Algae

[john baker]

My tank has been set up for almost 4 years and I have a sudden out brake of a red / brown algae that is covering even the marble substrate. I probably left changing the filter medium for to long and it was a coated with debris and the algae had already started growing. I have since done a complete change of all media and filters. Water parameters are Ph 8.2 -8.4, calcium 450ppm, phos 0.3 ppm, salinity1.026,nitrate 10 ppm and alkalinity 7kh. What should I do to get rid of this algae that is covering the substrate as well as all the live rock and any part coal it can?

 

[Big_D]

It sounds like cyano, but hard to tell without pics. Does it seem to go away after the lights have been off overnight? Cyano is film like and can usually be blown off fairly easily with a baster.

If it is cyano, you might want to consider adding some phosphate remover and possibly a reactor. This will help remove phosphates in teh tank, but you should check the TDS of you top off water to make sure it's as clean as possible. Phosphates can get in the tank from many sources... i.e. top off water, bad salt mix, foods, additives, etc.

A good regimen of phosphate remover and manual removal of the algae with a turkey baster or similar means should eventually get the algae back under control.




Big D