So many different algae in such a small tank

[reeferab]

Hi all - I’m sharing my 13.5 gallon / 52L Fluval Evo. It’s coming up to be almost 5 months old (set up 31 May 2025).

You’ll see from the photos the tank looks like it’s gone through (and still going) quite a bit in this short time.

Mostly I’d like you to play a game of “spot the different types of algae/bacteria”. I seem to have a very good mix in this little space.

Whilst I’m not overjoyed about all the issues, it has been a great learning experience and I’m staying positive and now making small gradual changes to move things in the right direction.

Note the photos were taken after lights out with a bright ceiling light illuminating the tank.

Happy to hear your thoughts or field questions.

 

[Dan_P]

Hi all - I’m sharing my 13.5 gallon / 52L Fluval Evo. It’s coming up to be almost 5 months old (set up 31 May 2025).

You’ll see from the photos the tank looks like it’s gone through (and still going) quite a bit in this short time.

Mostly I’d like you to play a game of “spot the different types of algae/bacteria”. I seem to have a very good mix in this little space.

Whilst I’m not overjoyed about all the issues, it has been a great learning experience and I’m staying positive and now making small gradual changes to move things in the right direction.

Note the photos were taken after lights out with a bright ceiling light illuminating the tank.

Happy to hear your thoughts or field questions.

From the appearance of algae growth in the aquarium, this system does not seem like it is going to look better any time soon. The plentiful worm trails in the sand make me wonder why in five months there are so many. Where is all their food coming from? This might be hint as to why the aquarium looks as though it is being taken over by algae.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

The glass and powerheads look like they haven't been cleaned in some time. I would start there. Manual removal is a big part of fighting algae.
Do you do weekly water changes?
I only see one snail in the tank, you should add more as algae grows.
How many fish are in the tank and how much do you feed?

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Is your tank by a window?
Filtration of your tank?

 

[Bruttall]

I see GHA, green plaque algae, coralline, some green slime algae. What I am not seeing is Bubble Algae, or bryopsis. SO I am not seeing any "bad" algae or growth, nothing really out of control. You need some snails, or an Urchin. Your power heads need cleaned, you need to scrape the glass to keep it clean.

Algae is a natural food source for several types of marine animals, snails, crabs, urchins, PODS!! etc.
PODS are a natural food source for things like Mandarin Dragonets!

 

[reeferab]

I see GHA, green plaque algae, coralline, some green slime algae. What I am not seeing is Bubble Algae, or bryopsis. SO I am not seeing any "bad" algae or growth, nothing really out of control. You need some snails, or an Urchin. Your power heads need cleaned, you need to scrape the glass to keep it clean.

Algae is a natural food source for several types of marine animals, snails, crabs, urchins, PODS!! etc.
PODS are a natural food source for things like Mandarin Dragonets!

Thanks for words of encouragement! :)

I've spotted bubble algae on the back wall and near some corals. Same with bryopsis - I thought I noticed some strands but may have been mistaken on that front. These appear to contained due to so many competing algae.

Also see what is possibly caulerpa on powerhead / rocks but unsure if it is caulerpa.

I will consider adding a small urchin. Used to have a blue legged hermit but I swapped him for another turbo / astrea snail after he made a meal out of my nassirus snail...

Good point re power heads. I clean the return pump frequently (once a month) but have been neglecting the power heads.

I've skipped the step and got a scooter blenny (dragonet) which did not fair well due to limited pod pop... Will wait or avoid getting another one for some time now.

The glass and powerheads look like they haven't been cleaned in some time. I would start there. Manual removal is a big part of fighting algae.
Do you do weekly water changes?
I only see one snail in the tank, you should add more as algae grows.
How many fish are in the tank and how much do you feed?

I've avoided cleaning the glass to prevent an outbreak of cyano with the logic being various algae are competing with cyan keep it in check. I noticed a big cyano outbreak when I cleaned front glass of green hair, slime and plague.

I was blasting and removing cyano which definitely helped.

Water changes are weekly but small (2-3L weekly, approx 4-5%) so perhaps I need to up the % change. Reason behind small changes was 0 nitrate and 0 phosphate readings - I'm guessing sucked up by algae, bacteria, and corals. Plus I'm dosing All for Reef.

Fish: 1 medium-ish sized African clown, 1 court jester goby, 1 medium/large royal gramma
CUC are: 1 skunk cleaner, 2 turbo/trochus snails, 2 Astrae/turbo snails, 1 nassirus snail, 1 cerith (never see him), misc hitchhikers snails.
Other inverts (ex corals): 1pom pom crab but never see him so may have been an expensive lunch for the clown (saw him attack the crab upon addition)

Good point re adding more snails - is the above sufficient?

From the appearance of algae growth in the aquarium, this system does not seem like it is going to look better any time soon. The plentiful worm trails in the sand make me wonder why in five months there are so many. Where is all their food coming from? This might be hint as to why the aquarium looks as though it is being taken over by algae.

I have historically overfed the tank - usually frozen mysis or marine mix which explains the explosion of worms on the glass, rocks, sanded... Now trying a more measured, direct feeding approach. This works well for shrimp, clown and gramma, goby tends to pick up the scraps and sand sift later.

 

[reeferab]

Is your tank by a window?
Filtration of your tank?

yes, small window to the left.

Chaeto (no light added recently as experiment) in chamber 1
Maxspect biospheres (approx 15-20)
Rock and sand as seen.

Had a skimmer - temporarily removed to see if adding nutrients back will help with cyano.