Nuisance algea help

[MLE]

My tank has been running since late March/early April and this is the first algae problem I've had. It started a few weeks ago and is getting worse despite my efforts to contain the outbreak. I have a hunch that it is related to the water I get from the pier at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography. I know they do some kind of filtration, but it is otherwise just water straight out of the Pacific. What is the best way to deal with this algea and what is it?

I have a 29 gallon tank with a10 ish gallon sump. Ammonia and nitrites are 0. Nitrates have always been a little high (around 10) but have dropped to below 5 since (and probably because of) the algea outbreak. I've been trying phosgaurd thinking phosphate could be high (I don't have a test) but I haven't seen any improvement. Ph is around 8. Alk 9.3, ca 410, and mg 1350. I'm running led lights. I do 5gallon water changes weekly. I have two clowns and I just added a lawnmower blennie. I also have 5 small lps frags and my clean up crew of various snails and blue legged hermits.

 

[reeferfoxx]

This is normal and will pass.

Stage 1: Ammonia Cycle

Ammonia is the first thing that forms when something rots. It is a waste product in nearly all creatures as well. Instead of using a fish to start the cycle just use some food. Anything that is all natural and uncooked works just fine. Table shrimp that is uncooked works great. Drop it on the sand so it is in view. The shrimp should begin to rot within a couple hours or more. Let this shrimp rot until it is completely gone. If you are curious what your ammonia levels are, go ahead and take some tests. Keep track of the results as the shrimp rots. The smaller the food gets the more ammonia should be present in your water column and pretty soon should be off the charts. This will stay high for a while, but then start to drop. As soon as the ammonia starts to drop you will see a rise in Nitrite, you are now on the next stage.

Stage 2: Nitrite Cycle

Ammonia when broken down by bacteria becomes Nitrite, which is still a toxin. As your Nitrites rise your Ammonia will drop, drop, and keep dropping as long as you haven’t added any animals. Keep up with testing to observe your progress. Eventually your Ammonia will be very low and your nitrites will peak out until it starts feeding a different type of bacteria that turns it into Nitrates. Once your first signs of Nitrates are seen you are on the next stage.

Stage 3: Nitrate Cycle

Nitrates are removed within the live rock deep inside in all of the deep pours. This hidden bacteria consumes the nitrate and creates nitrogen gas as a byproduct. The nitrogen gas rises in the water column and escapes into the air. When one gas leave, another enters. Oxygen is then infused into the water. After the Nitrates start to dissipate your oxygen will increase and you will be ready for the intermission:

Intermission:

You are not done yet! You may have cultivated a nice crop of groovy bacteria and your water may be clean as can be, but, there are still 3 more stages to the cycle process before you can start your stocking. Take this time to consume all of which you have already done. The next 3 stages often put fear into the eyes of many newcomers. These are perfectly natural and are partially a representation of how the earth became an oxygen rich planet. Before there was any oxygen breathing organisms, there was the evolution of Cyanobacteria. This is a photosynthetic bacteria that creates Oxygen as a byproduct. There are several colors, but the commonality is that it is like a slime. The Cyanobacteria spread over a vast area and the atmosphere became oxygen rich like we breath today, without the smog. Cyanobacteria is responsible for life as we know it. The same applies to the reef. Now that your mind has been blown you may move on to the next stage of the cycle.

Pre-Algae Cycle:

If your lights have not been setup yet do so now. Set your timers as you would for a reef tank. Anywhere from 6-12 hours is a good amount of time. Set the photoperiod to be on during the hours you will be viewing the tank most. If you work 2nd shift it is OK to have the lights come on after you get home from work or when you wake up in the morning. As long as there is not a supply of sunlight near the tank you wont have a long term battle with algae.

Stage 4: Diatoms

diatom algae image via reef2reef member Steven R

Diatoms are a brown dusty life form that consumes silicates. There is no avoiding Diatoms during their initial bloom. Leave it be. Let it go crazy. Before you know it, the brown stuff will soon start to change colors. Generally red, this is the start of the next stage!

Stage 5: Cyanobacteria

cyanobacteria image via reef2reef member murfman

Cyanobacteria will now begin its course. Again you will let the slime just do its thing. This will be the nastiest of the stages. Cyanobacteria can gross some people out, especially if they catch a whiff of it. It is best to leave it be. It will start to clear up eventually. The clearing of the slime makes way for yet another stage.

Stage 6: Green/Brown algae

hair algae image via reef2reef member johnmaloney

If you have made it this far, give yourself a round of applause. This is the final “battle” of the cycle process. When the slime is gone you will see your first signs of plant life, algae! Green Hair algae is usually the type that you see, but some other types have been known to occur. This stuff will grow like mad. At this point you are ready to move on to the next phase.

The cycle is a long process in terms of hobbies. Find yourself a good rhythm for testing. Get yourself in the habit of staring for long periods of time. Practice observation by watching as life forms start taking foot in the aquarium. You will see things from dust sized particles to worms that reach a foot long. There really is no telling what could form in your tank. This is a great time to prepare for the animals you will get. Knowing how to describe things and being able to correctly test the water will help you get the information you need. Your parameters are perfect now. You are now ready to move on to the next section. You should actually study the next section during your cycle, since you will have quite a bit of time on your hands with all that waiting.

Cycles can be artificially induced, but it is always preferred to use as little foreign liquids as possible. Another thing you can do during the cycle is preparing your clean up crew and first fish, but be prepared to keep them quarantined for a prolonged time since the cycle is unpredictable.

Reference: http://www.reefedition.com/291/

 

[MLE]

That is a great article, thanks! I've had this tank established for 6 months and used the filter media from its previous owner to help start the nitrogen cycle. I've been waiting out this algae outbreak for about a month now. Is that normal? I also never had a problem with cynobacteria.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Im in SD too. The gha is from either the rock or the previous owner.
The brown funk on the glass, thats the scripps.:D The water hasnt been this warm in years. and yes there probably is a higher nutrient level in the water too. part of the trade off. a lot of us have it right now.

I also never had a problem with cynobacteria.

SD skp cycle;) we have a larger population of natural bacteria in our waters here. the regular stuff doesn't stand a chance.

What is the best way to deal with this alge

Scrub.
and cuc.

edit. the GHA is eating up a lot of nutrients. its actually keeping the other stuff out.

 

[MLE]

That makes sense! Thanks! I've been reading mixed opinions on water changes and dealing with algae (I'm starting to also get some brown stuff on the sand). Some people seem to think they [water changes] add nutrients for the algae, others say they remove the nutrients the algae needs to survive. I'm not running a skimmer, so I've always felt that my weekly water changes are a must. Is there any benefit to not doing the water changes? I also added a turbo snail and he always ends up in the same spot for days without moving. I'll put him in a different spot and he just goes back to the same corner. Is that weird?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Some people seem to think they [water changes] add nutrients for the algae,

some people like me are nut. But some algaes esp diatoms and dinos and cyanos feed on the increased minerals, not nutrients. the po in a salt mix is not the same po we use.

At my house were on a mixed salt diet. The Scripps water is actually high in nutrients and IMO has a bit of algae in it as this year the water was very warm.

I'll put him in a different spot and he just goes back to the same corner. Is that weird?

yes and no. What isn't weird. all my cic seem to have preferences.

Is there any benefit to not doing the water changes?

only if you no and po tests low. IMO

I'm not running a skimmer,

you will so love a hob fuge.

 

[DanConnor]

Check the turbos location at night- he might be just returning to that spot to sleep in the day.

Even the most pristine ocean in the reef would be covered in algae without herbivores. If you have actual hair algae, the only really worthwhile ones are urchins and mexican turbos. Most everything else only eats short algae. Also bare rock is vulnerable because the algae can draw the nutrients right out of the rock, even if the water is perfect.

I was having a problem with a golden hair algae outbreak on my 6 month old 200. Only on the dead and marco rock. The live rock that was protected with coraline was untouched. I had a variety of snails but they didn't do much. Put in 2 urchins and 10 turbos and 2 weeks later the algae is almost completely gone.

 

[DanConnor]

I meant most pristine reef in the ocean. :)