Need algae help.

[20gallonreefer]

Please read the whole post before you pm me. Thank You

I don't have much but I will give the following:
- green monti cap frag
- green and brown bridsnest frag
- unknown green sps frag
to a very experienced reefer to come to my house and find the source of my algae problem through the use of water testing using high grade kits or meters.

I have tried just about everything to get rid of it but I cant. This is not just algae on the rocks. My tank looks like a forest. It is absolutely covered in algae growing right over coral in days.

I use 0 tds RODI water. The tds meter shows 0.

I use more than the recommended amount of BRS high capacity GFO in a reactor.

I used liquid phosphate remover.

I found a thread on RC about peroxide to get rid of the algae and they was almost 100% success stories with hundreds of people trying so I tried at the recommended amount and that didn't work then I tried a week later with above the recommended dosage and again nothing happened so I was extremely frustrated and poured 4 full bottles of peroxide water in which was well above double what I was supposed to use and again it didn't put a dent on the algae.

I change 10% of the water every single sunday.

Sand was live when I put it in a year ago but all the rocks were dry and everything was started from scratch.

The fish basically live off the algae and copepods so I haven't fed in months. They are fat and healthy so don't worry about them being "abused" if you must say.

Lastly I have a picture of me scuba diving inside the tank to pick this algae. THATS HOW DESPERATE I GOT. Yet after 2 hours in the tank removing just about everything days later it was all back again.

 

[reefoman]

What's your no3, po4 and alk level?
What kind of light and how many hours a day? What skimmer you're using and what circulation?
Probably easiest way to get ride of hair algaes gonna be to dry the rocks and cycle your tank properly again.

 

[20gallonreefer]

My api no3 test kit shows 0 and my hanna phosphate meter never gives a correct reading.(the reason why I want someone to come with their own testing equipment) I will have to check my alk tomorrow.

I run leds very dim in the morning and night and on full power about 10 hours per day.

I have a huge mrc recirculating skimmer running 48" tall. rated for 2500 gallons.

Circulation is done through a closed loop and 1 MP60

The tank is 450 gallons

I rather not dry out the rocks and rebuild the tank because I'll be going to college next year so I am debating on whether to sell or keep the tank anyway.

What's your no3, po4 and alk level?
What kind of light and how many hours a day? What skimmer you're using and what circulation?
Probably easiest way to get ride of hair algaes gonna be to dry the rocks and cycle your tank properly again.

 

[Hans24hrs]

Well first off sorry to hear about the algae. The peroxide should have helped, it adds an extra oxygen molecule when reacting with the h2o, that's why they use it in transporting fish for long hauls. Anyway have you though about going a more natural way. I had a problem with hair algae that I couldn't get rid of with chemical treatments. I cut back on photo period to where it was just enough to keep corals going and I added a couple of large sea hairs and some emerald crabs. They wiped out algae in a couple of days. Your tank is much larger than the one I had the so you would have to add a lot of them. Only problem is the sea hairs can be toxic to tank when stressed or dying, and most people remove them when problem is gone. But with your tank you could probably leave them in to maintain algae which is there primary source of food. Good luck, let me know if that works

 

[20gallonreefer]

Well first off sorry to hear about the algae. The peroxide should have helped, it adds an extra oxygen molecule when reacting with the h2o, that's why they use it in transporting fish for long hauls. Anyway have you though about going a more natural way. I had a problem with hair algae that I couldn't get rid of with chemical treatments. I cut back on photo period to where it was just enough to keep corals going and I added a couple of large sea hairs and some emerald crabs. They wiped out algae in a couple of days. Your tank is much larger than the one I had the so you would have to add a lot of them. Only problem is the sea hairs can be toxic to tank when stressed or dying, and most people remove them when problem is gone. But with your tank you could probably leave them in to maintain algae which is there primary source of food. Good luck, let me know if that works

I have not tried a shorter photo period yet it I have tried three days lights out quite a few times. My friend is giving me a lawnmower blenny so hopefully that helps. I hate those sea hairs but if I must get one then I will. Hopefully I just won't see him in the big tank lol. I forgot to mention that the algae I believe is bryopsis algae because they are just millions of small ferns coming out of the rocks. From a distance it looks like gha but when I go close I see little fern looking strings.

 

[troywalkerphoto]

It would be easier if you could post photos. The photo period is a bit long and is it possible that your tsd meter is broken. I had an incident where I received a faulty metere and was trusting it. The Algae definatly being fed but your lighting but also some nutrients that are making their way into the tank.
Im learning every day!

 

[Hans24hrs]

I would check your TDS meter like Troy said. It is always good to have two of each testing pieces of equipment. I ran into a problem like that with a Ph monitor, glad I caught it in time.

 

[20gallonreefer]

I realized that my TDS meter could be faulty as well as all of my other testing equipment. Thats why I would like someone to come with their own stuff to run side by side with mine to see whats wrong. I just ordered some kent tech-m because I heard some success stories with raising the mag up to 1700 to kill the bryopsis.

 

[Elflaco112]

You have a Refuge in the Sump? Are u growing any Macro Algae. That would be a good idea since it obsorbs alot of the phosphates n nitrate if there is any in the tank that r not being detected by your test kit. You said you're not feeding so you're not adding phosphate thru that. Then it must be your RO/DI system. Test your water before adding it in. Where do u live by?

 

[20gallonreefer]

You have a Refuge in the Sump? Are u growing any Macro Algae. That would be a good idea since it obsorbs alot of the phosphates n nitrate if there is any in the tank that r not being detected by your test kit. You said you're not feeding so you're not adding phosphate thru that. Then it must be your RO/DI system. Test your water before adding it in. Where do u live by?

I have a five but I never have any luck growing macro algae. I live in Pelham bay 10461.