Phosphate and Green Algae control

[Lisa Cain]

Months ago I had a problem with green algae. I used 12% hydrogen peroxide on the rocks, added phosguard, and performed weekly water changes. It worked the green algae died and went away. My water parameters are okay and the store where I take my water to be tested stated that the phosphate levels were okay. I now notice that green is coming back on the rocks which mean the green algae may be trying to come back. My first question is why is it coming back if my water parameters are wonderful and what can I do to stop it? I do not want to add peroxide to the water in the aquarium because I do not want to harm my corals. What shoulld I do?

 

[Thade_hicks]

Pictures?

 

[Pod_01]

Months ago I had a problem with green algae. I used 12% hydrogen peroxide on the rocks, added phosguard, and performed weekly water changes. It worked the green algae died and went away. My water parameters are okay and the store where I take my water to be tested stated that the phosphate levels were okay. I now notice that green is coming back on the rocks which mean the green algae may be trying to come back. My first question is why is it coming back if my water parameters are wonderful and what can I do to stop it? I do not want to add peroxide to the water in the aquarium because I do not want to harm my corals. What shoulld I do?

Think of it this way, your aquarium is like a farmers field. You prep it you have the rock just like farmers has a field but if you don’t have coral mass, well algae will grow there just like weeds will grow on perfect farmers field that has no crop.
Your perfect water parameters are perfect for corals and they are also perfect for algae.
If you don’t want to grow algae you need to outcompete them with corals.
Best bet is to get some fast growing corals that you can remove later to replace with the ones you want. For example Zoa’s are good, devil hand coral as well. Green star polyp are good but can become pests. There are others…

Hope that helps and good luck,

Also maybe stating your wonderful water parameters can help as well.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Wonderful water parameters do not prevent algae growth.

 

[Thade_hicks]

Wonderful water parameters do not prevent algae growth.

Agreed, they promote it.

 

[jda]

The algae does not need phosphate to get phosphorous. If you have conditions where corals can live, so can algae. You have to have rocks with a diverse bunch of things living on them already so that algae cannot take hold as well, and then you also need something to consume the algae.

 

[Dan_P]

Months ago I had a problem with green algae. I used 12% hydrogen peroxide on the rocks, added phosguard, and performed weekly water changes. It worked the green algae died and went away. My water parameters are okay and the store where I take my water to be tested stated that the phosphate levels were okay. I now notice that green is coming back on the rocks which mean the green algae may be trying to come back. My first question is why is it coming back if my water parameters are wonderful and what can I do to stop it? I do not want to add peroxide to the water in the aquarium because I do not want to harm my corals. What shoulld I do?

Water parameters are only weakly correlated with algae growth.

 

[Lisa Cain]

Thanks everyone for your help:
Parameters
Salinity = 1.024
Phospate = .25
dkh = 11 She was trying to calculate this for some reason
calcium = 440ppm
Ammonia = 0ppm
Nitrate =10ppm
Nitrite=Oppm

Y0u can see the green on the rocks. I am going to do a water change and put in Chemipure. The thing that is baffling me this evening is that my beautiful pink anthias has disappeared. It was wonderful yesterday. I just fed the fish and I can not find it anywhere. I looked all round the tank and in the filters and nothing I hope that it is just hiding.

 

[Lisa Cain]

Water parameters are only weakly correlated with algae growth.

Thanks everyone for your help:
Parameters
Salinity = 1.024
Phospate = .25
dkh = 11 She was trying to calculate this for some reason
calcium = 440ppm
Ammonia = 0ppm
Nitrate =10ppm
Nitrite=Oppm

Y0u can see the green on the rocks. I am going to do a water change and put in Chemipure. The thing that is baffling me this evening is that my beautiful pink anthias has disappeared. It was wonderful yesterday. I just fed the fish and I can not find it anywhere. I looked all round the tank and in the filters and nothing I hope that it is just hiding.

 

[Lisa Cain]

Pictures?

Thanks everyone for your help:
Parameters
Salinity = 1.024
Phospate = .25
dkh = 11 She was trying to calculate this for some reason
calcium = 440ppm
Ammonia = 0ppm
Nitrate =10ppm
Nitrite=Oppm

Y0u can see the green on the rocks. I am going to do a water change and put in Chemipure. The thing that is baffling me this evening is that my beautiful pink anthias has disappeared. It was wonderful yesterday. I just fed the fish and I can not find it anywhere. I looked all round the tank and in the filters and nothing I hope that it is just hiding.

 

[Lisa Cain]

The algae does not need phosphate to get phosphorous. If you have conditions where corals can live, so can algae. You have to have rocks with a diverse bunch of things living on them already so that algae cannot take hold as well, and then you also need something to consume the algae.

Thanks everyone for your help:
Parameters
Salinity = 1.024
Phospate = .25
dkh = 11 She was trying to calculate this for some reason
calcium = 440ppm
Ammonia = 0ppm
Nitrate =10ppm
Nitrite=Oppm

Y0u can see the green on the rocks. I am going to do a water change and put in Chemipure. The thing that is baffling me this evening is that my beautiful pink anthias has disappeared. It was wonderful yesterday. I just fed the fish and I can not find it anywhere. I looked all round the tank and in the filters and nothing I hope that it is just hiding.

 

[Lisa Cain]

Pictures?

Thanks everyone for your help:
Parameters
Salinity = 1.024
Phospate = .25
dkh = 11 She was trying to calculate this for some reason
calcium = 440ppm
Ammonia = 0ppm
Nitrate =10ppm
Nitrite=Oppm

Y0u can see the green on the rocks. I am going to do a water change and put in Chemipure. The thing that is baffling me this evening is that my beautiful pink anthias has disappeared. It was wonderful yesterday. I just fed the fish and I can not find it anywhere. I looked all round the tank and in the filters and nothing I hope that it is just hiding.

Pictures?

 

[Thade_hicks]

Thanks everyone for your help:
Parameters
Salinity = 1.024
Phospate = .25
dkh = 11 She was trying to calculate this for some reason
calcium = 440ppm
Ammonia = 0ppm
Nitrate =10ppm
Nitrite=Oppm

Y0u can see the green on the rocks. I am going to do a water change and put in Chemipure. The thing that is baffling me this evening is that my beautiful pink anthias has disappeared. It was wonderful yesterday. I just fed the fish and I can not find it anywhere. I looked all round the tank and in the filters and nothing I hope that it is just hiding.

Just put more CUC tank looks good.

 

[Lisa Cain]

Just put more CUC tank looks good.

Thanks what is CUC

 

[Sebastiancrab]

Thanks what is CUC

Clean up crew is snails, emerald crab etc.

Be careful adding so many Chemicals! It will potentially kill your corals.

 

[Lisa Cain]

Just put more CUC tank looks good.

Have you ever used Purple up by Carib Sea?

Clean up crew is snails, emerald crab etc.

Be careful adding so many Chemicals! It will potentially kill your corals.

Thanks, I will get more cleanup crew tomorrow. I was thinking about that when I was cleaning my tank. Feeling down about my beautiful anthias. I hope my lunar wrasse did not chase it during the day.

 

[Thade_hicks]

Have you ever used Purple up by Carib Sea?

Thanks, I will get more cleanup crew tomorrow. I was thinking about that when I was cleaning my tank. Feeling down about my beautiful anthias. I hope my lunar wrasse did not chase it during the day.

How new are you to this hobby?

 

[Lisa Cain]

How new are you to this hobby?

I have been it it for a few years but not as experienced as others. For example I should have never brought the Lunar Wrasse. I have had success with my tanks before but I have gone thorough a lot of changes. I had a 32 biocube that was beautiful but transferred everything to a cheap 95 gallon tank and had a hard time. The tank I have now is wonderful, however when I took my eyes off of it due to I had to go out of town to see about my mother who was sick, algae took over. I finally go *** in control and I am trying to keep it in control and make the tank beautiful. I love corals and exotic fish.

 

[Lisa Cain]

Clean up crew is snails, emerald crab etc.

Be careful adding so many Chemicals! It will potentially kill your corals.

Thanks for your advice.

 

[Thade_hicks]

I have been it it for a few years but not as experienced as others. For example I should have never brought the Lunar Wrasse. I have had success with my tanks before but I have gone thorough a lot of changes. I had a 32 biocube that was beautiful but transferred everything to a cheap 95 gallon tank and had a hard time. The tank I have now is wonderful, however when I took my eyes off of it due to I had to go out of town to see about my mother who was sick, algae took over. I finally go *** in control and I am trying to keep it in control and make the tank beautiful. I love corals and exotic fish.

Really recommend some research into algae growth, clean up crews and the nutrient cycle. I think k looking into that stuff will help a lot in the understanding of what's going on in your tank