phosphates. Phosphates are one of the major contributors to algae growth as it's a pollutant just like nitrate s. You do however need a small amount of phosphates just like nitrate. 0.05 ppm is a target number for phosphates. I'm willing to guess your phosphates are probably pretty high and that's why you're experiencing the algae bloom. What kind of water do you use for water changes and top offs? RODI?

 

[Luckyduck]

You have yet to discuss what was going on with the tank while you were gone...

Anyone overseeing the tank?
What did they do?

I was gone for 15days, 800miles away on vacation but had an Apex I looked at 3x a day and a Sister in Law who had specific feeding instructions with premeasured food. Came home with tank in the same state as when I left it.


.

Same here. Was on vacation for a week 500 miles away and had my father dosing a list of chemicals every other day and feeding my corals as well as my neighbor feeding my fish daily. And when I got home I still had a little extra algae, did a 20% water change, dosed some Phosphat-E and everything is fine again. Point being you can't leave without having someone take care of your tank if you didn't do so.

 

[Sleeping Giant]

Can never go wrong with a big CUC......that's what she said, lol

 

[JACKS REEF]

Meh, it's not terrible but a little high. Usually wanna keep it under 10ppm. 5 is target. What about Phosphates. When I first started reefing 18 years ago I never checked phosphates. Not up until recently did I realize the importance of checking phosphates. Phosphates are one of the major contributors to algae growth as it's a pollutant just like nitrate s. You do however need a small amount of phosphates just like nitrate. 0.05 ppm is a target number for phosphates. I'm willing to guess your phosphates are probably pretty high and that's why you're experiencing the algae bloom. What kind of water do you use for water changes and top offs? RODI?

I use RODI water and my phosphates are 0.05

 

[Luckyduck]

I use RODI water and my phosphates are 0.05

Well your algae has got to be coming from somewhere. If it's not your Nitrates and not your phosphates, not your light and not your rock leaching or your RODI water there's not many more places it can be coming from. Do an ICP test to double check your test results. Everything I've suggested you insist it's not so I don't know what to tell you at this point besides get a clean up crew. You need to get to the bottom of the issue though or you will never solve the problem.

 

[JACKS REEF]

You have yet to discuss what was going on with the tank while you were gone...

Anyone overseeing the tank?
What did they do?

I was gone for 15days, 800miles away on vacation but had an Apex I looked at 3x a day and a Sister in Law who had specific feeding instructions with premeasured food. Came home with tank in the same state as when I left it.


.

I don’t have an apex but Somone came over to feed here is the thing I have had alage for a long time since I got the tank so it’s not really because of me being away

 

[JACKS REEF]

Well your algae has got to be coming from somewhere. If it's not your Nitrates and not your phosphates, not your light and not your rock leaching or your RODI water there's not many more places it can be coming from. Do an ICP test to double check your test results. Everything I've suggested you insist it's not so I don't know what to tell you at this point besides get a clean up crew. You need to get to the bottom of the issue though or you will never solve the problem.

Well I did add a piece of live rock from my other tank into this tank that had some cyano on it but I wiped it off and added it it right into my tank could that be the problem

 

[JACKS REEF]

Well I did add a piece of live rock from my other tank into this tank that had some cyano on it but I wiped it off and added it it right into my tank could that be the problem

Also the tank is very cloudy

 

[Luckyduck]

So then the algae didn't just show up when you came back??

Again this sounds like an ongoing issue. Cloudy water is usually caused by Dinos. If you're running carbon like you say that should help with the cloudiness. I'm very surprised you say your phosphates are measuring 0.05. What do you use to test your phosphates? And have you actually tested your RODI water? For the 5th time I would do an ICP test with your tank water and RODI water and post the results so we can help you if you're willing to listen.

 

[JACKS REEF]

So then the algae didn't just show up when you came back??

Again this sounds like an ongoing issue. Cloudy water is usually caused by Dinos. If you're running carbon like you say that should help with the cloudiness. I'm very surprised you say your phosphates are measuring 0.05. What do you use to test your phosphates? And have you actually tested your RODI water? For the 5th time I would do an ICP test with your tank water and RODI water and post the results so we can help you if you're willing to listen.

Yes I am willing to listen I have listed everything out for you. I have my Lfs store test my nutrients and I will do an ice test just not now because I can’t afford it

 

[Luckyduck]

Yes I am willing to listen I have listed everything out for you. I have my Lfs store test my nutrients and I will do an ice test just not now because I can’t afford it

Im happy to help you out if I can. I'm not saying that I know everything cuz i certainly do not but I have been keeping reef tank for over a dozen years so I have learned a lot. Let me know what your LFS says about your phosphates again and nitrates as well. As soon as you can afford the $30 definitely do an ICP test. Test both the ta k water and your RODI water. You could be getting silicates somewhere in there as well which is only compounding your problem. I would look into some different lighting schedules as well. Something with far less White, Green & Red and those are almost a complete waste, corals don't need those spectrums in the levels that most programs have them running and they will only promote algae growth. And I would absolutely get yourself 2-3 Nerrite snails 2-3 Nessarius snails maybe a few Mexican turbos and even a queen conch. That mix of snails will also help to keep the aglae you have down. Next time you do a water change use a tooth brush and scrape the algae off your rocks but MAKE SURE YOU SUCK IT UP. Releasing it into the tank will only raise your nitrates and phosphates even more. Freshen up your carbon too (replace with new).