Turf Algae Blues

Aqua Man

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I’m stuck, Need advise from the community please.

20 gallons 6 years old
It was way worse. Been working on it for a bit. January did 2 -10 gallon water changes. Water change of 4 gallons every week since February.
Have also taken rocks out to scrub them. Turkey blast rocks 2 times a week.

HOB filter, heater and power heads.
Lights, 4 bulb T5 8 hrs

Refreshed my CUC, pencil urchin, 2 turbos and 2 blue leg hermits. 1 cerith snail.

Nitrates 25 Nyos
Phos 0 Hanna ULR
ALK 8 ATI
Ca 450 ATI

I’m winning the battle against the algae, slowly. Now it seems that I’ve given my self Dinos. They look like Dino anyways. Did the coffee filter test and they recombined.
D9EC8051-ECA4-4CC0-80B1-6A6CC1197591.jpeg
7A894E67-1AF8-418B-B86C-CD52A51F4F71.jpeg
FA440466-65CE-48E5-A189-4C0B4BEC3F5E.jpeg

Not sure what to do?! My internet sucks too! :oops:
 

andrewey

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I would treat it as dinos, both from the timing, pictures, and a phosphate of 0 (and because turf algae is the lesser of the two evils). I would try and bump your phosphate up to 0.1 if you can (I know, I know- you've been trying to drop your phosphate to starve the turf algae).

Given the size of the tank and the relatively ease with removing the rocks, I would put manual removal of the turf algae as my first choice before going the product route (flucon, vibrant, etc.). I see you already did this once- in my experience with turf algae, you have to do this all the time- think once or twice a week until the growth can't compete with your urchin and turbo snails. Keeping your nitrate where it's at (or slightly closer to 10 if you choose) and your phosphate at 0.1 will continue to help along with manual removal, but it will still take a couple months. It's all the more painful to be dealing with two pests at once.

Have you read the first page of the dino thread? You can scope them out to get a positive ID or start treating prophylactically as dinos.
 
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Aqua Man

Aqua Man

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Have you read the first page of the dino thread? You can scope them out to get a positive ID or start treating prophylactically as dinos.
Thank you for the advice. It sounds good Been reading and researching this site for few months now. Purchased the Hanna in April. .009 Pho’s is the highest I’ve read.
I have neophos, I wasn’t sure if I wanted use it. Guess I don’t have much choice!

Found some good stiff brushes in the kitchen isle. Toothbrushes were not working well. Remove and scrub rocks. Might try some peroxide on it too

What about shorter a photo period?
 

andrewey

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You can try the photoperiod or peroxide. I didn't find they've helped in my cases, but you might get different mileage out of them. In general, I prefer getting nutrients up, stopping WCs, and if you have access, trying out a properly sized UV sterilizer or "poor man's UV". The UV will help with most dinos, so it's a safe bet, however that's where a scope can tell you whether or not it would be effective.
 
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Aqua Man

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Well it looks like sesame seeds and they move. Taking a picture through the eye piece was challenging! Lol
2CBE242A-CBCC-4FCF-BBD7-37A9CA444E95.jpeg
 
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Aqua Man

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Started adding Neophos at 3 ml a day. Already seeing a difference. LPS and SPS look much better.
Still measure 0 on the Hanna. Bumping up to 4 ml a day.
Dinos seems to be not as bad.
09BFF60B-4EA0-4806-9A9F-0C882C127F75.jpeg
10976D85-7220-49F9-89B4-79E7516D27EB.jpeg
 
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Aqua Man

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Never would of thought that I’d be dosing Phosphate into my tank. Very glad I did though. Corals are responding very well.
Algae is still there, although not growing as fast. Urchin I think is keeping it in check for now.
CUC seems to be ok so far also. Maybe these Dino are not as toxic as the others.
B67579CB-671A-4474-AAB4-38D44CCC39F0.jpeg
Not sure about this brown covering the glass last couple days. Pods are eating whatever it is. See snail chew marks also.
 
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Aqua Man

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Update The pencil urchin is doing a fantastic job of cleaning up the turf algae
4BEA8D4D-B84B-4CE2-A55A-D3FC05942677.jpeg

only a few small areas left. Small amounts of algae I’m ok with! Haven’t seen any signs of the Dinos in couple weeks! I’m winning!
 

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Saw your post in the dino thread. My phosphates (0.003) and nitrates (undetectable) are dangerously low. I will start NeoNitro and NeoPhos tomorrow. My dino outbreak is not as bad yet. Any tips? Did you do a blackout or something else?

IMG_1331.jpg


IMG_1330.jpg
 
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Aqua Man

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My dino outbreak is not as bad yet. Any tips? Did you do a blackout or something else?
First thing, coffee filter test and then looked at what I had under a microscope.

Added Neophos daily. 10ml a day. Nitrates were good. Black out was not needed on this tank. Saw improvement quickly after just a few days of dosing PO4. IMO having a bare bottom tank helped me beat them faster. Dinos like to hang out in the sand. Sand and rock also takes up PO4 so dosing was easier. The PO4 Stayed in the water column longer before binding to rock/sand and getting used by coral.

Be prepared to test often, daily for PO4. Dose and then test an hr later to see how much was actually added. Don’t be surprised to see a zero 24 hrs later.

I have no experience dosing for Nitrate. If I needed too, add dose and test just like anything else I add to my tank.
1DE60E7B-476F-4757-A134-8D4E85C90295.jpeg

I picked up this little UV for a different system. Dino were more stubborn. Tank has sand and not as old and established as the tank in this thread.

Good luck! Happy to help if I can!
 

vetteguy53081

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Saw your post in the dino thread. My phosphates (0.003) and nitrates (undetectable) are dangerously low. I will start NeoNitro and NeoPhos tomorrow. My dino outbreak is not as bad yet. Any tips? Did you do a blackout or something else?

IMG_1331.jpg


IMG_1330.jpg
Green killing machine good for algae spores, not dino.
Prepare by starting with a water change and blow this stuff loose with a turkey baster and siphon up loose particles.
Turn lights off (at least white and run blue at 10-15%) for 5 days and at night dose 1ml of hydrogen peroxide per 10 gallons for all 5 nights. If you dont have light dependent coral- turn all lights off.
During the day dose 1ml of liquid bacteria (such as bacter 7) per 10 gallons.
Clean filters daily and DO NOT FEED CORAL FOODS OR ADD NOPOX as it is food for dinos.
Day 5,, you can start with blue lights - ramping up and work your white lights up slowly
 
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Aqua Man

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Green killing machine good for algae spores, not dino.
The flow through the one I posted in VERY slow. It did/ does work for Osteoporosis Dino. Dosing MB 7 seems counter productive, especially if ones water is devoid of phosphorus and nitrogen.
 

vetteguy53081

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The flow through the one I posted in VERY slow. It did/ does work for Osteoporosis Dino. Dosing MB 7 seems counter productive, especially if ones water is devoid of phosphorus and nitrogen.
I had the largest one and placed in a 40 gallon tank and gave it away . You may very well have gotten lucky. I have another couple I know with a unit also and they said there water is very clear BUT it does nothing for their algae.
I placed an aqua UV in that same tank, and it was free of algae and dine. My ultimate results came from peroxide method
 

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First thing, coffee filter test and then looked at what I had under a microscope.

Added Neophos daily. 10ml a day. Nitrates were good. Black out was not needed on this tank. Saw improvement quickly after just a few days of dosing PO4. IMO having a bare bottom tank helped me beat them faster. Dinos like to hang out in the sand. Sand and rock also takes up PO4 so dosing was easier. The PO4 Stayed in the water column longer before binding to rock/sand and getting used by coral.

Be prepared to test often, daily for PO4. Dose and then test an hr later to see how much was actually added. Don’t be surprised to see a zero 24 hrs later.

I have no experience dosing for Nitrate. If I needed too, add dose and test just like anything else I add to my tank.
1DE60E7B-476F-4757-A134-8D4E85C90295.jpeg

I picked up this little UV for a different system. Dino were more stubborn. Tank has sand and not as old and established as the tank in this thread.

Good luck! Happy to help if I can!
Just got done dosing NeoNitro and NeoPhos. Aiming for 5 ppm nitrate and 0.05 ppm phosphate (changing by only 2ppm and 0.02 ppm respectively in 24 hours).

I am planning on doing a coffee filter test later today and maybe put them under the microscope on Monday. I hope the elevated nutrients help.
 

Acros

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Green killing machine good for algae spores, not dino.
Prepare by starting with a water change and blow this stuff loose with a turkey baster and siphon up loose particles.
Turn lights off (at least white and run blue at 10-15%) for 5 days and at night dose 1ml of hydrogen peroxide per 10 gallons for all 5 nights. If you dont have light dependent coral- turn all lights off.
During the day dose 1ml of liquid bacteria (such as bacter 7) per 10 gallons.
Clean filters daily and DO NOT FEED CORAL FOODS OR ADD NOPOX as it is food for dinos.
Day 5,, you can start with blue lights - ramping up and work your white lights up slowly
If I am to do a blackout period, should a cover the sides and top of the tank? Will keeping the lights off with out covering the sides and top of the tank be sufficient?
 
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Aqua Man

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If I am to do a blackout period,
Depends on how much ambient light from the room your tank is in. Sides is ok to cover if needed. I would not cover the top though. Oxygen exchange is needed.
 

Acros

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@Auqaman @vetteguy53081 It appears that I have cyano and not dinos. I confirmed this with the hydrogen peroxide test, where all the red stings gave out bubbles. Anyway, they are almost all gone within 12 hours of dosing chemiclean.

My nitrates and phosphates are at 0. Dosing NeoPhos and NeoNitro daily as I would love to avoid dinos. Thank you for the help. :)
 

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