algae issue --> UV solution

[DMBillies]

I have had an algae issue in my 90 for quite a while now and I'm sick and tired of having to reach in and pull it every couple of weeks. It's just run of the mill hair algae (bryopsis sp.) as best I can tell. I originally thought that it was just a result of stirring a bunch of junk up when I set-up the tank and moved everything over from another tank, but it has persisted despite my efforts (I think I've read more on algae than anyone ever should and have "Algae: A problem solver guide" by Sprung memorized cover to cover) and persisted for longer than I would have expected (going on maybe 7 months now).

My nitrates are almost zero (may actually be zero hard to tell with the test kit), my phosphates are reading 0, and all of my softies have stopped growing because I've been starving my tank in an effort to get it under control. My source water is RO/DI and reads 0 TDS (I've tested it for traces of other things just in case both of my TDS meters were giving me a false reading and I don't pick up anything in it). My SPS grow just fine and seem to be quite happy.

I have a ton of hermits and snails, two cucumbers, and a bunch of shrimp, so I imagine that any of the little bit of food I put in is being eaten up by them (and in theory, the hermits should be munching on the bryopsis). The cucumbers have actually gotten noticably skinnier since I cut back very seriously on feeding about a month ago. I also have a Kole tang and a lawnmower blenny which I hoped would help me out with the problem.

I'm running a Euroreef ES-8-1, which should be plenty big for a 90, and I don't permanently run anything that should trap detritus (filtersocks, bioballs, etc.). I also have a cheato ball in my sump that I prune every couple of weeks. I have an e-heim 1262 return pump and a closed loop that's being run with a Gen-X PCX 40 (Mak 4), so I've got more flow for sure than in any of my other tanks (that don't have algae problems). I do weekly 10 gallon water changes on this tank and use a powerhead to blow out the rocks (and a filter sock to catch the junk) when I do the changes.

I'm desperate for any ideas y'all might have for solving this problem. I was also considering buying a UV sterilizer and wanted to get opinions on them (do you think they would solve my problem?) and get feedback on brands that might be the best buy for the price. I just don't want to slap a bandaid on the problem, which seems to be the main argument against using UV sterilizers for algae control. Thanks, in advance, for any input.

 

[SRT80]

I think I remember in another post that y'all wasn't havin luck keeping the lettuce nudis. Those worked good for me....but after the algae was gone, they was gone, then the algae comes back. I actually got some star snails from reeftopia. They took out a large patch of hair algae in my tank.

Steve

 

[mamagoose45]

Correct on the lettuce nudis and this tank. They eat like crazy when we get them and you notice the impact they make , but it's more algae than a few of them can get under control before they disappear for whatever reasons....

 

[SRT80]

I would try some star snails. I didn't get them for hair algae, just thought they looked cool. But I guess it would be better if you figure out how to get rid of it all together...

Steve

 

[Mdwannabe]

I don't know that this is an answer, but I have always run a UV on my tanks, and while I've had more than my share of problems, Algae has never been one of them.
One of the Surgeons I work with set up a tank, and he had algae problems about 9 months into the tank's life. I told him to try a UV, and after 3 months, he said the issue went away. As it's not my tank and I only hear about it when there are issues, I'm not sure this is what corrected the issue, but it did seem to help.
JMTCW

Rick

 

[turboex901]

i personally have been lucky enough to not have a huge outbreak but from my browsing the general concensus is to not change the water during the battle. even with 0 tds there could be stuff in the water. theres many things we cant/dont test for and many things we still dont understand about algaes. it could be possible its feeding off of trace in the water column and the weekly changes just keep feeding it. i could be totally wrong, just brainstorming. i hope it works out for ya.<~~~~steve

edit: most people with algae problems test 0 for phosphates b/c the algae uses quicker than it can build a measurable amount on our test kits...... do you run a phosban reactor? if you dont and are thinking about acquiring one be careful. id reccomend only using 1/3 of the reccomended dosage at first then slowly ramping it up. ive seen people have sps crashes from removing the phosphates (if any are present) from their systems too quickly. HTH<~~~steve

 

[jfolley67]

I don't know if you run any chemical filtration...or you can put this pad in your sump, but I purchased a pad called a PURA FILTRATION PAD at fins......I had red sliime algae FOREVER.....after 2 days with this pad, my red slime was GONE. It was almost unbelieveable. My phosphates also tested 0 because it was being used up so fast by the red slime, I also had a bit of another type of algae that also dissolved within a week, but was not problematic yet. Just a suggestion. The pad is 7.99. I can cut 2 pieces for my eheim flitration system and you change them 1 time a month.....was a huge blessing for our tank.

 

[DMBillies]

I know about the issue with testing 0 phosphates because the algae eats it up. I would buy that... to some extent. I don't run a phosban reactor, but have been using Seachem SeaGel in bag in the bottom of my bubble trap in the sump (it's a combo of charcoal and phosguard). I'm not against trying a phosban reactor, but my personal preference is to keep things running as "naturally" as possible (and good heads up on not adding too much at once... I had heard about that before and never heard a good reason for why it happens, but better safe than sorry anyway).

As far as water changes possibly adding nutrients back in, I thought of that as a possibility (which is why I tested the heck out of my RO/DI water...I also know I have copper in my tap water and have wanted to continue to make sure that doesn't show up). I'm just nervous about stopping water changes because I've always had good luck keeping everything happy with the way I've been running it (aside from the algae issue). I usually put the water change water into my other "less demanding" tanks, so I'm not just tossing all that water every week, but almost all new water goes through the 90. That said, it does seem to be the one thing that seperates that tank from the others and it's the only one I have out of control algae in.

I have so much stuff that eats algae in my tank already that I don't think adding more would solve the problem (although I think the lettuce slugs are really cool and I will have to check out those snails). Something, coming from somewhere, is feeding the algae... I feel like that's where I'm going to get my mileage.

Lots to still think about... thanks for the input and keep it coming.

 

[waynesworld]

I used Blue leg hermits for mine and my brother has a lavender tang for his so it may be just try getting an animal to control it. If you go with blue legs let it get real bad then dump a bunch in and watch them go it is really fun to watch it looks like they have a lawnmower.

 

[greystreet41]

I had a similar problem for a long period of time and had about given up. I read where someone had significantly cut back their photoperiod (4-5 hours a day), increased flow, and still didmanual removal...it worked like a charm for me.
good luck

 

[TitansFan]

Do you have a fuge? In my FOWLR I was having an issue with HA. At the swap I got a bag of chaeto for $8 and a bulb and lamp from home depot for $15. In a short amount of time I have seen a drastic drop in my HA.

About the lawnmower blenny.. Now that mine has developed a taste for krill he hardly touches any of the algae in my tank. He would rather fight with my puffer for the krill. Does yours eat HA?

 

[fishdoc11]

HA is usually a result of built up nutrients (mainly PO4)in the tank or nutrients being added to the tank. How old is your sandbed and did you move it? The one time I had uncontrolable HA it turned out to be my sandbed was old and full...and I tried everything twice before I removed it.... it went away overnight when I did
Chris

 

[DMBillies]

I do have a fuge that sounds very similar to what you're describing TitansFan.

I have cut back the photoperiod quite a bit so that my main lights are only on about 6 hours. My actinics and second phase are on for a bit longer, but this was one of the things I've been messing around with and have thought about going shorter since my corals dont' seem to mind (I just like to have the lights on so I can see everything ).

...now, the sandbed... that's one I've been thinking about for a while. It's about a year old total and I did move it. I've thought for a while that moving it caused the initial outbreak that I had (which didn't surprise me) but the fact that I haven't gotten it under control makes me think that maybe this is the smoking gun. I figured because it was pretty new when I moved it (maybe 4 months) that it wouldn't continue to cause problems. I'm not a huge fan of the barebottom look, but I don't currently have anything in the tank that absolutely needs the sand bed that can't be moved to another tank, so I've been thinking about pulling it out. I definitely will not move a sand bed again either way (I just hated the idea of throwing away sand that I had "just bought"). This is the one thing (other than the water changes) that I have definitely done differently with this tank than my other set-ups.

 

[fishdoc11]

You can just add new sand after removing the old if that's what you like and it's determined that's the problem.
Chris