What is this algea?

[praton]

Hi everyone. I've had algae growth in my 56-liter nano aquarium for the past 10 days. I don't know the cause or type of algae. How can I get rid of it?

 

[EnterName]

Can you post a close up image of the algae under neutral/white light? This would help with the identification and therefore with determining possible treatment methods.

Tank age, as well as parameters like nitrate, and phosphate would also be very useful.

 

[praton]

Can you post a close up image of the algae under neutral/white light? This would help with the identification and therefore with determining possible treatment methods.

Tank age, as well as parameters like nitrate, and phosphate would also be very useful.

The aquarium is one year old. Nitrate and phosphate levels were low, so I increased them. Then this happened.I wasn't home, so I found the picture online. But it's like this. Not this dense, but something like that.

 

[EnterName]

Hmm... Maybe you overdid it with the nutrients?
Did you use nutrient solutions or simply started overfeeding?

It's hard to see on the image, but if it's green and fuzzy it's quite likely a green hair algae. If you can simply blow the stuff away with a turkey baster it's more likely green cyano or so. It's also possible to have multiple issues at once.

Regardless of what it exactly is, it will drain your nutrient levels through growth. Adding more nutrients will feed it. You may want to consider manual removal for a while to export excessive nutrients and stop adding more. Maybe that's already all it takes.

 

[Dan_P]

Hi everyone. I've had algae growth in my 56-liter nano aquarium for the past 10 days. I don't know the cause or type of algae. How can I get rid of it?

Would you photograph the aquarium under white light and take a close up of the algae if you can. Thanks

 

[Louis Z]

Is the algae on the sand bed ? Or on the glass or rock
?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

That looks like hair algae to me, and I would not dose nutrients into a tank with hair algae, you are feeding the algae by doing this.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

What kind of CUC do you have?

 

[praton]

How can I get rid of this? I have UV light on 24/7 in my aquarium.

 

[praton]

Would you photograph the aquarium under white light and take a close up of the algae if you can. Thanks

It is mostly found in rocks.

 

[Louis Z]

If I understand that correctly , you say UV 24/7 . I would diminish that light schedule .to a more balanced on/off schedule What is the white light schedule ?

 

[praton]

If I understand that correctly , you say UV 24/7 . I would diminish that light schedule .to a more balanced on/off schedule What is the white light schedule ?

White light 10%. I tested it yesterday, NO3 and PO4 were reset. I will add phosphate and nitrate today.
My aquarium's protein skimmer has been overflowing and accumulating water for a week. I've cleaned the protein skimmer. The water level is at the indicated level. I've changed 30% of the water, but I still can't figure out the cause.I haven't cleaned the filter materials (ceramic, bioball, and sponge) for 5 months. Could this be the reason?

 

[Louis Z]

Sponge not cleaned For 5months ?. Is this air driven sponge? . To clean air driven sponge I will use regular aquarium water and squeeze over and over to loosen the dirt . Throw away the water and repeat until water is clearer . They can clog up over time , how much detritus buildup ? Ceramic and bioballs can be swished in used aquarium water to rid of detritus and then returned to filter area .

Sorry I confused your UV for blue lights in my mind . I now think what you are using is a UV filter ? Right ?

Yes I would stop adding nitrates and phosphates . Feeding fish does supply your tank with that . The reefers that do that test their waters for nutrient levels . And they see that they are low and only if they are low . Thats why you were being asked for your nitrate and phosphate readings .

Someone recommended a clean up crew . Different size snails will eat some of that algae .

Take out as much as you can with manual removal

 

[slingfox]

You need to provide more details about your system to get better advice.

Based on the pictures alone I assume what you need to do 1) feed less and/or export nutrients more, 2) manually remove as much as the algae as possible, you may need to do this several times for the next few weeks, and 3) increase your clean up crew (you have not disclosed whether you have any).

 

[praton]

I'm going to add activated carbon to the sump today. Maybe that will solve the protein skimmer problem. Right now I'm trying to raise nitrate and phosphate levels. There are 3 cleaning crews in the aquarium: 2 turbos and 1 sea snail.The aquarium has been set up for 11 months, the rocks are aquaroche (non-living rocks). I give 4 ml of All for Reef and 1 ml of Red Sea Nutrition daily. I hadn't changed the water for 2 months, but I did so 3 days ago.I can't figure out why my protein skimmer is overflowing right now. The water level is at the recommended level, I cleaned the protein skimmer and changed the water a week ago. But it's still overflowing.

 

[Louis Z]

Have you adjusted skimmer intake or exit valve thingofajig ? Not trying to be condescending . That’s what I would do next for extra skimmer control. I also raise or lower the water level at times if I don’t want to adjust my settings knowing that for some time afterward I will have to readjust after an odd period like you are experiencing .

 

[praton]

Have you adjusted skimmer intake or exit valve thingofajig ? Not trying to be condescending . That’s what I would do next for extra skimmer control. I also raise or lower the water level at times if I don’t want to adjust my settings knowing that for some time afterward I will have to readjust after an odd period like you are experiencing .

I haven't touched the control valve on the protein skimmer at all. It's just sitting there. I've never encountered anything like this before. No matter what I do, it doesn't fix it.