Need Algae help

jrkonzelman · 12/28/2014, 08:36 PM

90g Tank has been up and running for 18 months. I had no algae problems for the last 16 months. Recently I had a cyano outbreak and a brown algae on my rocks, nothing on my sand. Cyano didn't overtake the tank in sheets, but the red algae was evident on my rocks.

Flow - I run a Koralia 1100, a Jebao WP25 on W1/S1, and a Koralia 750 behind the rock work. I don't think flow is my problem, my LPS on my sandbed move plenty.

Water - I run RO/DI.

Food - I feed sheets of Nori for the 2 tangs and the flame angel.

Water Parameters - Nitrates - 0, Alk - 8, CA - 420, Phosphates - 0.25 (it's actually higher than this because of the phosphates the algae is consuming)

Treatments - A couple months ago I used Chemiclean to no avail, it just came back. 2 weeks ago I used a stronger chemiclean treatment, and then bought a GFO/Carbon reactors from BRS. Prior to adding the GFO my Phosphates were 0.75 so they are going down which is good. The cyano is all but gone, but the brown algae remains.

Is it possible that the brown algae is dead algae from the GFO and I just need to add to my clean-up crew to clean it off the rock?

My clean-up crew is rather sparse right now except for a few turbo snails and sand star, was thinking about an order from reefcleaners.

Any thoughts?

FraggledRock · 12/28/2014, 08:58 PM

I would get a few more CUC members in there. Some hermits and astrea snails could help.

Reef Frog · 12/29/2014, 12:48 PM

They will recommend snail species for your issue. I like ceriths as they seem to stay on the rock. It sounds like dinoflagellates, not decomposimg green algae.

Sapelo · 12/29/2014, 01:32 PM

Clean up crew and patience. Algae outbreaks take time to create and longer (sometimes much longer) to eliminate.

12/28/2014, 08:36 PM	#1
jrkonzelman Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 52	Need Algae help 90g Tank has been up and running for 18 months. I had no algae problems for the last 16 months. Recently I had a cyano outbreak and a brown algae on my rocks, nothing on my sand. Cyano didn't overtake the tank in sheets, but the red algae was evident on my rocks. Flow - I run a Koralia 1100, a Jebao WP25 on W1/S1, and a Koralia 750 behind the rock work. I don't think flow is my problem, my LPS on my sandbed move plenty. Water - I run RO/DI. Food - I feed sheets of Nori for the 2 tangs and the flame angel. Water Parameters - Nitrates - 0, Alk - 8, CA - 420, Phosphates - 0.25 (it's actually higher than this because of the phosphates the algae is consuming) Treatments - A couple months ago I used Chemiclean to no avail, it just came back. 2 weeks ago I used a stronger chemiclean treatment, and then bought a GFO/Carbon reactors from BRS. Prior to adding the GFO my Phosphates were 0.75 so they are going down which is good. The cyano is all but gone, but the brown algae remains. Is it possible that the brown algae is dead algae from the GFO and I just need to add to my clean-up crew to clean it off the rock? My clean-up crew is rather sparse right now except for a few turbo snails and sand star, was thinking about an order from reefcleaners. Any thoughts?

12/28/2014, 08:58 PM	#2
FraggledRock Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: New York, New York Posts: 2,185	I would get a few more CUC members in there. Some hermits and astrea snails could help.

12/29/2014, 12:48 PM	#3
Reef Frog Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Maryland Posts: 3,121	They will recommend snail species for your issue. I like ceriths as they seem to stay on the rock. It sounds like dinoflagellates, not decomposimg green algae.

12/29/2014, 01:32 PM	#4
Sapelo Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: North Georgia Posts: 869	Clean up crew and patience. Algae outbreaks take time to create and longer (sometimes much longer) to eliminate.