Help.

jmustapha · 10/11/2014, 09:11 PM

My tank looks like ****. No matter what I do algae is just continuing to take over. On the sand bed it's jus brown sheet algae. I have a bunch of sand sifting critters in my dsb but nothing helps. The rocks are being takin over by red algae (I don't know what kind) and sections are black algae too. It's starting to take over my gsp coral. If it rock isn't covered with that it's got some white fuzz on it. Plus I have these tiny tiny white snails taking over my other snails. Not bothering anything but there is 100's of them

Levels are all normal. No phosphate problems. It's a 180 gallon tank and I Do a water change once every 3-4 weeks. Run a sick filter and oversized skimmer plus carbon

I have 30 snails and probably 10 crabs 3 shrimps a bunch of fish and a starfish

Any help on names of algae. Or how to get better is much appreciated.

icebrg5 · 10/11/2014, 09:37 PM

You should do weekly to bi weekly water changes.

Also how much water are you changing?

Are you using RO/DI water or tap?

What kind of lights are you running and for how long are they on each day?

claireputput · 10/11/2014, 10:11 PM

Hi, I would also check what type food you are feeding-I bought one this past month and suddenly, I have algae. I think it was high in phosphate and I have discontinued using it. Are you carbon dosing?
Lots of things influence algae-I have emerald crabs in my dt and they help. I also have a sea hare-this is a 120g tank.

Crooked Reef · 10/11/2014, 10:26 PM

How old is the tank? Brown stuff on the sand is diatoms. They come and go in the first year or so until all of the silicates are out of the sand. They feed on them. The red may be cyanobacteria. I cant tell from the picture though. Does it wax and wane with the light cycle and can it be blown off of the rocks easily? If so then manual removal with a turkey baster in conjunction with a 3 day lights out monthly, no more than monthly or your corals will suffer, and it will take care of it. Nothing is a quick fix in this hobby.

If it is actual algae on the rocks then I would run GFO to drop your phosphate. I know you said your test shows no phosphate problems, but if algae is growing, you have phosphate. The algae is eating the phosphate and it is not getting in the water to test. It is also possible that the rock is leaching phosphate.

10/11/2014, 09:11 PM	#1
jmustapha Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 20	Help. My tank looks like ****. No matter what I do algae is just continuing to take over. On the sand bed it's jus brown sheet algae. I have a bunch of sand sifting critters in my dsb but nothing helps. The rocks are being takin over by red algae (I don't know what kind) and sections are black algae too. It's starting to take over my gsp coral. If it rock isn't covered with that it's got some white fuzz on it. Plus I have these tiny tiny white snails taking over my other snails. Not bothering anything but there is 100's of them Levels are all normal. No phosphate problems. It's a 180 gallon tank and I Do a water change once every 3-4 weeks. Run a sick filter and oversized skimmer plus carbon I have 30 snails and probably 10 crabs 3 shrimps a bunch of fish and a starfish Any help on names of algae. Or how to get better is much appreciated.

10/11/2014, 09:37 PM	#2
icebrg5 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 168	You should do weekly to bi weekly water changes. Also how much water are you changing? Are you using RO/DI water or tap? What kind of lights are you running and for how long are they on each day? __________________ Using Tapatalk

10/11/2014, 10:26 PM	#4
Crooked Reef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 1,765	How old is the tank? Brown stuff on the sand is diatoms. They come and go in the first year or so until all of the silicates are out of the sand. They feed on them. The red may be cyanobacteria. I cant tell from the picture though. Does it wax and wane with the light cycle and can it be blown off of the rocks easily? If so then manual removal with a turkey baster in conjunction with a 3 day lights out monthly, no more than monthly or your corals will suffer, and it will take care of it. Nothing is a quick fix in this hobby. If it is actual algae on the rocks then I would run GFO to drop your phosphate. I know you said your test shows no phosphate problems, but if algae is growing, you have phosphate. The algae is eating the phosphate and it is not getting in the water to test. It is also possible that the rock is leaching phosphate. __________________ “In wine there is wisdom; in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.” - Benjamin Franklin Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef. Biocube 29 lionfish tank. Mantis tank.

10/11/2014, 10:11 PM	#3
claireputput Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 53	Hi, I would also check what type food you are feeding-I bought one this past month and suddenly, I have algae. I think it was high in phosphate and I have discontinued using it. Are you carbon dosing? Lots of things influence algae-I have emerald crabs in my dt and they help. I also have a sea hare-this is a 120g tank.