Please help me get rid of this algae nothing works…
Subsea
5000 Club Member
When you say nothing works, what have you done so far.
Does it brush off easily? Does it retreat at night?
What is your maintenance schedule on this 15G tank?
I looked at some of your other threads about green algae on rock and this is not the same thing.
See if this link helps you identify what’s in your tank.
Nuisance Algae ID Guide- Reef Cleaners
Nuisance Algae ID Guide. Red Slime, Cyano, Cyanobacteria. Green Film Algae, Film Algae. Green Hair Algae. Green Turf Algae. Bryopsis pennata and B. plumosa. Bubble Algae, Valonia. Lobophora. Blue Green Cyano.
PS: This is listed under GHA even though it is brown.
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Cichlid Dad
2500 Club Member
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So a little more than a year ago you had a different Rock structure. Did you change rock recently?
Where's your herbivores? Clean up crew?
SliceGolfer
Valuable Member
X2 to this
Subsea
5000 Club Member
Calothrix
These species of cyano often appear as a light slimy yet hairy/fuzzy nastiness that loosely attaches to your rock work. Air bubbles are usually trapped while escaping the "algae", just like in the picture to the left. Calothrix is a type of blue green algae that looks very similar to Dinos. We have them next to each other in the guide to help you distinguish the difference between the two.
Manual Removal: Remove the rock and scrub, and then fine tune with a toothbrush. Let the cleaners get the rest. It helps to use a net to collect the debris that will occur as a result of the toothbrushing.
SliceGolfer
Valuable Member
CaribSea (dry) Life rock?Specs are a 15g Nano reef waterbox
filtration is a filter sock, and a protein skimmer that to be honest seems to work half the time.
Automatic RODI water top off
I don't have
Subsea
5000 Club Member
@Rammess
Not knowing your experience level, I am commenting on your threads that I perused to better understand your circumstances.
Nuisance algae abatement is about consumers, competitors and real estate.
When you start a tank with dry rock, you allow a place for nuisance algae to colonize. I use diver collected live rock that eliminates available real estate and more importantly, it brings in biodiversity which introduces competitors & consumers of nuisance algae.
At this point in time, I would remove the rock and soak in a 10% solution of 3% peroxide for 10 minutes. When I introduce corals that are suspect for pest, I soak them in a 10% peroxide bath. The coral biofilm protects the coral from this oxidizer. However, pods & algae will be destroyed.
Not knowing your experience level, I am commenting on your threads that I perused to better understand your circumstances.
Nuisance algae abatement is about consumers, competitors and real estate.
When you start a tank with dry rock, you allow a place for nuisance algae to colonize. I use diver collected live rock that eliminates available real estate and more importantly, it brings in biodiversity which introduces competitors & consumers of nuisance algae.
At this point in time, I would remove the rock and soak in a 10% solution of 3% peroxide for 10 minutes. When I introduce corals that are suspect for pest, I soak them in a 10% peroxide bath. The coral biofilm protects the coral from this oxidizer. However, pods & algae will be destroyed.
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Rammess
Community Member
It starts to cover the sand and is pretty much always on the rocks. I can hit it with a turkey baster and it just scatters and blows around the tank. I try to do water changes weekly 30%. I did notice the other day a sliver of sunlight hitting the tank going through a blind, but I am not sure if that causes this. I have tried Chem Clean over 3 times now using the recommended dose (about 2 scoops). It doesnt seem to even do anything.When you say nothing works, what have you done so far.
Does it brush off easily? Does it retreat at night?
What is your maintenance schedule on this 15G tank?
I looked at some of your other threads about green algae on rock and this is not the same thing.
See if this link helps you identify what’s in your tank.
Nuisance Algae ID Guide- Reef Cleaners
Nuisance Algae ID Guide. Red Slime, Cyano, Cyanobacteria. Green Film Algae, Film Algae. Green Hair Algae. Green Turf Algae. Bryopsis pennata and B. plumosa. Bubble Algae, Valonia. Lobophora. Blue Green Cyano.www.reefcleaners.org
PS: This is listed under GHA even though it is brown.
I don't have many snails anymore some have died, and I have yet to restock since a LFS closed down recently which sucks. It is only a 15g tank, so doing a 30% water change with 1.025 frresh RODI saltwater should be sufficient in getting rid of nutrients. I only have 2 fish in there. Maybe 4-5 snails. I want to add more snails, and maybe a shrimp.
I just want this to go away so I can have crystal clear water with thriving corals. I am nervous to try too many things since my corals actually seem happy. Despite the picture since it wasn't that long after a water change and I disrupted a lot of it, but the polyps are typically extended. I have noticed that the coloration in my corals has faded. Orange in the Monti is faded, the yellow in the acropora faded, they still seem to be growing slightly and polyps on the acropora extend, but not great color. I think the large one is a Pocilopora, but I forget. That one seems to thrive the best.
I did start with dry rock and I fully regret it
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Rammess
Community Member
Also I would like to mention I did dose an entire bottle of Coraline Algae a few months ago now to see if the Coraline would naturally out compete this nuisance algae, but nothing seems to beat it.
I basically just blow the stuff off the rocks and sand before people come over, but I just want this stuff gone all together.
SliceGolfer
Valuable Member
I’m still wagering you might be dealing with chrysophytes. This is a good read and you can validate if you are seeing similar experiences. If not, no harm done 
www.reef2reef.com
Am I dealing with Chrysophytes?
Hi reefers, I have an algae outbreak in my 8 months old 150-gallon system now, I have been doing some research it seems like they are Chrysophytes, my parameters are: No3: 0 ppm (used RS Nitrate Pro test kit) Po4 : 0 ppm (Hanna ULR Phosphorus checker, 0 ppb) Salinity: 1.025 SG pH: 8.2-8.3 Temp...
www.reef2reef.com
Rammess
Community Member
I read that. That last post of that thread I am going to try that. Do you think I need to “add nutrients” or will that make this worse. I give about a half cube of mysis per day for the 2 fish in there.I’m still wagering you might be dealing with chrysophytes. This is a good read and you can validate if you are seeing similar experiences. If not, no harm done
Am I dealing with Chrysophytes?
Hi reefers, I have an algae outbreak in my 8 months old 150-gallon system now, I have been doing some research it seems like they are Chrysophytes, my parameters are: No3: 0 ppm (used RS Nitrate Pro test kit) Po4 : 0 ppm (Hanna ULR Phosphorus checker, 0 ppb) Salinity: 1.025 SG pH: 8.2-8.3 Temp...
Subsea
5000 Club Member
I suggest a RIP clean. In 2-3 hrs, depending on how organized you are, your tank will be sparkling clean.
In my youth, I could do it in 1 hour. Now at 76 years young, I get janitors to do the work.
Get a 5G bucket and syphon aquarium water into the bucket. You will need a larger container to drain water into, if you wish to reuse it, Place all fish and snails in the 5G bucket with an air bubbler. Get a second container sized to completely submerge algae infested rock in a peroxide bath of 10 minutes then rinse off dead algae down the drain, then add sanitized rocks to 5G bucket with fish & snails. Because I have large aquariums, when I want to remove fish, I drain all but 1” of water and hand catch fish and inverts, then pump water back into the tank.
In your situation, you need another bucket that will hold all of your substrate. Assume 1” of substrate in your tank will weigh between 15-20 pounds. Bring bucket outdoors and flush for 5 minutes with a water hose. You will not lose all of your microbes from the substrate plus you will be adding back the water that was drained.
Once you have done this, you will be inspired with the clarity of the system. For long term sustainability using diver collected live rock will “rock your socks”.
In my youth, I could do it in 1 hour. Now at 76 years young, I get janitors to do the work.
Get a 5G bucket and syphon aquarium water into the bucket. You will need a larger container to drain water into, if you wish to reuse it, Place all fish and snails in the 5G bucket with an air bubbler. Get a second container sized to completely submerge algae infested rock in a peroxide bath of 10 minutes then rinse off dead algae down the drain, then add sanitized rocks to 5G bucket with fish & snails. Because I have large aquariums, when I want to remove fish, I drain all but 1” of water and hand catch fish and inverts, then pump water back into the tank.
In your situation, you need another bucket that will hold all of your substrate. Assume 1” of substrate in your tank will weigh between 15-20 pounds. Bring bucket outdoors and flush for 5 minutes with a water hose. You will not lose all of your microbes from the substrate plus you will be adding back the water that was drained.
Once you have done this, you will be inspired with the clarity of the system. For long term sustainability using diver collected live rock will “rock your socks”.
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