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Green algae hell?

troywalkerphoto

troywalkerphoto

Advanced Reefer
Manhattan Reefs
Location
manhattan
Rating - 94.6%
105   6   0
I have a question about the amount of algae on live rock. I had a bloom from hell. It totally covered my rock and made my coraline retreat. its not hair or leafy just the green/brownish left after cleanup crew. Now the the situation is done (5-7 months ago) Api sucks switchced to red sea now I know what my readings really are!

Most of my rock looks like it took a trip to Ireland. Its pretty but I much prefer the look of the coraline a sand stone color rock. I should say that this is a 76 gal 15 sump half round fowlr tank for 4 yrs now Im converting to do a reef so I gave a good number of fish away. Only 8 fish total. Four damsels for movement, two angels two maroon clowns.

I would prefer not to scrub live rock to no result. Does this mean I should start over and purchase new rock. Also If I move it to my sump will it spread back to the new rock in the tank?

Summary:
1.scrub or buy new?
2. ok in sump or dump?
3. stick my head in the tank at end it all?
 
B

basiab

Advanced Reefer
Manhattan Reefs
Location
secret
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117   0   0
Hold off on buying coral till you resolve this.

1.scrub or buy new? I would try scrub.
2. ok in sump or dump? I would also try the sump.

Buying new will not solve the problem. First do what it takes to inprove water quality. There is plenty to read on how to do that.

I would try the following. Take two rocks out of the tank and scrub them with a stiff brush and rinse them with tank water. Put one back in the tank and the other in the sump. After two weeks you will have an answer as to how to handle the rest. But before you do this make sure you have done what is needed to reduce nutrients that algae thrives on.
 
troywalkerphoto

troywalkerphoto

Advanced Reefer
Manhattan Reefs
Location
manhattan
Rating - 94.6%
105   6   0
Thanks for replying! The par is fine phos 0 nitrate 10 and falling. The problem was mismanagement during fowlr 4 year period. the lighting has been a 12-14 hour cycle. Only rodi water. Minimal feeding now. Wife and kids love to feed but I have curbed them for the last 4mos so we are on the right side of things. Basically its just a minimal surface layer of algae.
So a scrub? Major labor intensive...
 
D

Deepseabeauti

Experienced Reefer
Manhattan Reefs
Location
longisland
Rating - 0%
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I use an electric tooth brush occasionally when I get some algae build up. Works really well. I usually do it just before I do my water changes. I have to admit though that its been a while since I have had to do that.
 
Tonyscoots84

Tonyscoots84

REEF ON!
Manhattan Reefs
Location
Howell, NJ
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troywalkerphoto said:
Thanks for replying! The par is fine phos 0 nitrate 10 and falling. The problem was mismanagement during fowlr 4 year period. the lighting has been a 12-14 hour cycle. Only rodi water. Minimal feeding now. Wife and kids love to feed but I have curbed them for the last 4mos so we are on the right side of things. Basically its just a minimal surface layer of algae.
So a scrub? Major labor intensive...
Click to expand...

Trust me ur phosphates are not 0
 
troywalkerphoto

troywalkerphoto

Advanced Reefer
Manhattan Reefs
Location
manhattan
Rating - 94.6%
105   6   0
They are zero now. Again the tank is 4 years old. During those four years high bio load and over feeding. 4 to 6 months ago I corrected all that. The rock has residual traces of algae. Because the rock is really porous there is still algae. po3 is 0-5 reading are correct.
 
skene

skene

Winter. Time for Flakes..
Manhattan Reefs
Location
Queens
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When you have algae in your tank your readings will show as minimal as they are feeding off of the phosphates. So what was stated is true regarding that your readings are higher than what you are seeing as visible via the test.
 
D

Deepseabeauti

Experienced Reefer
Manhattan Reefs
Location
longisland
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I was in the same boat as you with my algae. Even after I got my PO4 in check it took almost 6 maybe more months for it to die off enough for my Coraline algae to take over.

In the mean time I would use an old electric tooth brush and genitally scrub off some of the large stuff. Works really well, not to mention not as much work and less splash mess.
 
T

tosiek

Senior Member
Manhattan Reefs
Location
Greenpoint Brooklyn, NY
Rating - 100%
48   0   0
Tonyscoots84 said:
Trust me ur phosphates are not 0
Click to expand...

Tony is right. Your Po4 isn't at 0, if it is then get yourself a new test kit. The only reason I can think of, and like skene said and other, is that your actually getting a 0 for Po4 is because whatever algae you have in your tank is using it all to grow, and that means that your tank is still producing sufficient amounts of Po4 to keep the algae in the tank. You using a low range or high range Po4 test kit. Also, although you think you have it under control you shouldn't have an algae problem anymore. Things like this with proper care usually go away in 3-6 weeks time. If your rock still has algae after 4-6 months there is still a problem.

Are you running GFO or some other Po4 reducer?
 
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Shawn138

Shawn138

Shawn138
Manhattan Reefs
Location
NYC
Rating - 100%
66   0   0
That's all good advice May I add, reduced lighting time As well as replace any old bulbs may be kicking off bad spectrums such as red rays & extra water changes to help out the tank.
 
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