What kind of algae and how do I get rid of it?

[CDFjr]

I have no idea what algae this is or how to get rid of it.

I have cleaned the glass, siphoned the sand, turned the lights off for 2 days, and did a 25% water change, but it just comes back the next day.

I had a LFS test water and below are the results

Ammonia - 0

nitrate - 0

Nitrite - 0

Phosphate - 0

salinity - 1.025

Ph - 8.2

Temp - 79

Thanks for the help

Edited January 14, 2020 by CDFjr

[Clown79]

Looks like a few algaes.

 

Gha 2nd pic

 

The rest looks like cyano, diatoms, possibly dino's.

 

0 phos and nitrates isn't beneficial, it does the opposite to the tank. 

 

In order to determine actual cause and correction we need to know a lot more about the tank.

 

Water used

 

Filter methods/media maintenance

 

Waterchange frequency, size, and process

 

Feeding/dosing 

[CDFjr]

 

Tank has been running 13 months.

I have a Aquatic Life four stage ro sytem.  I use reef crystals

Akamai KPS power head.  Im running chemipure elite, phosgaurd, and filter floss.  filter floss is changed every 3-5 days.

I do weekly water changes of 2 gallons.  Tank is a 16g biocube

I haven't been dosing anything, should I?  If so with what?

I feed my clownfish and skunk cleaner shrimp every 2 or 3 days.

What is needed to get phos and nitrates up?  what should the levels be for that?

 

Thanks for the help!!!

[Clown79]

2 hours ago, CDFjr said:

 

Tank has been running 13 months.

I have a Aquatic Life four stage ro sytem.  I use reef crystals

Akamai KPS power head.  Im running chemipure elite, phosgaurd, and filter floss.  filter floss is changed every 3-5 days.

I do weekly water changes of 2 gallons.  Tank is a 16g biocube

I haven't been dosing anything, should I?  If so with what?

I feed my clownfish and skunk cleaner shrimp every 2 or 3 days.

What is needed to get phos and nitrates up?  what should the levels be for that?

 

Thanks for the help!!!

You can either dose phos and nitrate or start increasing feedings. 

 

Chemipure is carbon with gfo which reduces phos, phosguard does the same thing. So essentially its stripped the tank.

 

Using a good carbon is helpful but phos reducers are best used on a need to basis with testing every 4 days.

[CDFjr]

Should I run chemipure elite, floss, and purigen or should i just run chemipure blue and floss?

what should i get to dose phos and nitrate?

 

Thank you!!

[jservedio]

14 minutes ago, CDFjr said:

Should I run chemipure elite, floss, and purigen or should i just run chemipure blue and floss?

what should i get to dose phos and nitrate?

 

Thank you!!

You should take ALL of your chemical media out - that means everything except for the floss. Feed your clowns daily - as much as they will eat within a couple minutes without much food being wasted. Crank up your flow a bit and keep testing. You want both testable Nitrate (roughly 5-10+ppm) and phosphate (roughly 0.05-0.1ppm) at all times.

 

None of your algae is concerning, especially on a tank that's barely a year old - you just need your nutrient levels stable and at appropriate levels or you will end up with dinos, chysophytes, or some other crazy outbreak that will suck up the next year of your tank's life.

[Clown79]

41 minutes ago, CDFjr said:

Should I run chemipure elite, floss, and purigen or should i just run chemipure blue and floss?

what should i get to dose phos and nitrate?

 

Thank you!!

Besides regular carbon(seachem carbon is a good one) and floss, I'd run no other chemical media. That's what's led to the lack of nutrients.

 

Change floss 2 times a week

Change carbon every 3 weeks( buy bulk container and bag yourself)

 

Feed your fish daily 

 

Do small weekly waterchanges, vacuum sand, Turkey baste rocks during waterchanges.

[CDFjr]

Thank ya'll for the quick responses and help!

I will get this changed as you have recommended and go from there.

Thanks again!