HELP Algae taking over tank

[Lnk89]

First experience with saltwater and reef tanks so not sure how to deal with all this algae yet. I have had this tank set up since February and everything was going fine until I got a fish. I bought a yellow goby and overfed the first week trying to get it to eat and now I am paying for it. I seem to be getting over run with algae and I am not sure what kind or what to do to control and get rid of it. I have been doing weekly 50% water changes and pulling out as much algae as I can, but it's not doing much.

 

Tank specs:

10 gallon
11.5 lbs live rock
10lbs sand

1 koralia 240 powerhead

77-80F

1.025 salinity

 

stocking

kenya tree

red mushroom

chalice coral... I think unsure what it is.

1 yellow goby

1 turbo snail

2 nassarius snail

 

I feed a tiny bit of frozen mysis shrimp every other day.

 

 

[ninjamyst]

what are you using for mechanical and chemical filtration?

[seabass]

Add more algae eating snails, like Trochus snails.

 

Do you use RO/DI, distilled, RO, or treated tap water? Does the tank get exposed to natural sunlight? Have you regularly been monitoring phosphate and nitrate levels? What are the current levels? Note that an algae bloom will consume nutrients in the water, usually giving you low readings. What do you use for test kits (especially phosphate)?

[GMay]

All very good questions asked above.

 

It would also be helpful to know what your lighting is.

 

It also looks like you have more than one kind of algae growing in your tank. Is that so?

[mystersyster]

About all you can do is starve it out. Are you running a GFO reactor?

[Lnk89]

what are you using for mechanical and chemical filtration?

Nothing being used for mechanical or chemical filtration. Just a 10 gallon tank with powerhead and liverock.

 

Add more algae eating snails, like Trochus snails.

 

Do you use RO/DI, distilled, RO, or treated tap water? Does the tank get exposed to natural sunlight? Have you regularly been monitoring phosphate and nitrate levels? What are the current levels? Note that an algae bloom will consume nutrients in the water, usually giving you low readings. What do you use for test kits (especially phosphate)?

Will the Trochus snails eat this kind of algae?

 

I use RO/DI water from the grocery store. Tank doesn't get any natural sunlight.

 

Haven't been monitoring phosphate, don't have a test kit for that yet.

 

I have the saltwater api test kit for nitrates testing. Haven't seen nitrates get above 5-10ppm at the end of the week. My nitrate readings haven't changed much from pre algae bloom.

lighting is current usa marine orbit(18-24")

 

No GFO reactor

[Clown79]

Is it an all in one tank like innovative marine or standard tank?

 

If aio, there could be a lot of buildup in the back chambers. I recommend those being scrubbed and vacuumed. I also added 2 snails to my chambers to keep clean.

 

If its a standard tank you might want to add an hob filter with floss, carbon, and possibly another mwthod of chemical filteration like chemi pure etc.

 

Have you been vacuuming the sand, using a turkey baster on rocks?

[Lnk89]

It's just a regular 10 gallon tank.

 

I have been vacuuming the sand and rocks to try and get as much algae off as possible.

 

I seem to read conflicting things about adding a hob filter. Some say helpful other say they trap nutrients and create more problems.

 

I see a lot of people adding hob with more liverock and or chaeto in it. Would that help out at all?

[seabass]

Will the Trochus snails eat this kind of algae?

They will put a dent in it; but you still have to manage organics and nutrients in the tank.

 

I use RO/DI water from the grocery store.

In my experience, there is no such product available at grocery stores. It's probably RO water (which is better than tap, but not as good as RO/DI or distilled). The RO vending machines often aren't properly maintained. I had an experience where there was 40ppm of nitrate in water from one of those machines.

 

Haven't been monitoring phosphate, don't have a test kit for that yet.

This is an important nutrient to test for. I recommend a good low range kit like the Hanna ULR Phosphorus Checker.

[seabass]

I seem to read conflicting things about adding a hob filter. Some say helpful other say they trap nutrients and create more problems. I see a lot of people adding hob with more liverock and or chaeto in it. Would that help out at all?

There is nothing wrong with running a HOB filter. It's what you put in it that can be beneficial or detrimental. Putting live rock rubble in it is bad. In fact, putting any biological filter in it is unnecessary and can potentially cause nitrate levels to increase.

 

Chemical media like activated carbon or Chemi-Pure is usually beneficial. You can also use Phosguard to control phosphate (when used with a test kit to control the range). Generally speaking, setting up a refugium in a small space will typically yield unimpressive results. I usually recommend mechanical and chemical filter media for a HOB filter.

 

I'd look into an AquaClear filter with inTank media basket: http://shop.mediabaskets.com/AquaClear-50_c49.htm

[Lnk89]

Thanks for clearing up the hob stuff. Will try and pick one up this weekend.

 

I checked my water and it's good for nitrates, nitrite, ammonia and all that. So I don't think it's that.

 

I think it's because of the feeding. The first week I got the goby I was trying different food since he wasn't eating anything and I think there was just too much. Because that's when it started. I try to feed it a very little bit every other day, but it' been 3 weeks and I still haven't seen it eat, but it's still alive so it must be.

 

I will continue with the water changes and maybe add a few trochus snails for algae and get a few more nassarius snails to help eat the leftover food that the goby doesn't eat. I keep reading to get 1 snail per gallon, but that seems like alot for a 10 gallon. What should I be aiming for clean up crew wise?

[seabass]

I checked my water and it's good for nitrates, nitrite, ammonia and all that. So I don't think it's that.

Nitrite isn't really an issue in saltwater (it's just a sign that the cycle has been overwhelmed with ammonia). Similarly, in a mature tank you shouldn't be able to detect any ammonia. While it's good to check for nitrate, phosphate is usually a larger problem when it comes to algae. Also, remember that nutrient levels will often be depressed during an algae bloom (as the bloom is utilizing the nutrients in the water column to fuel the bloom).

 

What should I be aiming for clean up crew wise?

It depends on the tank and how you feed. If you have algae, it is usually safe to say that you might need more herbivores. There really isn't a reliable number of snails per gallon rule.

[strummerfan]

Personally phosphate test kits are a waste of money. First off we're dealing with two types of phosphate(organic and inorganic if I remember correctly) and our test kits only test for one. Not having ability to test for both types is one of the reasons why our test kits frequently show zero, but we still have algae problems. Algae needs 3 things to grow- Nitrate, Phosphate, and light. Secondly, look at your tank if you have an algae problem you have a phosphate problem. It's really that simple. You're the best phosphate test kit on the market. If you're trying to run ULNS sps tank, carbon dosing yada yada yada I can see a need for trying to keep track of your phosphates. Outside of that, save your money.

[Cencalfishguy56]

Personally phosphate test kits are a waste of money. First off we're dealing with two types of phosphate(organic and inorganic if I remember correctly) and our test kits only test for one. Not having ability to test for both types is one of the reasons why our test kits frequently show zero, but we still have algae problems. Algae needs 3 things to grow- Nitrate, Phosphate, and light. Secondly, look at your tank if you have an algae problem you have a phosphate problem. It's really that simple. You're the best phosphate test kit on the market. If you're trying to run ULNS sps tank, carbon dosing yada yada yada I can see a need for trying to keep track of your phosphates. Outside of that, save your money.

this! Eyes are the best test kit and it's free, ever since switching to a sump macros and skimming has done wonders and religious weekly water changes at 25%

[Matteo]

AC HOB FTW ALL DAY

[Cencalfishguy56]

AC HOB FTW ALL DAY

YEEEE!!

[BoxKing]

Get a HOB filter, add mechanical and chemical filtration and you will be pleased with the results. You might even have enough space to hide your heater there as well, to further clean up your tank.

[seabass]

Personally phosphate test kits are a waste of money. First off we're dealing with two types of phosphate(organic and inorganic if I remember correctly) and our test kits only test for one. Not having ability to test for both types is one of the reasons why our test kits frequently show zero, but we still have algae problems.

It might be easier to think of it as bound and unbound phosphate. When algae or another organism consumes phosphate it is bound in that organism (and not available to other organisms, plus we can no longer detect it with our test kits). So you are right in that once an algae bloom is in effect, test kits give us a lot less information.

 

Test kits are much more effective in determining if phosphate is within the target range (0.01 to 0.03 ppm). In manipulating phosphate with GFO or Phosguard, it is particularly helpful to monitor the effect on phosphate. You don't want it to go too low (as coral uses it for energy) and you don't want it to go too high (or you will have algae problems).

 

When buying a phosphate test kit, it is critical to get a low range kit. Many people use API phosphate kits, but they are a high range kit (as they go up in 0.25 ppm increments, so phosphate is undetectable until it is at least 10 times higher than it should be).

[strummerfan]

this! Eyes are the best test kit and it's free, ever since switching to a sump macros and skimming has done wonders and religious weekly water changes at 25%

 

 

Phosphate removal was the premise behind "cooking rock" and running bare bottom tanks. The idea was to take your system from an algae driven system to a bacteria driven system. Cooking rock has nothing to do with heat, ovens, or any other such nonsense. They basically took all the rock and kept it in a dark container and allowed the bacteria to consume all of the excess muck(phospate,nitrate etc) that built up in the rock. Your rocks basically act like a sponge and absorb it. I did it prior to setting up a barebottom tank and was shocked at the amount of muck that the rock had shed when I changed the water each week.

It might be easier to think of it as bound and unbound phosphate. When algae or another organism consumes phosphate it is bound in that organism (and not available to other organisms, plus we can no longer detect it with our test kits). So you are right in that once an algae bloom is in effect, test kits give us a lot less information.

 

Test kits are much more effective in determining if phosphate is within the target range (0.01 to 0.03 ppm). In manipulating phosphate with GFO or Phosguard, it is particularly helpful to monitor its effect on phosphate. You don't want it to go too low (as coral uses it for energy) and you don't want it to go too high (or you will have algae problems).

 

When buying a phosphate test kit, it is critical to get a low range kit. Many people use API phosphate kits, but they are a high range kit (as they go up in 0.25 ppm increments, so phosphate is undetectable until it is at least 10 times higher than it should be).

You can never go "too low" or eliminate it entirely as it's one of the essential building blocks of all life. However, we are essentially on the same page.

[seabass]

In our reef tanks, where there isn't the quantity and diversity of food that is found on the natural reefs, extremely low phosphate levels can stress our coral (where the symbiotic algae uses phosphate for energy/growth). We also see negative effects when we lower high phosphate levels too quickly.

 

I'm not really arguing with you Strummer. I just want the others following this thread to understand that phosphate is an important nutrient, and that aggressive reduction with phosphate reducing media can have negative effects. It's usually best to keep phosphate within the 0.01 to 0.03 ppm range.

[strummerfan]

In our reef tanks, where there isn't the quantity and diversity of food that is found on the natural reefs, extremely low phosphate levels can stress our coral (where the symbiotic algae uses phosphate for energy/growth). We also see negative effects when we lower high phosphate levels too quickly.

 

I not really arguing with you Strummer. I just want the others following this thread to understand that phosphate is an important nutrient, and that aggressive reduction with phosphate reducing media can have negative effects. It's usually best to keep phosphate within the 0.01 to 0.03 ppm range.

No worries. I didn't take it as arguing with me. It's a message board, it's meant for discussion.

[Lnk89]

Had my water tested for phosphate and it indeed was on the high side.

 

Picked up a few snails last night to try and make a dent in the algae and then this weekend I will pick up a hob filter. Hopefully that will fix my algae issue or at least not make it as bad.

[Cencalfishguy56]

Had my water tested for phosphate and it indeed was on the high side.

 

Picked up a few snails last night to try and make a dent in the algae and then this weekend I will pick up a hob filter. Hopefully that will fix my algae issue or at least not make it as bad.

id do a couple small water changes the next few days, that will help a ton!

[seabass]

Had my water tested for phosphate and it indeed was on the high side.

How high was it? Any plans to use phosphate reducing media like Phosguard?

[Lnk89]

id do a couple small water changes the next few days, that will help a ton!

I did a 25% water change last night before picking up the snails and I will probably do another water change on sunday.

 

How high was it? Any plans to use phosphate reducing media like Phosguard?

Not sure how high exactly. Had them test it at the fish store and they just said it was a little high. I ordered a test kit online so when that comes I should get a actual number. I should have asked what it was at...

 

Probably won't use phosguard right away. I will try it out with carbon or chemi pure and filter floss first and then if that doesn't help I will try out phosguard or something like that.