Red nuisance algae help

bdpd1 · Feb 3, 2021

Hi all. This is my wife’s biocube 32. In a total newb in the hobby, and my wife has been at it for a year, but I’ll help and learn. The last month or so we’ve had troubles with red algae. Concurrently our candy cane coral has become stressed losing flesh, and today our chromis started yawning, gulping at the surface and looks to be dying today. Something is seriously amiss. I’m about to do the coffee filter and peroxide tests, and as soon as I can get a look under the microscope I’ll post a pic on here.

The parameters in the tank had been undetectable no2/no3, low calcium (330), phos 0.14. LFS confirmed the home testing, suggested dyno based on that, and over feeding the tank, doing less frequent water changes with the goal of trying to get phos and nitrates up. No progress on the red algae since then. 1 day after a 25% water change and pretty aggressive siphoning of the media, parameters are:

pH 8.2, KH 5.5, spgr 1.025, 80.0F, ca 360, mg 1440, phos .02, no2 0.05, no3 1, ammonia 0.

Once the organism is definitively ID’d looking for recommendations on a short term and long term plan. Wife is thinking reef fusion vs me thinking crushed coral to help with Ca/KH. We’re going to purchase a UV sanitizer. Other ideas? Keep “over feeding” the tank to try to get positive nitrogen balance?

Thanks for any advice in advance.

Brad

Revnobody · Feb 3, 2021

The red algae looks like a minor outbreak of cyanobacteria. As far as the fish gulping at the surface, I would first suspect high ammonia levels and low oxygen. What test kit are you using for ammonia?

bdpd1 · Feb 3, 2021

Revnobody said:
The red algae looks like a minor outbreak of cyanobacteria. As far as the fish gulping at the surface, I would suspect high ammonia levels and low oxygen. What test kit are you using for ammonia?

Ammonia was zero today (nh3/nh4+) with the Red Sea assay. Bubbler might be a decent idea regardless.

Revnobody · Feb 3, 2021

If it were me, I would make sure the test kit isn't expired. Because the tank is only 32gal, I would do a 50% water change, or more, with RO/DI. Syphoning as much of the cyano as possible. Add more flow to break the surface tension (More flow will help with cyano as well.) I would also throw some activated carbon into one of the back chambers.

If you have access to another test kit I would test with it or take a sample to your local LFS.

Jilly92 · Feb 3, 2021

bdpd1 said:
Hi all. This is my wife’s biocube 32. In a total newb in the hobby, and my wife has been at it for a year, but I’ll help and learn. The last month or so we’ve had troubles with red algae. Concurrently our candy cane coral has become stressed losing flesh, and today our chromis started yawning, gulping at the surface and looks to be dying today. Something is seriously amiss. I’m about to do the coffee filter and peroxide tests, and as soon as I can get a look under the microscope I’ll post a pic on here.

The parameters in the tank had been undetectable no2/no3, low calcium (330), phos 0.14. LFS confirmed the home testing, suggested dyno based on that, and over feeding the tank, doing less frequent water changes with the goal of trying to get phos and nitrates up. No progress on the red algae since then. 1 day after a 25% water change and pretty aggressive siphoning of the media, parameters are:

pH 8.2, KH 5.5, spgr 1.025, 80.0F, ca 360, mg 1440, phos .02, no2 0.05, no3 1, ammonia 0.

Once the organism is definitively ID’d looking for recommendations on a short term and long term plan. Wife is thinking reef fusion vs me thinking crushed coral to help with Ca/KH. We’re going to purchase a UV sanitizer. Other ideas? Keep “over feeding” the tank to try to get positive nitrogen balance?

Thanks for any advice in advance.

Brad

How many bubbles are you seeing in the algae? I would say dinos. Read through some forums on dinoflagellates and check phosphate. Have you dosed anything like algaefix or vibrant?

Jilly92 · Feb 3, 2021

Jilly92 said:
How many bubbles are you seeing in the algae? I would say dinos. Read through some forums on dinoflagellates and check phosphate. Have you dosed anything like algaefix or vibrant?

Oh nvm I see the phosphates. I had 2 tanks crash due to dino one tank I lost all livestock snails,hermits,urchin,crabs, fish. I lost everything besides one lawnmower blenny, he was half dead i took him out of tank and put him in a bowl with a bubbler and did a massive water change and he survived <3 I also got ill from handling the dino so be cautious of that. In my experience its as though my livestock was stunned like in a coma before dying almost like dino poisoning and it paralyzed them. If you have somewhere to move fish while you do a blackout that would be my advice. I also lost a bunch of sps so when you start the lights back on do it SLOWLY. Start with blue and work your way up to white.