Ulva algae removal

[Reef_puck]

Just went through getting lights correct (I thought) as was running glass tops that knocked out 50% PAR. I removed the glass tops annd set the light acclimation from 50-85% in order to get light to corals that won’t grow and a week later the algae starts but it has now overtaken all the rock/sand.

The lights are Radion blues and not much white to begin with but I guess I can shut the whites off and see if it helps. Corals are not thriving as it is I guess. With just the blues the tank is very dark

I would love to really see what others that have Radion blues set for and other tanks as this is a year and 3/4 old and I would think the tank would be further along with basic corals.

 

[Lavey29]

Just went through getting lights correct (I thought) as was running glass tops that knocked out 50% PAR. I removed the glass tops annd set the light acclimation from 50-85% in order to get light to corals that won’t grow and a week later the algae starts but it has now overtaken all the rock/sand.

The lights are Radion blues and not much white to begin with but I guess I can shut the whites off and see if it helps. Corals are not thriving as it is I guess. With just the blues the tank is very dark

I would love to really see what others that have Radion blues set for and other tanners as this is a year and 3/4 and I would think the tank would be further along with basic corals.

Looks pretty white in your picture. Is the tank near a window? I run my radions at 100% intensity just to get enough par for the corals in my tank 36x22x22.

 

[Reef_puck]

Another serious thought is if it does not show signs of improvement is two things.

1. Empty the tank and put it on the curb
2. Empty the tank and start all over.

I really do not know where I went wrong here. Bought good lights, good flow, good skimmer, heaters, apex controller/monitor, automaton off, all sorts of test kits/meters, phosban reactor, fed very little, did monthly water changes, went through allot of frags over the time and corals just don’t thrive or live, And now what I was dreading a swamp. I’ll keep trying a few things but will set an October 1 deadline I guess to reevaluate.

This is a true test of one’s patience.

 

[Reef_puck]

Looks pretty white in your picture. Is the tank near a window? I run my radions at 100% intensity just to get enough par for the corals in my tank 36x22x22.

Radion blues or pros?

The pic is just whites to show the tank. Here is normal lighting.

 

[Lavey29]

Another serious thought is if it does not show signs of improvement is two things.

1. Empty the tank and put it on the curb
2. Empty the tank and start all over.

I really do not know where I went wrong here. Bought good lights, good flow, good skimmer, heaters, apex controller/monitor, automaton off, all sorts of test kits/meters, phosban reactor, fed very little, did monthly water changes, went through allot of frags over the time and corals just don’t thrive or live, And now what I was dreading a swamp. I’ll keep trying a few things but will set an October 1 deadline I guess to reevaluate.

This is a true test of one’s patience.

What is your current cleaner crew? Do you do daily manual removal?

 

[Lavey29]

Radion blues or pros?

The pic is just whites to show the tank. Here is normal lighting.

Pros, if you have that much coralline you are on the right path. This algae is just a little hurdle to get over but make sure you par check your tank. Once I did this and corrected my light my coral took off.

 

[Reef_puck]

10-20 snails, 5-10 hermits, 2 emeralds, urchin,

4 nassarus snails and a conch

I add snails as they die off over time.

I have not done much manual removal of the Ulva

 

[Reef_puck]

If you some more history here

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/little-to-no-growth-and-dying-corals.1007947/

 

[Reef_puck]

Pros, if you have that much coralline you are on the right path. This algae is just a little hurdle to get over but make sure you par check your tank. Once I did this and corrected my light my coral took off.

Pros are what should have gotten as IMO these are too blue but have not gotten progress so I can’t really judge I guess

 

[Lavey29]

10-20 snails, 5-10 hermits, 2 emeralds, urchin,

4 nassarus snails and a conch

I add snails as they die off over time.

I have not done much manual removal of the Ulva

You want at least 3 tuxedo urchins and 4 or 5 turbos. Maybe 10 trochus and 10 large cerith. Manual removal is what allows your cleaners to get ahead of the problem and control it.

 

[Lavey29]

Pros are what should have gotten as IMO these are too blue but have not gotten progress so I can’t really judge I guess

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0021/4958/0912/files/100g-wwc-mixed-reef-Template.mob?v=1695755321

 

[Reef_puck]

When scrubbing in the tank, wouldn’t that make the algae spread more as it’s all over the place?

I’ll have to do an online order for different snails. Only astreas at the LFS when they have them.

What about thoughts in the rock in the tank. It was all dry rock from the LFS as they don’t sell true live rock anymore. Could this be causing the issue? PO4 and nitrates are low and I am using a phosban reactor with Rowaphos.

 

[KC2020]

I'd ditch the Rowaphos immediately. Your corals need phosphates, the GFO is removing all of them. GFO is for extreme phosphate reduction, the opposite of your situation.

No scrubbing off algae doesn't cause it to spread.

With the age of the tank and the fact that you have added frags the dry rock start is not a problem. Your frags brought in a diversity of useful bacteria from established tanks and you're well past worrying about that.

Most snails won't eat Ulva, urchins will. To get it down the where it can be managed you need to pull as much by hand as you can, then use a stiff toothbrush or something similar. You won't remove it but you'll make it small enough for a clean up crew to eat it. You'll make a mess when you start removing the Ulva, filter or siphon out what you can.

 

[Reef_puck]

not sure if Ulva is different but typically with green hair Algae it is fueled by nitrates and phosphates. What fuels Ulva?

And over the year I had low phosphates, Added reef roids and put phosphates at .15. So was recommended here to get the rowaphos to get them around .03 which it is..

The coraline on the glass is about gone since removing the glass lids and getting more light in the tank. However have to clean the glass allot more.

In all of this there has been no change in corals in the tank. They were not growing before and no changes now. If I add a frag it dies in a few weeks. With good water parameters and lighting par good I don’t know what the issue is.

 

[KC2020]

All algae grows from nitrates and phosphates. As do the Zooxanthellae in corals.

The part you're missing is it's a balance between supplying some NO3 and NO4 for the corals but then managing the green algae that will grow from it. You don't need Rowaphos unless you have extreme levels and you don't. Get rid of it.

Hands on maintenance, like cleaning the glass and removing the Ulva by hand, is part of the husbandry you apparently didn't realize will be a constant.

The Coraline that grew under lower light, with the glass covers on, died when the light level went up too quickly. You should still have Coraline on the black plastic of a powerhead or the weir vents in your return. Different Coraline that grows with the higher light level will eventually cover the rocks, minimizing the area where the algae can grow but that takes time and higher alkalinity.

Reefs have algae. You tank will always have algae. Managing it between manual removal and the correct clean up crew is more dynamic until your get Coraline on the rock.

 

[Reef_puck]

What Am I missing to get the balance?

Does it really take over 2 years before I should add coral? Where did I go wrong?

I get some algae will always be in the tank but now this is all over and IF I wanted to put a frag in (can’t as it would die) there is no where to put it. Cleaning glass I get. Occasional pick at a rock ok. But scrubbing andbreaquascaping when everything falls apart I don’t get? I see pictures of thriving tanks. Are reefers pulling the corals off the rocks to clean the rock? I don’t see how they would around a full blown SPS tank.

This is what I don’t understand.

Cycle the tank
Monthly water changes
Feed lightly
Proper lighting
Proper flow
Testing and dosing all/ca as needed
I get the lighting was an issue but even low light corals should have lived I would think.
I did all of this and corals don’t live.

 

[Reef_puck]

And thank you for the responses/help. Just getting to the end and keep pouring money and time and not seeing progress is frustrating

 

[KC2020]

It takes however long it takes. Every reef tank is different. If anything you needed to be more hands in the tank managing the Ulva when it started than you were but that's history so don't worry about it.

The balance is still within reach but you need to correct for letting the Ulva get the upper hand. You can probably just pull large quantities of it off more easily than you realize. Try and get enough out that an urchin will eat the small leaves you can't remove.

Monthly water changes- Sure if not more frequently to manage nutrients rather than using Rowaphos to strip them out too radically.

Feed lightly - No I'd feed several times a day. Just enough food so that it's gone within a minute or two.

Proper lighting - You'll be fine with what you have. How you set the Radion will depend on what's in the tank. Is it an XR-15 on the tank mount ? If so 70% with all blues at 100% and 30% whites for 8 hours a day is a good starting point. AB+ but a little whiter. Ramp up for an hour to 70% and then ramp down after 8 hours.

Proper flow - The more the better right now to keep detritus and all the Ulva you pull off in the water so they make their way into the filter.

I get the lighting was an issue but even low light corals should have lived I would think.
I did all of this and corals don’t live. - Yes corals will manage in low light but they need some nitrate and phosphate.

 

[Reef_puck]

So besides trying to pull it all out. Right now it’s on the rock and not long so scrubbing it is.

I guess I should plan to wait 6 months to a year to try coral again? Should I take out what few have bit died yet and donate to the LFS? How will I know it’s time to try again?

 

[KC2020]

If the Ulva isn't long enough to pull of then you can just live with it if cleaning will disturb the rocks. Only you can figure that part out.

No matter what corals you have the key is stability. If you can maintain alkalinity at 7-8 dKh, pH of 8 or above, some nitrate, some phosphates and at least an 8 hour photoperiod corals should live. Your water changes will supply calcium and mag. Dosing 2 part or kalkwasser to keep things stable will make all the difference.