Low nutrients and algae issues.

TJ Merrells

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 31, 2018
Messages
130
Reaction score
77
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Generally you read about people having high nutrients and algae issues but I'm having the opposite.

I have areas of cyano on my sand bed and what seems to be turf algae throughout my sand bed, short hairy algae, brownish in colour. Only on the sand bed, nothing on the rock. But none of it seems to be growing, just stays the same. I have a good CUC, multiple red banded trochus, emerald crabs and conches but they're not doing much.

My nutrients are currently 0 for nitrates and 0.03 for phosphates.

It's a 55g, skimmer rated for 120g and running a refugium that has marine pure spheres, block, and dragons breathe macro in it. 6 months old

I'm on well water and in the past I did have a cyano outbreak when I used rodi water that had a tds of 3. Ran chemi clean and dealt with that issue. Prior my nutrients were typically at 2-5 for nitrates and 0.02-0.03 for phosphates.

I've tried using microbacter7 to out compete the algae and cyano but I'm afraid it's also adding more denitrifying bacteria to my tank and my nutrients are already at 0 so it's cause my zoas to slowly melt away.

Can anyone provide me with some advice as to how I can raise my nutrients up, while also dealing with my algae issue?

Thx
 
OP
OP
T

TJ Merrells

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 31, 2018
Messages
130
Reaction score
77
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The algae may be using the nutrients before you can measure them.
Here's a thread that discusses gha control with h2o2
Thread 'Using hydrogen peroxide to kill GHA' https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/using-hydrogen-peroxide-to-kill-gha.764256/
I've had luck with this method.
Yes I agree that I'm getting readings of 0 because the algae is using up the nutrients. I'm wanting to know how I can get rid of the algae and raise my nutrients back up to save my zoas.

If I attempt to currently raise my nutrients, the algae will just use the excess and grow more.

And why did I get all this algae in the first place?
 

arking_mark

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 2, 2016
Messages
2,592
Reaction score
1,814
Location
Potomac
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
A little over 6 months old

Sounds like a normal phase a tank usually goes through.

I recommend:
1. Frequent physical removal of the algae
2. Hydrogen Peroxide dips for your rock/corals that have algae
3. Increase your CUC
4. Add macroalgae to outcompete nuisance algae
5. Look into adding some bacteria strains
 
OP
OP
T

TJ Merrells

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 31, 2018
Messages
130
Reaction score
77
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Sounds like a normal phase a tank usually goes through.

I recommend:
1. Frequent physical removal of the algae
2. Hydrogen Peroxide dips for your rock/corals that have algae
3. Increase your CUC
4. Add macroalgae to outcompete nuisance algae
5. Look into adding some bacteria strains
OK good to know thx. It doesn't seem as thought the algae is growing. It's just there but not getting better or worse.
1. I will suction what I can from the sand bed with a water change
2.there isn't any on any corals or rock. Just the sandbed so won't require peroxide.
3.i recently increased my CUC purchasing 6 more red banded trochus, 2 conches, 2 large nassarius and 2 red emerald crabs
4. I run dragons breathe macro in my fuge already.
5. I was dosing microbacter7 with every water change but recently stopped because I figured the denitrifying bacteria in it was also causing my nutrients to be 0.


If I just employ manual removal of the algae, start dosing microbacter7 again with water changes and let the algae run its course. How do you suggest I do about raising my nutrients? Considering I do have some but any nutrients I do have is being used up by the algae and macro in my system.

Thx
 
OP
OP
T

TJ Merrells

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 31, 2018
Messages
130
Reaction score
77
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hi
Is there any update?
I’m having the same issue :)
Recently removed my macro algae so only running marine pure and a skimmer in my sump and feeding twice a day. Frozen in the morning and dry food at night.

My nutrients are slowing going up. Phosphates are now 0.03 and nitrates are just barely able to test a trace amount.

My zoas health has improved drastically. I am still dealing with cyano on the sand bed and dosing mb7 to try to out compete.
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 68 37.8%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 59 32.8%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 25 13.9%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 28 15.6%
  • Other.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
Back
Top