What can I do about this algae?

calebsmith7

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I’ve been noticing this brown algea growing on my rock and the walls of my tank. This hasn’t happened before it and it has completely ruined my tank. My corals have closed up and my clownfish is being weird. I’ve done frequent water changes, used a toothbrush to scrape as much of it as I can off, but nothing seems to work. Can anyone think of a way to fix this? The pictures aren’t amazing but that’s the best I could get.

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Jekyl

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Need to know parameters and closer pics using white lighting.
 

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I’ve been noticing this brown algea growing on my rock and the walls of my tank. This hasn’t happened before it and it has completely ruined my tank. My corals have closed up and my clownfish is being weird. I’ve done frequent water changes, used a toothbrush to scrape as much of it as I can off, but nothing seems to work. Can anyone think of a way to fix this? The pictures aren’t amazing but that’s the best I could get.

IMG_1391.jpeg IMG_1392.jpeg
This looks like something that has been going on for awhile. When did it start, weeks ago? How often do you scrape the glass clean?
 
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calebsmith7

calebsmith7

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I scrape the glass every few days but it seems like it just never goes away. There has always been some algae, but never anything like this.
 
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calebsmith7

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The nitrates are really low. Alkalinity is fine, I don’t have a phosphate or calcium test, but a saltwater fish store once tested my water and said it has good parameters, even though I had algae. All they said was change to a bluer light which I did. The tank is a little more than a year old. These pictures were with the whitest light I could get it too

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calebsmith7

calebsmith7

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Nitrates. Phosphate, alk, cal, mag, age of the tank, clear close up pics under white light
The nitrates are really low. Alkalinity is fine, I don’t have a phosphate or calcium test, but a saltwater fish store once tested my water and said it has good parameters, even though I had algae. All they said was change to a bluer light which I did. The tank is a little more than a year old. These pictures were with the whitest light I could get it too
 

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Lavey29

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The nitrates are really low. Alkalinity is fine, I don’t have a phosphate or calcium test, but a saltwater fish store once tested my water and said it has good parameters, even though I had algae. All they said was change to a bluer light which I did. The tank is a little more than a year old. These pictures were with the whitest light I could get it too
Well without knowing your complete parameters, bottomed out nutrients levels can cause dinos typically on the sand. I also see GHA in the tank. It would be prudent for you to get some test kits and raise your nutrient levels to proper ranges. Dinos need to be confirmed with a cheap microscope view.
 
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calebsmith7

calebsmith7

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Well without knowing your complete parameters, bottomed out nutrients levels can cause dinos typically on the sand. I also see GHA in the tank. It would be prudent for you to get some test kits and raise your nutrient levels to proper ranges. Dinos need to be confirmed with a cheap microscope view.
How would you raise nutrient levels?
 

Lavey29

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How would you raise nutrient levels?
Simplest way is feed more and export less but you need to maintain weekly water changes too. Manual removal of GHA. Add some diverse cleaners, siphon the sand multiple times each week into a sock, cut lights to 6 hours with blue and uv only no whites, dose good bacteria to outcompete the bad guys, add pods and phytoplankton. Prepare for a multi month battle.
 

When to mix up fish meal: When was the last time you tried a different brand of food for your reef?

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