Big algae bloom. Help ID?

[starionesir]

I have my first big algae bloom which seemed to come out of no where. It started very small and then seemed to grow like crazy with a couple days. I've been pulling huge chunks out every day and am seeming to lose the battle. Any ideas short of taking every rock out and scrubbing will be appreciated. I'd really prefer not to take everything apart.

 

[Mhay]

It's hard to tell from the pictures but do they look fern like?

 

[starionesir]

No they are not fern like. I've pulled out a ton of it. Its more like blades or grass.

 

[Mhay]

My guess would be green hair algae. What are your water parameters at?

 

[starionesir]

Everything is good with the exception of nitrates around 30ppm which I know is high but I've been doing 5 gallons water changes every other day to try and lower it. I am also running denitrate in a reactor which doesn't seem to be doing much but I already had it so figured couldn't hurt to try. I am using ro/di water so I should be good there and I have a tds meter hooked to it and it says 0.

 

[Mhay]

It's best if you post the actual parameters.
What are your phosphates at?

 

[100%hydrophylic]

Thats not really standard GHA

It looks like it has thicker individual stalks, almost like a type of Byropsis, but you said it wasn't fern like? what does it look like out of water? GHA looks like slimy gunk out of water (and in). My guess would be that it is not just regular green hair algae. Maybe a type of ugly macro. Better picture would help

 

[starionesir]

I'll try and get some closer shots when I get home. I'll also get some pictures of it out of the water. It maintains its shape even out of the water. I've pulled hair algae out before and it just almost turns into snot this stuff is more like cut grass just softer of course.

 

[starionesir]

As for water parameters I'll recheck everything tonight and post. I ordered a hanna phosphate checker so I can figure out what it is. The salifert phosphate test I have is very hard to tell what shade of blue it is.

 

[Usernam Invalid]

Some kind of macro algae any reset addition to tank like frags or live rock. What's you tank parameters.

 

[starionesir]

I added the mushrooms about 3 weeks ago and the zoo's about 2 weeks ago.

 

[starionesir]

Here is some pictures of the algae inside the tank and some after I pulled some out. Tank parameters are

Temp 79
pH 8
Alk 9
Salinity 1.025
Ammonia 0 ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 10-20 ppm
Mag 825 ppm
Phosphate 0
Calcium (ran out of reagent so couldn't test)

I know the nitrate is too high. The mag and phos test were done with my old salifert test kits. They are at least 4 years old though so not sure how accurate they still are. I am a little shocked with it reading 0 for phosphate. I ordered a hanna phosphate checker so I will find out soon enough.

 

[Xavibear]

Looks like cheato. Algae is binding up PO4, so you might not get a reading for it.

 

[100%hydrophylic]

It looks like two different types. I would say its a macro of some sort, maybe related to chaeto. Manual removal is your best bet or something you know will eat macros.

(Nutrient control as well)

 

[Mike Ordner]

Looks like some type of algae in the genus Ulva.

 

[Mhay]

Are you running GFO?

 

[ahmed_iAM]

I'd prefer that to other algae. Unfortunately my CuC never touch cyano which I've gotten a lot of recently did to carbon dosing

 

[starionesir]

I've been pulling as much out everyday as I can reach. What will eat macros algae? The snails and hermits don't seem to have much interest. Will a protein skimmer help with macro algae? I know I really should have one to help with the tank in general and I had one till it broke. I'm working on getting another one soon just been a rough time for the budget recently.

 

[starionesir]

No I am not running GFO. I can get some and swap out the seachem denitrate from the reactor and put in the GFO. I know phosphate won't always show up if its being absorbed by algae but will the hanna checkers show it or will they give a faulty reading as well?

 

[Mhay]

If you have algae you will never get an accurate reading as it is absorbing the phosphates. I would recommend running GFO, continue removing as much as you can, and water changes.