Phosphates Keep Dropping Without Water Changes, But Excess Brown and Green Algae Growing

[jorgeeandreess]

Hi everyone,

I’m having an issue with my tank’s phosphate levels and algae growth. My phosphates keep dropping even though I’m not doing any water changes—today they’re at 0.01 ppm. Despite the low phosphate level, I’m experiencing a lot of brown and green algae growth, particularly on the glass and at the edge where the sand meets the glass. There are also occasional brown patches on the sand, and my Nero pumps are getting covered with brown algae as well.

I’m having to scrape the glass 2-3 times a day because the algae builds up so quickly. Does anyone know why my phosphates might be dropping like this, and what could be causing this excessive algae growth? Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

Today parameters
Sal: 1.025
Temp: 78
PH: 7.7
DKH: 8.2
NO3: 12.7 ppm
PO4: 0.01
Mg: 1155 ppm

 

[SaltySqueeble]

Your phosphate is getting consumed by the algae. The algae will need to be addressed. A little more magnesium could also help.

 

[jorgeeandreess]

Your phosphate is getting consumed by the algae. The algae will need to be addressed. A little more magnesium could also help.

May you help me please?

 

[SaltySqueeble]

Sure , can try. Will need to see what it looks like with pics. You’ll need to remove as much of that as you can, then up clean up crew by a lot. Your parameters seem normal, not significantly high nitrate. Are you dosing phosphate? Feeding fish? What’s the Intake. How old is the tank? There’s so much that could cause algae blooms.

 

[AlexandraDreadlocksPanda]

Your phosphate is getting consumed by the algae. The algae will need to be addressed. A little more magnesium could also help.

I came here to say the exact same thing…

 

[AlexandraDreadlocksPanda]

May you help me please?

•increase clean up crew - best Algae consumers I’ve found are Stardust Blenny, Tectus snails and Calcinus laevimus hermits will do the job.
•start carbon dosing - you will find that the N03 and P04 will sharply increase once the algae is removed. Don’t expect carbon dosing to be an instant fix, the bacteria take some time to become established. Best results I have had is running dosing line into a net of nylon bath scrunchies, buried in a pile of live rock in a low flow area of the sump. Benefit is it will soon be teeming with pods and mysid shrimps too, and you won’t get pink goop growing in the dark in your return lines that gets shot out into the tank, irritating corals…

 

[Skywater]

The nuisance algae is using nutrients as it's produced. I suggest an algae turf scrubber, it will over power the nuisance algae in the tank. The bright red lights running 22 out of 24, and higher water flow in the chamber will favor a variety of algae that is good at absorbing the nutrients: keeping algae in your display minimized. I like the upflow type that Santa Monica Filtration makes. Very quiet and highly effective, can be placed in main display tank or sump. I have the Surf 2x model.