Scratching my head, looking for outside opinions.

[Rpc07]

For the past month or two I’ve been cleaning this brownish reddish algae off my powerheads and what seems to be green Cyano off my rocks and sand, it blows off easy with a pipet. Coralline Algae growth seems to be slowing down but I’m not losing what’s already there. I just ordered a new mag test kit as I think mine is off it always reads high but others have tested it the norm.

My past few tests have been stable
Alk 7.7-8
Cal 460-480
Mag 1350-1400
No3 1-3 ppm
P04 .03 - .05
Sg 1.026

Alk, cal and mag are tested with salifert kits and n03 and p04 are tested with Nyos. Sg is tested with a calibrated refractometer and the new Hanna pen after calibration. The tank is just hitting the year mark and it’s a Reefer 250.
Ro/di filters and membrane were changed about 6 weeks ago and probably have about 150 gallons made through them, TDS reads 0.

Skimmer runs 24/7 and skims on the darker side, I run carbon and phosguard as needed in a reactor and my fuge is lit 12 hours at night with good chaeto growth. Im sure I’m missing some key points.

Here are some pics of what I’m dealing with.

Here you can see is between the zoas.

And here are my Nero 5’s

Any and all help is appreciated.

 

[CMD2213]

What lighting are you using and schedule?

 

[Rpc07]

What lighting are you using and schedule?

Reef breeders photon 32 v2+
Mimicking the AB+ setting with less cool white.

 

[Rpc07]

I should also mention I dose 10ml of ESV B ionic 2-part, 2ml of acropower and 2ml of ESV transition elements daily.

 

[tripdad]

Whats your tank maintenance/cleaning regime?

 

[Rpc07]

Whats your tank maintenance/cleaning regime?

I run 2 filter cups with floss that gets change every 1-2 days.
I do 12 gallon water changes every week with fritz blue box salt which is roughly 20%. Before the water change I blow off any algae on the sand/rock and I give the rocks a blast with a pipet to suspend any junk. After I pull some old water I Shake out my chaeto.

I clean the sump probably every 6-8 weeks

 

[Potatohead]

I have the identical stuff on both the rocks and powerheads. I find it gets worse (mainly the green cyano) when the chaeto ball gets too big so I try and keep it sort of volleyball sized.

 

[Rpc07]

I have the identical stuff on both the rocks and powerheads. I find it gets worse (mainly the green cyano) when the chaeto ball gets too big so I try and keep it sort of volleyball sized.

Can’t hurt to harvest some chaeto and give it a shot.

 

[Dom]

Thank you for such a detailed post. It is chock-full of information and allows people to make informed recommendations.

You have quite the husbandry regiment. But from what I can see in the pictures, your algae isn't so terrible.

Is it possible that your tank is too clean? How much Chaeto is in the fuge?

I'd try pulling the Chaeto out for a week or two and see what happens. It may be out-competing what keeps your problem in check.

 

[Rpc07]

Thank you for such a detailed post. It is chock-full of information and allows people to make informed recommendations.

You have quite the husbandry regiment. But from what I can see in the pictures, your algae isn't so terrible.

Is it possible that your tank is too clean? How much Chaeto is in the fuge?

I'd try pulling the Chaeto out for a week or two and see what happens. It may be out-competing what keeps your problem in check.

Thanks! Im trying to give as much info as I can without rambling. The first 6 months I was very stubborn and barely did waterchanges and my tank suffered for it, I then consulted some friends with some pretty amazing systems and adopted my current routine.

The algae isn’t that bad but I figure if I can solve the issue it’s once less unpleasant sight to look at.

Here is what the sump currently looks like

With the amount of chaeto I have I would probably harvest half of it within a few weeks.
What could the chaeto be out competing?

 

[Potatohead]

I am pretty sure the green cyano is from phosphate a bit too low, at least in my tank. I have dosed phosphate for a while and it went away completely, but I stopped and just reduced the chaeto size instead.

 

[tripdad]

The only thing I would change is that I would siphon 1/4 of the sandbed monthly. You will be stunned how much crud builds up, even in a "clean" , shallow sandbed. The one year mark seems to be about the time it starts creating work for me. Otherwise you seem to have a good system going, nicely done!

 

[Rpc07]

The only thing I would change is that I would siphon 1/4 of the sandbed monthly. You will be stunned how much crud builds up, even in a "clean" , shallow sandbed. The one year mark seems to be about the time it starts creating work for me. Otherwise you seem to have a good system going, nicely done!

I usually mix up the sand bed with long tings before the water change. I’ll start siphoning the sand and hope that helps.

 

[Dom]

What could the chaeto be out competing?

I'm not really clear about this. I tried starting a thread on this subject, but it didn't gain traction.

This is the thread: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/trying-to-better-understand-something.499573/#post-5350257

 

[Rpc07]

I'm not really clear about this. I tried starting a thread on this subject, but it didn't gain traction.

This is the thread: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/trying-to-better-understand-something.499573/#post-5350257

Interesting for sure. If the problem becomes increasingly annoying I may give it a shot.

 

[DHill6]

I also use the A+B program with a Radion G4Pro. After reading many threads I turned the whites down along with red and green. I put it back exactly as the program is and I’ve seen a good result. Less nuisance algae corals seem better and alot of coraline. I’m using a cup with fiber fill, soon to be batting circles and running a skimmer towards dry. In my case, don’t mess with the spectrum adjust the intensity.

 

[DHill6]

I also use the A+B program with a Radion G4Pro. After reading many threads I turned the whites down along with red and green. I put it back exactly as the program is and I’ve seen a good result. Less nuisance algae corals seem better and alot of coraline. I’m using a cup with fiber fill, soon to be batting circles and running a skimmer towards dry. In my case, don’t mess with the spectrum adjust the intensity.

 

[Musovski]

if your head is itchy, use some head and shoulders.

 

[Hemmdog]

I had the same issue. If you stop blowing it off the rocks with basters and scrubbing your powerheads it will literally go away on its own, it’s like a miracle. Haven’t had any of it in months since I stopped blowing crap off the rocks and messing with the reefs little ecosystem. I do think every 6 months or so your tank does need a good deeper clean to get stuff you can’t see, but just give it a chance to go away on its own. I was pleasantly surprised by doing nothing.