How to Handle Algae Growth with Everything Thriving?

[Reef.]

Rock and sand will come into equilibrium with the water value of phosphate. It is not immediate but over the course of 11 months it will be near equilibrium. I agree algae in itself can feed on phosphates as it is introduced and give a misleadingly low phosphate number...but not an incorrect phosphate number.

I might agree with some of that if the tank was in a vacuum, no further po4 being added to the tank. And also if you were to test po4 at the exact time the po4 in the rock matched the po4 in the water volume, as I would contend the period they were in equilibrium is very short, in my experience it’s not a daily occurrence, even after your 11 month time frame.

Po4 is added every day and used by the tank every day, one addition of food can add as much as .3ppm to the tank.

I’m not sure what you mean by algae can give a misleading low number but not an incorrect phosphate number? Both of those statements can’t be true.

Are you also saying the OP’s tank only has a po4 lvl of 0.01ppm? Because if you are it’s not helping the op fix their issue, as already in this thread it has been suggested they increase their nutrients! You just need to look at the op’s pictures to see that is bad advice.

 

[mdb_talon]

I’m not sure what you mean by algae can give a misleading low number but not an incorrect phosphate number? Both of those statements can’t be true.

They both most certainly can be true. A reading of .01 means that's the phosphate in his water(realizing there is a margin of error in testing). So it is not an incorrect reading. It can be misleading because he has so much algae it quickly consumes any phosphate input.

Are you also saying the OP’s tank only has a po4 lvl of 0.01ppm? Because if you are it’s not helping the op fix their issue, as already in this thread it has been suggested they increase their nutrients! You just need to look at the op’s pictures to see that is bad advice

Yes that is exactly what I am saying. "Fixing" the issue by convincing him that the test is incorrect is not my approach. He is going to learn a lot more by understanding what is going on rather than saying the value he sees is not real. Would rather explain as I did that the number can be correct while still be misleading. I never suggested increasing nutrients at all so I am not going to defend statements others made.

And also if you were to test po4 at the exact time the po4 in the rock matched the po4 in the water volume, as I would contend the period they were in equilibrium is very short, in my experience it’s not a daily occurrence, even after your 11 month time frame.

There is no need to test at exact times or worry about if the rocks are at .02 or .01. the point is after so much time the rocks will have leached any excess phosphates they may have stored to be in near equilibrium with the water column and that the cause of his issue at this point is not leaching of phosphates from the rocks. The cause is likely excessive nutrient input(food)....

 

[brandon429]

Your nano needs a rip clean bc rip clean threads are fifty pages long fixing nanos like that


Old tank syndrome can happen even in not old tanks

It starts with plant selection on rocks missing coralline. You'd rip clean now because it's surgical catchup
Anything else you do adds waste, more animals which is a fish disease risk, and one day when the tank is mature you won't need a rip clean
You need one now. They're harmless to run

Then reef as you will from the clean condition, not the invaded condition.

Here's top six rip clean examples

Disassembly skip cycle surgery logged.

Algae Identification

Any opinions on what type of algae this is growing on my rocks and sand bed?

www.reef2reef.com

 

[LiquidSpace]

1. Reefs have algae, if they didn't, herbivore fish (tangs) wouldn't exist. (Let alone sea turtles, urchins, snails, crabs, etc...)
2. Our tanks are incomplete systems; so its easy for algae to go crazy.

Your tank is likely simply getting enough light, and hitting a point of maturity, that algae is able to successfully grow.

Which means you need stuff to out compete it. Either corals encrusting over the rocks, coralline algae covering rocks, or a healthy amount of things that aggressively eat algae.

The alternative is you aggressively strip nutrients from the tank and try to create an environment that is completely inhospitable for algae. Which is also generally going to be inhospitable for everything else that you do want (coral, beneficial bacteria..)

As others have said, excessive white light can definitely ramp up algae growth.

From the pictures it is hard to tell. Does the stuff blow off your rocks? Or is it attached?

It’s all attached, I was able to get some off with scrubbing. I think for now I’m going to load up on snails and turn off the white lights and see where I’m at by the end of the year. I have a feeling the lights are a big part of the issue because this dark green algae is only an issue towards the TOP of the tank.
Excess nutrients does make sense but I try to be real conservative with my feeding so I don’t know what to think of that.

 

[xCry0x]

Wouldn't over worry about nutrients at the levels you are at.

Urchins, like a small tuxedo urchin, are algae destroyers as well.

 

[Reef.]

They both most certainly can be true. A reading of .01 means that's the phosphate in his water(realizing there is a margin of error in testing). So it is not an incorrect reading. It can be misleading because he has so much algae it quickly consumes any phosphate input.



Yes that is exactly what I am saying. "Fixing" the issue by convincing him that the test is incorrect is not my approach. He is going to learn a lot more by understanding what is going on rather than saying the value he sees is not real. Would rather explain as I did that the number can be correct while still be misleading. I never suggested increasing nutrients at all so I am not going to defend statements others made.


There is no need to test at exact times or worry about if the rocks are at .02 or .01. the point is after so much time the rocks will have leached any excess phosphates they may have stored to be in near equilibrium with the water column and that the cause of his issue at this point is not leaching of phosphates from the rocks. The cause is likely excessive nutrient input(food)....

I generally think we are agreeing here.

I typed out a reply but deleted it as I feel I maybe sidetracking the op’s thread.