0 nutrients, lots of algae

[s@ki]

Hi folks,

I've started new tank 21.10.2016.
Tank is ~410 l (110Gallons), 133*60*50cm.
It has 28kg live rock (transfered from another aquarium in buckets filled with water, max 0.5hours travel time from one tank to another) with about 200l of "old" water.
2 days later it was toped with 200l of fresh water, mixed with Red sea coral Pro salt (leftover from old tank).
I started dosing BioS, 4 drops daily.
1.11.2016 I've put 30kg of dry argonite sand and started dosing ProbioS and ProBioNP with BioS, 4 drops each.
Somewhere mid November(around 15.11.) I've stopped dosing BioS daily and started dosing itd twice a week, 4 drops for abour 2 weeks and from then only with water change (40l every Sunday)
ProbioS and ProbioNP are dosed daily.
I run GAC~1-2dcl, ~2dcl of Seachem Denitrate and ~1dcl of GFO.
I've switched to Aquaforest Reef salt ~1.12.

Corals and fishes were added reasonably slow:
8.11. sea urchin, gorgonia
15.11. few mushrooms, head of 3 differen lobophyillia, cathalaphylia, 2 ocellaris
etc

7.11. brown algae started to takeover and went as it came in about a week or so
Somewhere around 20.11. I had green hair algae boom and after 3-4 water changes (3-4 weeks) I managed to remove it almost completly.

I'm now left with thin layer of algae, almost like a moss which won't die.
Worst part is that most of the right rock is now filled with Dictyota algae.

I've tried with some macroalge and 10W red/blue grow light in sump. I had practicly 0 growth in about 5-6 weeks.

Parameters are:
0 Nitrates
0,01 Phosphate
8 kH
1380 Mg
440 Ca
1,026 salinity
26 deg C temp.

First measuring was taken at start of December and have checked them 2 times with different manufacturers.
(Salifert and JBL show <0,015 Po4, Hanna shows 0,01)

Few days ago I've added 6 Cromis, this will probably raise Nitrates.

Should I start to feed corals regarding these readings? I'm scared of anouther nutrient source as I still have algae growing.
What do you suggest to do to get rid of algae?

 

[Beach bummer]

What do you have in regards to clean up crew ?

 

[Beach bummer]

Also light intensity and duration &#55357;&#56839;

 

[GoVols]

What kind of rock do you have?
Live rock or dry rock?

 

[s@ki]

I've added about 10 snails,they are probably turbo fluctuosa, a week ago.
Adriatic sea urichin was here almost from start.
Abonensis shrimp came about a month ago.

I have reflekta light fixture with 8 t5 bulbs (120cm,54w)
2 blue are up at 5pm,followed by 2 white and 2 blue at 7pm until 00:00 and then only blue till 00.30. About a month ago I've extended blues till 2am

 

[s@ki]

GoVols, I wrote a book in first post. 28kg live rock from a neighbour from a stable mature reef tank

 

[matt1444]

I had great results using vibrance to knock out some annoying algae in my tank.

 

[GoVols]

GoVols, I wrote a book in first post. 28kg live rock from a neighbour from a stable mature reef tank

Sorry, bout that
Did you see if it is a strain of Dino's or Bryopsis?

 

[GoVols]

Here my small book: "For anyone that cares"

I have an old reef an started fighting algae too.

All my phosphates were in check and had my (lfs) double check too.
They said to maybe adjust my lighting. Didn't work.

Got to thinking about my old live rock and thought it maybe leaching phos. Did some more research and saw it could be possible.

If your live rock is old it can leach out phos. and the algae sucks in the leaching phos. tricking your test kits.

So I took a chance and bought a media reactor and started tumbling "Rowaphos".
Welp, That fixed my algae.

Note: You must run GFO in it's own reactor to get the full benefit.
Don't use AC and GFO in the same reactor. GFO must tumble or it will harden and not work.

AC is to soft to tumble and will break down into small fines that could lead into HLLE.

If you get Bryopsis: Get some Kent Marine "M Tech" and slowly raise your mag. to 2,100.
Might have to hold for up to six weeks and it takes a lot of product to do it.

If you've got Dino's that's a whole different story. Been there and done that.

Perry, The AF Man over hear: Says to acid wash new Dry Rock before use, because it will leach out goodies too.

Hope this gives someone help down the road.

 

[s@ki]

GoVols, from what I see it's Bryopsis (in smaller amount) and Dictyota (larger part)
I ran test yesterday evening:
temp 26
salinity 1.025
Ca 430
KH 7.62
Mg 1420
PO4 0.01
NO3 0

Mg seems to be rising but I currently don't dose anything. I skipped this weeks water change so I can monitor parameters and start dosing (pretty small amounts )

 

[GoVols]

GoVols, from what I see it's Bryopsis (in smaller amount) and Dictyota (larger part)
I ran test yesterday evening:
temp 26
salinity 1.025
Ca 430
KH 7.62
Mg 1420
PO4 0.01
NO3 0

Mg seems to be rising but I currently don't dose anything. I skipped this weeks water change so I can monitor parameters and start dosing (pretty small amounts )

s@ki,

Good, I would cry for ya if it were Dino's.

The mag with M Tech @ 2100 will get the Bryopsis.

Years ago I got desperate once with Dino's.
Finally got some Fauna Marin Algae X from "Barrier Reef Aquariums". Well it smoked the Dino's. It says it will get Bryopsis too but did nothing for my Bryopsis.

My (lfs) asked how I got rid of the Dino's and I told them I used the Fauna Marin and to this day my (lfs) keeps it stocked.

They've change the name to Dino X but it's the exact same product. Here's a link.
Follow the instructions to a tee and it could wipe out that Dictyota too.

http://www.barrierreefaquariums.com/productcart/pc/Fauna-Marin-Dino-X-500ML-455p11031.htm

 

[plyle02]

You have laden nutrients bound within what appears to be dead rock not cleansed properly to me, this is a common problem, specifically with this type system, as the bacteria is working on processing laden nutrients, and the algae is throwing false test readings because of it. You could run your tank with actinics only for a few days, to see if maybe the bacteria can out compete the algae, that or run a black out cycle whilst still dosing pro bio s and np pro. Until the nutrients are worked out of the source leaching, this will likely be ongoing, until the bacteria and carbon source dosing overcome the algae, then begin to work on leaching nutrients. Right now, the algae on the rock is getting it's source of nutrients form the rocks, you can clearly see it, this makes the water column appear to be devoid of nutrients. I would get a huge clean up crew working on that algae, turbos, urchins, blue led hermits, astrelas, and any other invert you can think that appreciates algae