Algae identification and solution !

aqbox65mixed · May 1, 2024

Hello,

So here is the story and the steps I took that lead to my current problem. I need to know if anyone knows what they are and any solutions.
I’m using Hanna phosphate ULR and Nitrate HR

1. Everything was ok from the time that I started my tank 6 month ago to 3 weeks ago.
2. I added a refugium with 3 weeks ago.
3. Added pods, amphipods, chateo, and red macro algae from algae barn.
4. Added FritzZyme Turbo Start and microbacter 7 within 2 weeks.
5. Within the last 2 weeks I removed about 5 pounds of live rock but added good amount of sand and media to refugium.
6. Nitrate was low last week so I added neonitro and got it to 3.6 and now its 0.00 after a 30% water change 2 days ago.
7. I added Cheato grow and phyto as well and now my phosphate is 0.03

now as of today 4-29-2024 this is how my tank looks like

Dan_P · May 1, 2024

aqbox65mixed said:
Hello,

So here is the story and the steps I took that lead to my current problem. I need to know if anyone knows what they are and any solutions.
I’m using Hanna phosphate ULR and Nitrate HR

1. Everything was ok from the time that I started my tank 6 month ago to 3 weeks ago.
2. I added a refugium with 3 weeks ago.
3. Added pods, amphipods, chateo, and red macro algae from algae barn.
4. Added FritzZyme Turbo Start and microbacter 7 within 2 weeks.
5. Within the last 2 weeks I removed about 5 pounds of live rock but added good amount of sand and media to refugium.
6. Nitrate was low last week so I added neonitro and got it to 3.6 and now its 0.00 after a 30% water change 2 days ago.
7. I added Cheato grow and phyto as well and now my phosphate is 0.03

now as of today 4-29-2024 this is how my tank looks like

No matter the age of the aquarium, when any clean surface like sand is added, it is colonized with microorganisms roughly in the order of bacteria, diatoms, then everything else. What flourishes on the surface changes over time and is influenced by many factors. There is no simple explanation for what grows vigorously and dominates the new surface at any given time. The hobby has developed a collection of “remedies” which the aquarists tries one or many at the same time to nudge the surface growth to something less visible.

What you have growing looks like a mixture of cyanobacteria and maybe dinoflagellates. There could also be algae in that slime.