HELP? Algae? GHA? on sand bed?

[emmysnewtank]

So all of a sudden I have a bunch of what I think is gha growing on sand bed, some rocks and even on top of some corals. its growing literally as I watch it...

Just did a water change yesterday, and nitrates tested at 15ppm and Phos at almost zero (.006 via hanna ulr). We always feed heavy, pellets, AB+ and frozen mysis, but tank (Evo13) is over a year old and we have never had issues w algae. I started dosing All For Reef last week and live phyto daily.

I cleaned some tufts off rocks this am and an hour later I am watching the stuff grow all over the sand. Its hard to photograph, but sways a little and growing rapidly. long stringy green/brown.

Its obviously bothering some corals - a torch we have had for a year has literally never been closed, and last night he closed up. Elegance coral also half open that has been super fat for weeks.

Is this some type of bacteria?

help? for the moment I turned lights down to blue actinic only and cranked up flow. Should I change more water? change out carbon/chemipure?

 

[Lavey29]

Doesn't look very bad yet. Cut lights to 6 hours with blue and uv only no whites. Manual removal and diverse cleaner crew. Get phosphate to appropriate level .05 to .1.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Diatoms can come at any time regardless of tank age and triggered as simple bt Di resin expired, addition of a rock or more sand.
Light adjustment not necessary but water management. Diatoms feed mainly off of silicates but also consume dissolved organic compounds, phosphate and nitrates. Unfiltered tap water can contain silicates and is a good way to jump start a bloom if you use it to mix salt or to replace water that evaporated from the tank. The best way to prevent this from happening is to filter water through a RODI unit, although you can still get a diatom bloom when using RODI if the cartridge that removes silicates expires as mentioned above.
Good news is diatoms are typically harmless to a captive reef and can be beaten once their food source expires. Once you put the end to the source, the outbreak should last a couple of weeks so just be patient and it will pass.

For major outbreaks you may want to consider the three day blackout. Yours is not major to say the least. Diatoms are easily wiped from the glass with a mag float, a turkey baster or a toothbrush can access other areas of the tank. Be prepared for them to re-establish themselves quickly, they are likely to be able to resettle and have exponential growth rates.
To prevent their return, practice good aquarium husbandry by doing regular water changes, keep the substrate clean, don’t overfeed the fish, ensure your skimmer is running at an optimal level and rinse out filter socks and sponges on a regular basis.

Some cleaner crew to help control it are : Cerith snails, Nerite snails and Trochus snails and also Astraea snails are effective at removing diatoms.

 

[emmysnewtank]

Just threw a uv light in and changed carbon and removed the chemipure (or should i replace w new?)

The light down to blue only

ive got a robust cuc w various snails, emerald crab, pistol and cleaner shrimp and a bunch of hermits. What else eats this stuff?

You think Dino’s? I’m thinking Dino now that I see them forming after being broken up.

Could it be the added phyto causing? Only thing new for tank are phyto and AFR.

 

[emmysnewtank]

I have been using distilled water for a year but just started using a rodi filter and an ato. The rodi water registered 0 tds but maybe not accurate?

forgot I just started w that.

 

[Lavey29]

I have been using distilled water for a year but just started using a rodi filter and an ato. The rodi water registered 0 tds but maybe not accurate?

forgot I just started w that.

Silicate is very hard to completely remove with an RODI system. It's possible some is getting into the tank which leads to light patches of diatoms. I have this currently in my tank. I added a spectrapure silicate buster DI filter to my unit and it appears to be helping somewhat.

I don't think you have diatoms though. Looks like early stage dinos to me which makes parameters imperative to correct.

 

[Lavey29]

Just threw a uv light in and changed carbon and removed the chemipure (or should i replace w new?)

The light down to blue only

ive got a robust cuc w various snails, emerald crab, pistol and cleaner shrimp and a bunch of hermits. What else eats this stuff?

You think Dino’s? I’m thinking Dino now that I see them forming after being broken up.

Could it be the added phyto causing? Only thing new for tank are phyto and AFR.

Only way to ID is with a cheap microscope view. I would continue weekly water changes and siphon what you can. Cleaners won't eat dinos but if they stir the sandbed that helps.

 

[92Miata]

Get some phosphate in the tank. .006 is below what the Hanna can reliably test, and you're creating an environment that is ripe for non-desired microfauna with no phosphate and a lot of nitrate.

 

[emmysnewtank]

I don’t really want to dose phos, and we already feed heavy and use reef roids at least once a week. Trying not to chase numbers and go that route dosing.

should I just up that dosage if roids and pellets? I’ve never been able to hold phos levels…

 

[emmysnewtank]

So of Dino should I stop dosing ab+ and food? Or add extra to up nutrients?

 

[Lavey29]

I don’t really want to dose phos, and we already feed heavy and use reef roids at least once a week. Trying not to chase numbers and go that route dosing.

should I just up that dosage if roids and pellets? I’ve never been able to hold phos levels…

You can try this method but if you don't maintain proper parameters in all areas including phosphate you open the door for tank problems.

 

[Lavey29]

So of Dino should I stop dosing ab+ and food? Or add extra to up nutrients?

You first need to ID the algae your dealing with but yes cutting out the coral additives would be prudent as it feeds the algae too.

Feeding pellets to fish can help. I just dosed neophos and neonitro when my nutrients levels were low. It's a simple small daily hand dose that you can be precise with measuring rather then dumping a bunch of extra food in the tank hoping it becomes organic waste.

 

[Spare time]

Doesn't look very bad yet. Cut lights to 6 hours with blue and uv only no whites. Manual removal and diverse cleaner crew. Get phosphate to appropriate level .05 to .1.

Decreasing white light won't do much given that blue light is the powerhouse and much of "white" light is often not used to a large extent in photosynthesis (due to heavy 500-600nm wavelengths)

 

[Lavey29]

Decreasing white light won't do much given that blue light is the powerhouse and much of "white" light is often not used to a large extent in photosynthesis (due to heavy 500-600nm wavelengths)

White lights an algae grower just like red. That's why some people use those cheap home depot hanging light for their fuge.