Green slime algae problem.

[evolutionZ]

Hey guys, i have a 3month old 65g tank running into quite a serious green slime algae problem. i hope you guys can help me solve it.

Here's my tank specs :

Tank size : 120x60x36cm (12mm rimless)
Sump tank : 35x50x45cm (6mm)
Skimmer : Deltec MCE 600
Lighting :Maxspect Razor 160w 16k
Return pump : Eheim 1260
Chiller : Teco TR15
Substrate : CaribSea Special Grade reef sand (40lb)
Wavemaker : Jebao WP-40 (running else @ 15V) + SunSun 5000l/hr. (soon to add another 3000l/hr wavemaker)
Filtration : 30kg Cured Live rocks, Rowaphos (in TLF 150 reactor) and rowacarbon in a bag.
Carbon dosing : 20ml of vinegar (2 times a day)
Dosing : Grotech ABC+M

Fish List :
Hippo blue tang (2")
Yellow tang (2.5")
Six-line wrasse (1.5")
Cleaner Wrasse x2 (3")
True percular clown (2.5")
Mandarin dragonet (2")
Fire goby (2.5")

A total of 8 fishes, i feed 1 strip of Nori in the noon and some mixed pellets and frozen brineshrimp/mysis in the night. and I feed oyster feast (1/2tsp) daily to the tank.

Here's my water parameters taken hours ago :
pH : 8.2
Alk : 8.2dkh
Ca : 420ppm
mg : 1380ppm
no3 : 2.5ppm
po4 : 0ppm
SG : 1.025

My tank is a Mixed reef with but leaning more towards SPS and zoas. i do keep a number of fishes and i feed pretty heavily 1 - 2 times a day.

Heres 2 photo of the green slime algae im talking about




As you can see, they grow and cover part of my sand, i have been siphoning them out on a weekly basis.. They are luckily, very easy to remove. They very seldom grow my rocks.

These few recent weeks they are starting to get out of control. Thus i decided to post asking for help.

Thanks!

 

[Hudzon]

with that many fish in that small of a tank you will most like likely continue to have nutrient export problems that will lead to idea breeding conditions for nuisance algae and or cyanobacteria I think you will need to double up on the maintenance to twice a week water changes and syphoning.

 

[thegrun]

You can decide for yourself the efficacy of keeping tangs in an undersized tank, but they are not efficient eaters so they produce a lot of waste so nitrates and phosphates are going to be an issue you will need to deal with if you keep them. Even though your tests are not showing phosphates you can bet they are there, the algae growth is just masking their presence. I would start first by aiming your returns/powerheads down towards the sand in an attempt to get more flow there. If that fails to reduce the algae look into adding a GFO or phosphate removing resin reactor to your system.

 

[tanked37]

It's all about excess nutrients. I would stop the oyster feast completely, and I would rinse the frozen food, but I would reduce the frequency of feeding frozen foods. Also, don't let the Nori sheets get broken off and stay in the tank. I would then make sure you only feed a pinch of the pellets, etc. making sure it ALL is eaten. You will have no choice but to add a phosphate reactor. This algae is very aggressive, but like you said will mostly stay on the sand so always get as much as you can out during water changes like you're doing.

 

[maroun.c]

Could be that you're tank is still cycling at only 3 months and a heavy fish load for such a new tank and you overfeeding.
Would minimize the feeding a bit and rinse all frozen food and watch the system with no fish additions and more water changes, making sure your skimmer neck is cleaned daily and skimming a bit on the wet side.

 

[evolutionZ]

with that many fish in that small of a tank you will most like likely continue to have nutrient export problems that will lead to idea breeding conditions for nuisance algae and or cyanobacteria I think you will need to double up on the maintenance to twice a week water changes and syphoning.

only a total of 8 fish is considered many? forgot about maintenance, i do 8% WC once a week. Thank you so much for your reply.

You can decide for yourself the efficacy of keeping tangs in an undersized tank, but they are not efficient eaters so they produce a lot of waste so nitrates and phosphates are going to be an issue you will need to deal with if you keep them. Even though your tests are not showing phosphates you can bet they are there, the algae growth is just masking their presence. I would start first by aiming your returns/powerheads down towards the sand in an attempt to get more flow there. If that fails to reduce the algae look into adding a GFO or phosphate removing resin reactor to your system.

I understand about the issue regarding the blue hippo tang in my 48x24x14" tank. in a few months it will be passed to my friend who has a 7ft tank. As for the yellow tang, im being told that its alright to keep it in my tank size.
I have been increasing my Rowaphos in my reactor and also adding more carbon. Thanks for your reply!

It's all about excess nutrients. I would stop the oyster feast completely, and I would rinse the frozen food, but I would reduce the frequency of feeding frozen foods. Also, don't let the Nori sheets get broken off and stay in the tank. I would then make sure you only feed a pinch of the pellets, etc. making sure it ALL is eaten. You will have no choice but to add a phosphate reactor. This algae is very aggressive, but like you said will mostly stay on the sand so always get as much as you can out during water changes like you're doing.

I do not have the habit of rinsing the frozen food.. I would do so from now on. The nori gets eaten fairly quickly by the tangs and Cleaner wrasse so not much is left in the tank. Most pellets fed are eaten either by the fishes or the 8 naussarius snails i have for cleaners. I already have a TLF 150 phosban reactor that i put rowaphos in. Once again, thank you for your reply.

Could be that you're tank is still cycling at only 3 months and a heavy fish load for such a new tank and you overfeeding.
Would minimize the feeding a bit and rinse all frozen food and watch the system with no fish additions and more water changes, making sure your skimmer neck is cleaned daily and skimming a bit on the wet side.

i used cured live rocks from day 1 and not uncured or dead dry rocks. Thanks will do so as per your advice.

 

[evolutionZ]

Forgot to mentioned that, lately my Deltec MCE600 hasn't been skimming well. i have to keep tuning it. i will be taking out to wash it with vinegar later.

Anyway heres my tank shot.

 

[tanked37]

I do not have the habit of rinsing the frozen food.. I would do so from now on. The nori gets eaten fairly quickly by the tangs and Cleaner wrasse so not much is left in the tank. Most pellets fed are eaten either by the fishes or the 8 naussarius snails i have for cleaners. I already have a TLF 150 phosban reactor that i put rowaphos in. Once again, thank you for your reply.

8 fish is a bit much for a 3 month old tank. I have a 90 gallon pushing 7 months and I have a sailfin tang, a pajama cardinal, and 2 small green chromis'. Anyway, it's not that you can't have it, but the result is that more food must go into the tank resulting in more waste and thus more nitrates and phosphates. A young tank will respond more likely with cyano, and other nuisance algae's.

As for feeding, I still think you should reduce the amount. The nassarius snails should *never* get the food. They need to be hungry to eat the waste. Also, you should really do 10-15% water changes per week. That's kind of the standard that works well.

Once you get this feeding, etc under control and begin to see a reduction in this algae, then you can hit it with 3 days of darkness (search about it). ONLY do the 3 days of darkness after you begin to see a natural reduction in the algae from the changes you make via feeding and maintenance.

 

[tanked37]

Forgot to mentioned that, lately my Deltec MCE600 hasn't been skimming well. i have to keep tuning it. i will be taking out to wash it with vinegar later.

Anyway heres my tank shot.

Yes, that will do wonders. I cleaned my skimmer after 6 months and it nearly doubled in efficiency. Make sure you clean the pump driving the skimmer at the same time. Also, don't make frequent adjustments. I never change my skimmer setting once it's set.

 

[kga943]

thats a good looking tank and just take things slow

 

[evolutionZ]

Thanks guys! the green slime algae issued has been solved. It was really the skimmer, i took it out to wash 2 weeks ago and gave it a full cleaning job. It started skimming really well the next day and within a week i got black skimmate. After that day i cleaned my skimmer, There is no green slime algae reappearing.

 

[tanked37]

Thanks guys! the green slime algae issued has been solved. It was really the skimmer, i took it out to wash 2 weeks ago and gave it a full cleaning job. It started skimming really well the next day and within a week i got black skimmate. After that day i cleaned my skimmer, There is no green slime algae reappearing.

It's amazing how well most of the equipment we use works after a good cleaning. Cleaning my skimmer really helped me as well.

 

[reret10]

yeah macro algae also helps IMO. I threw a big bunch in my fuge then siphoned the rocks and basted it and I havent had a huge outbreak since accept when my skimmer pump failed.

 

[PAnanoguy]

Im having a serious green slime algae problem with my tank as well. Thick patches on the sand as well as on the rocks. I will be cleaning the skimmer today and will let you know how it goes.

 

[PAnanoguy]

evolutionz, Im also just curious what salt you use.