Red/ green hair algea and nitrates

[SaltyMermaid86]

Hi!

I had been battling dinos for 3 or 4 months. I finally was able to get them to a manageable level and now I have hair algea. I've removed as much as I can by hand (slowly) and purchased 2 tuxedo urchins. I've had them for about 4 days now. I tested my nitrates today and they've dropped to 1.2
Obviously I don't want them to bottom out or the Dino population will explode. What would make nitrate drop so drastically without a water change? The removal of the algea?
Is it really that low or could the algea be absorbing it? Ive tested it twice by hanna and red sea and its accurate.
I dont want to dose if it's going to make the algea explode too.

 

[OfficeReefer]

Hello @SaltyMermaid86! It's possible. I noticed you had an upwards trend of phosphates about a month ago and then those slowly dropped and held, yet the nitrates seemed to bottom out. Have you done anything else during these past four days?

Increased lighting or lowered it?

Increased or began skimming?

How much algae?

What size tank is this?

Is a refugium or sump present?

 

[SaltyMermaid86]

Hello @SaltyMermaid86! It's possible. I noticed you had an upwards trend of phosphates about a month ago and then those slowly dropped and held, yet the nitrates seemed to bottom out. Have you done anything else during these past four days?

Increased lighting or lowered it?

Increased or began skimming?

How much algae?

What size tank is this?

Is a refugium or sump present?

I have not made any changes other than watch the algea grow thicker, longer and spread. I have a skimmer and turned on only for 6 hours a day, light skimming. No change in lights only 5% whites and 60% blues. Red sea leds. 43 gallon display 11 gallon sump.

 

[SaltyMermaid86]

Hello @SaltyMermaid86! It's possible. I noticed you had an upwards trend of phosphates about a month ago and then those slowly dropped and held, yet the nitrates seemed to bottom out. Have you done anything else during these past four days?

Increased lighting or lowered it?

Increased or began skimming?

How much algae?

What size tank is this?

Is a refugium or sump present?

Oh also, the increase in po4 was due to me dosing to help fight dinos. Was advised to do that by Macks Dino page. Although I only dosed once. Was able to raise mainly by over feeding. I only have 3 fish.

 

[OfficeReefer]

Thank you @SaltyMermaid86 very helpful. Is this an E170?

If I am correct, based on the image this is the painted reef rock from CaribSea or similar?

What is in your sump?

I might recommend to start with doing a 24hr blackout if possible and reset the acclimation period in the RS app for at least another 30d or more out. It might also help to get some copepods in your sump and tank to help with the other battles you are struggling with. If you have have the rock I am mentioning, it's really hard to get enough porous utility for good natural filtration. I have found the addition of such in the sump will help remedy this.

On a final note, some have found the addition of a UV lamp running at higher speeds to target algae to be quite effective in many cases, especially early on in the first year.

 

[EricR]

FWIW, when my phosphates bottomed out and I started dosing (phos), my nitrates started to fall.
Those in the know mentioned that was to be expected if some biological processes had been phosphate limited. (Once phos limitation was removed, nitrate consumption increased).

Months in, I'm still having to dose phosphate daily but rarely have to dose nitrate. (One sample set but just FYI)

 

[MrGisonni]

Maybe tone down your whites a bit on your lights