Algae advice needed

[KenAugustine]

Need your help. I am testing near zero nitrate and zero phosphate. I am using the zeovit system. I have an out of control algae problem. I have been performing 20g water changes weekly for the last 2 mos to try to combat this.

System
92g corner
30g sump
SKIMZ KONE SK201 skimmer
zeovit, scaled back to the basics for over a month.

here is a video of my issue.
https://youtu.be/xouAsC78L_w

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[BlueMoods]

Looks like hair algae. Hermit crabs will eat it, as well as excess food. Usually, that's overfeeding causing it, giving it nutrients or, a heavy bioload for your filtration.

I use vodka dosing to keep it down in my tanks. There are some post about that around here, just search them up. You might also need more filtration and/or algae eaters to help combat it for a while.

 

[Scott07]

that its only in certain places and on certain rocks leads me to believe those rocks are likely leeching phosphates. How old is the tank, and was the rock live, dry, cured in any way?

Your phosphate test is reading zero because the algae is consuming the phosphate in the water column. Phosphates do exist on some level though, or else you wouldn't have that hair algae.

This is about the most common issue with newer-ish tanks, at least in my perception. Luckily its not the end of the world and there are a bunch of ways to take care of this. Resesrch GFO and media reactors, carbon dosing, NoPoX, and/or consider adding a large refugium or an algae turf scrubber. Pick an approach that seems doable to you and get started. With that much hair algae though, some manual removal is going to be required. Look into how people clean rocks with hydrogen peroxide, and consider this when you start to lower phosphates and the algae stops growing.

Whatever you decide, go slowly. Some hair algae is unsightly, but rushing to lower phosphates too agressively can have far worse consequences on your tank. Go slowly, be diligent in whatever method you choose, and you will get there.

 

[KenAugustine]

Thanks for your replies.

The tank is over a year old. I changed my lights a few mons ago and it seemed to start around that time. I do dose Zeostart3 daily. I am thinking to add a 15g external refugium with chaeto after thanksgiving.

To answer your rock question I did cure the rocks a year ago before i setup the tank. I dipped them in bleach for a month.

Ive trimmed the feeding down to every other day. When I do feed, its one cube of mysis

 

[outy]

but rushing to lower phosphates too agressively can have far worse consequences on your tank. .

There is nothing wrong with lowering phosphates aggressively or fast.


If he test at zero, its sort of hard to get aggressive at this point.


How old is this tank Ken?

 

[KenAugustine]

There is nothing wrong with lowering phosphates aggressively or fast.


If he test at zero, its sort of hard to get aggressive at this point.


How old is this tank Ken?

14 mos

 

[outy]

Pull what you can out manually, the zeovit may not be keeping up.

Never hurts to throw a clip on light over the sump and throw some chaeto in to see what it does. If GHA can grow so will chaeto.

I have had an issue for 25 years with my ro/di water, when I do a lot of water changes I get GHA every water change. Water test 0 on every low level test kit I have tried including my reef store test. When I back off water changes I can go a year or two without GHA. Not sure if this is your issue or not. fact is like you I have introduced nutrients for GHA whether it be water changes or feeding.

 

[Scott07]

There is nothing wrong with lowering phosphates aggressively or fast.


If he test at zero, its sort of hard to get aggressive

I believe you... and i know I've only had a few tanks and been in the hobby a pretty short amount of time. But my last tank, a 20gal., I managed to kill or seriously harm almost every coral in the tank within a couple of days when i started running a cup of seachem phosguard in a reactor. My phosphates were testing 0.05 with a hanna checker before I started the reactor. It could have been the product i was using, it could have been something completely unrelated.... but I'm still cautious about how i manage my phosphates. I think you definitely know what you're talking about here more than i do, but just wanted to explain where i was coming from with that statement.

 

[KenAugustine]

I did change all filters in my reverse osmosis and deionizer, my TDS is zero on the RO/DI system.

 

[outy]

I managed to kill or seriously harm almost every coral in the tank within a couple of days when i started running a cup of seachem phosguard in a reactor. .

You tried the wrong way, none of us recommend that product.

 

[outy]

I did change all filters in my reverse osmosis and deionizer, my TDS is zero on the RO/DI system.

My incoming water is 27tds and is always 0

But every water changes brings some on

 

[KenAugustine]

so your saying Algae is coming in even though the out TDS is zero and all my filters are new?

 

[Scott07]

You tried the wrong way, none of us recommend that product.

Haha me either lol! I still have the whole stupid bottle minus the 1 cup i used.

 

[sde1500]

so your saying Algae is coming in even though the out TDS is zero and all my filters are new?

your algae has zero to do with TDS from your water. Your algae is feeding on nutrients in the tank whether you can measure them or not.

 

[outy]

so your saying Algae is coming in even though the out TDS is zero and all my filters are new?

Has for me for almost 3 decades, and all test show 0

Hell my TDS is 0 before DI, and every water change introduces GHA. for a few weeks. This may not be yoir problem, just relating my experiences.

 

[outy]

your algae has zero to do with TDS from your water. Your algae is feeding on nutrients in the tank whether you can measure them or not.

It was my example he was refering to.

Somehow my new water has something in it not detectable.

 

[KenAugustine]

I just hand removed 90 percent. We will see what happens. I will start the refugium after thanksgiving.