Need suggestions on how to get rid of alage.

[Aidanwolf]

Hello, I have this alage that wont go away. I use rodi water for water changes and the water parameters in the tank are close to 0 phosphates but it grows like crazy. It has grown on and killed most of my corals

 

[Reefing Madness]

 

[Reefing Madness]

Can't believe no one has any ideas on this stuff.
But, I can't really tell what you have there.
Do you have a TDS reading from the water your using?

 

[Aidanwolf]

Can't believe no one has any ideas on this stuff.
But, I can't really tell what you have there.
Do you have a TDS reading from the water your using?

They are at 0.

 

[lilgrounchuck]

Have you tried h2o2? If you have rocks you can remove, take them out, scrub off as much as you can, then let sit in h2o2 for a bit to kill off the remaining algae. If you can’t remove the rocks, put it in a syringe (work off the 1ml/gal ratio), turn off all flow, and squirt it right on the algae. You’ll see it start to bubble almost immediately. Turn the pumps back on after 10 mins or so. You’ll see the algae start turning white and dying off. Remove as much from the tank as you can to keep nutrients from rising as the algae dies off.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I recommend :
Reduce white lights for about 5 days and try liquid Vibrant. I have 100% luck with Vibrant. Lawnmower or arc eye blenny also helpful

 

[Aidanwolf]

Have you tried h2o2? If you have rocks you can remove, take them out, scrub off as much as you can, then let sit in h2o2 for a bit to kill off the remaining algae. If you can’t remove the rocks, put it in a syringe (work off the 1ml/gal ratio), turn off all flow, and squirt it right on the algae. You’ll see it start to bubble almost immediately. Turn the pumps back on after 10 mins or so. You’ll see the algae start turning white and dying off. Remove as much from the tank as you can to keep nutrients from rising as the algae dies off.

There are a couple of living corals still glued to the rock, so I can't take out the rocks. With the amount of alage there is the h202 method good enough? I usually am able to remove most of it by scrubbing the rocks but it just comes back within a week. Which is weird because my glass is always clean.

 

[Aidanwolf]

I recommend :
Reduce white lights for about 5 days and try liquid Vibrant. I have 100% luck with Vibrant. Lawnmower or arc eye blenny also helpful

I do need to get an alage eater. Would the Vibrant kill the chaeto thats in the refugeum?

 

[lilgrounchuck]

I did it with the syringe and it worked for me. A few corals closed for about an hour or so, but opened back up just fine.

 

[Aidanwolf]

I did it with the syringe and it worked for me. A few corals closed for about an hour or so, but opened back up just fine.

Alright I will look into that.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I do need to get an alage eater. Would the Vibrant kill the chaeto thats in the refugeum?

Vibrant Can affect chaeto. I would place Chaeto in a bucket temporarily OR add iron to chaeto

 

[Leslie Tabor]

What test kits are you using? With that much algae, it has to have something to be feeding on. I find it odd that your parameters are all at zero. Maybe get it tested at your LFS or get a new test get to get a second opinion?

Clean up crews or fish might help, but if you don't figure out the underlying cause, it will keep coming back.

 

[Aidanwolf]

What test kits are you using? With that much algae, it has to have something to be feeding on. I find it odd that your parameters are all at zero. Maybe get it tested at your LFS or get a new test get to get a second opinion?

Clean up crews or fish might help, but if you don't figure out the underlying cause, it will keep coming back.

I'am using Api test kits for phosphates and nitrates, that's why I said it was close to 0 not exactly 0.

 

[Leslie Tabor]

I'am using Api test kits for phosphates and nitrates, that's why I said it was close to 0 not exactly 0.

Yeah, I don't know which kits are the "best", it was just a thought. It is just so strange to me that algae would be that bad with those parameters. I know the chemical fixes always sound like the easy way out but I think relying on them causes a lot of frustration when problems keep happening.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Yeah, I don't know which kits are the "best", it was just a thought. It is just so strange to me that algae would be that bad with those parameters. I know the chemical fixes always sound like the easy way out but I think relying on them causes a lot of frustration when problems keep happening.

If youre using API kits, I would suggest to take a water sample to trusted LFS and have them test your water and verify the accuracy of your test readings.

 

[Aidanwolf]

If youre using API kits, I would suggest to take a water sample to trusted LFS and have them test your water and verify the accuracy of your test readings.

I have Salifert test kits for everything but nitrates and phosphates.The closest LFS that is 30 minuets away only has Api kits lol. Is the Api test kits so bad that they can't give an close enough result?

 

[Kzang]

I do need to get an alage eater. Would the Vibrant kill the chaeto thats in the refugeum?

Vibrant 100% kills chaeto

 

[Kzang]

I'am using Api test kits for phosphates and nitrates, that's why I said it was close to 0 not exactly 0.

With that much algae, they are sucking up the nitrate and phosphate as it grows. You will have low levels whlith that much algae. It's like you whole tank is a refugium exporting nutrients, ya just can't take it out as easily like with chaeto

 

[Aidanwolf]

Vibrant 100% kills chaeto

That's what I was thinking.

 

[ScottB]

Even with a good test kit (Red Sea for nitrate, Hanna ULR for phosphate) I would not be surprised with low readings. The algae (or whatever that is) is taking it up.

Anybody else thinking this might NOT be algae but chrysophytes instead? What color is it? Green, brown, red or gold?