Need Algae advice or maybe just encouragement

[Ancient Mariner]

THREE YEARS!! You have the patience of a saint

Rockwork is mortared together so I can't take it out. The issue seems to be that the rock has so many little depressions/holes in it...that the algae grows up out of that...and then I can't get a brush in there to dislodge it.

I've got a Tang and lawnmower blenny on the way as well as a few trochus and turbo snails to boost my CUC. I wouldn't mind having them do such a good job that I have to feed them!! I've got seaweed and some wafers ready to go.

Yeah, it helps to be obsessed. I’ll admit that I at times felt like giving up. But then you see some improvement and regain hope. With bubble algae and cyano I was resigned to doing weekly siphoning and harvesting forever as they were similarly relentless. But I kept going because my corals were growing and kept my interest. But then eventually as if by magic they just slowed down and I just have to gather some bubble algae every few weeks. Cyano just faded to a minimum. I did nothing different. The tank just matured and with high coral growth and possibly development of some unidentifiable biological factor eventually beat out the nuisance stuff. I can’t explain exactly what happens.

 

[nothing_fancy]

Im interested in seeing how this resolves. System I have setup currently looked exactly like yours when it was at the end of its cycle (or at least I think that was the case) So much scrubbing with a tooth brush took place, in the DT and sump/fuge areas. Had to clean return pump out once as well. Could be coincidence but when I was able to get the length of the hair algae down low enough that inverts can process it I added (1) short spine urchin and (12) trochus snails. Bout a week later almost all of the algae was gone except a pretty much unnoticeable amount here and there which I think is good for keeping the urchin fed. I think it was the trochus snails that really solved the problem. Like you my levels were all within decent range for that time period. Seems like the consensus here is that this is the dirty work and hopefully the reward comes later and is well deserved.

 

[PigDaddyF15E]

Im interested in seeing how this resolves. System I have setup currently looked exactly like yours when it was at the end of its cycle (or at least I think that was the case) So much scrubbing with a tooth brush took place, in the DT and sump/fuge areas. Had to clean return pump out once as well. Could be coincidence but when I was able to get the length of the hair algae down low enough that inverts can process it I added (1) short spine urchin and (12) trochus snails. Bout a week later almost all of the algae was gone except a pretty much unnoticeable amount here and there which I think is good for keeping the urchin fed. I think it was the trochus snails that really solved the problem. Like you my levels were all within decent range for that time period. Seems like the consensus here is that this is the dirty work and hopefully the reward comes later and is well deserved.

I've got two tuxedo urchins and quite a few astrea, nassarius, cerinth, and nerite. Sounds like the consensus is that they don't go after the algae when it's long...and tuxedos will eat corraline (which they are doing in my tank).

 

[nothing_fancy]

Ya, I don't have any experience with tuxedo urchins, but the short spined (Echinometra mathei) has been the best for me so far. Algae definitely has to be short and cropped for them to dig in. Trochus snails were suggested to me by my LFS for algae eating and they seem to be the best eaters from what Ive seen. I have a few in my fuge too, they keep the walls really clean.

 

[PensacolaReefKeeper]

Having similar problem. Have you considered trochus snails? Possible detritus stuck in small cracks? I think I have underestimated the impact of a large, diverse CUC in the past.

 

[PigDaddyF15E]

Having similar problem. Have you considered trochus snails? Possible detritus stuck in small cracks? I think I have underestimated the impact of a large, diverse CUC in the past.

I've got 10 on order arriving next Friday. 10 turbo as well to add to my, IMO, pretty large crew of hermits, cerinth, astrea, nassarius, nerite, and 2 tuxedo urchins

 

[PigDaddyF15E]

You know you got algae problems when even your tuxedo urchin looks like those troll dolls. The cardinal is looking at him like "Don't play with your food".

 

[PigDaddyF15E]

UPDATE: Still not winning vs Algae. (Pics below...and yes these were taken when a glass scraping was due).

I continue to scrub and catch as much as possible. I'm not going to 'rip clean' as I only see that as a temp solution. Also..I see too much risk in trying to hoist 3 x 33lb rocks (which I mortared together into a 100lb behemoth) out of the tank. Too much risk of breaking/scratching the glass.

Since my last update I bought a screen to help block out any indirect light on the tank. I was hoping that would be helpful but it doesn't really look like it's made a dent in things. (Pics below)

Ordered a refresh for my cleaning crew...but need to address the problem of why they just don't seem to last. I have zero turbo snails left...probably purchased a dozen over the last year. astrea have died off as well. tried some trochus...those didn't last either. Other inverts (cleaner shrimp) are doing just fine...

I adjusted the flow. Seems to be lots of algae growing on the sand. I was wondering if I wasn't moving enough water around. I had the 2 x mp40's on opposite sides of the tank. one high...one low. both set to continuous flow at a rate around 1800 gallons per hour. I have since moved them both to the back side of the rockwork and reset them to reef crest 11.5 hours a day at about 2500gph then reef lagoon around 1800 gallons per hour the rest of the time. My rockwork doesn't have much space (only a few inches) on either end of the tank I'm keeping an eye on flow from the back to the front. The MP40's seem to be pushing water through the rockwork in the center of the tank. Overall I just wonder if I'm not moving enough water in the front. Algae has always been an issue on the sides where the rock is near the glass...so I adjust both returns (500gph total) to try and get water moving more in those areas.

I reduced feedings thinking it might be contributing too much phospate. only feeding once a day. ordered some chemipure blue on a recommendation. Might as well try and drive the phospate down to near zero and see what happens.

Tracking my parameters since the last update:

Phospates have been between 0.02 and 0.06.
Nitrates stay near zero'd out. Just dosed a little Sodium Nitrate yesterday. Gonna see about dosing to just keep it off zero. Aiming for 2-5ppm.

I'm been dosing Alk to keep it around 9.0

Mag dosed up. Aiming for 1350. This was down to 1030 early Jan. Didn't think I had anything that was really consuming it. So I've been brining it back up. Today's test was 1305.

CA dosing as well. Shooting for 420. Was at a low of 380 in early Jan so I've been dosing that back up. Todays test was 425.

Chaeto is not really growing. It probably started the size of a baseball back in August...now it's probably the size of two softballs...so not the "typical" growth others are seeing. Fuge light (Kessil H80) is now running from 6:30 pm to 6:30 am. I started dosing some Chaeto Gro (one cap) directly into the fuge with the pumps off once a week. I had stopped this a while ago...didn't really seem to make a difference either way...so starting it back up.

 

[PigDaddyF15E]

Bringing this back as I need some more advice. I've been fighting this now since the tank was setup and just not winning. Algae still remains uncontrollable and well past what should have been "the ugly phase". ATM it's GHA but I see bubble is starting to get a foothold as well.

Water parameters have been stable: DKH target is 9.0. I only need to dose a small amount of Ca and Mag but I keep Ca around 420 and Mag around 1350. I don't have lots of SPS (killed a nice crop of Acro by unintentionally overdosing Chemiclean to get rid of cyano) so I'm not consuming large amounts of DKH or Ca/Mag.

Water Changes: I change 16 gallons out every week. I pull it from the sump. I have not been stirring the sand or vacuuming the sand as I don't have alot of free surface area down there with various rocks with coral on them so moving them and/or vacuuming around them. I only have a few spots where I can really get a vacuum in and get much from the sand. The rest is hidden under plating coral or just too small an area to get the vaccum into. Water is RO/DI that I check with a handheld TDS meter before using. I'm on a regular schedule of replacing the membrane and filters anyway just to make sure they are always in good shape

POSSIBLE ISSUE: My Ato...it's a glass ATO that has been sitting next to my aquarium. it's the innovative marine 15 gallon that is NOT sealed. I notice that it has developed a slime on it from time to time...I try to empty it on occasion and wash it with vinegar. I'm wondering if...because it is exposed to the air...it's getting gunk in it that's "growing" and that is not helping my issue. I recently put the whole ATO under a cover to stop it from getting any light...once it's near empty (it's a real PITA to empty) I'll clean and put it back under the tent to avoid sunlight. My plan going forward would be to only keep it partially filled and perhaps add it to a rotation of cleanly every other week...or perhaps once a month. Also saw some people mention putting vinegar into ATO water....

N & P. Recently got a Trident NP and it's been taking measurements for about three weeks now. I do not do any broadcast coral feeds and I only feed the fish once per day. (Rotation of TDO Chroma, Frozen, and PE Flake). I can does some sodium nitrate to bring the N up around 6.0 and it will slowly fall over the course of a few days. P does the same thing. I can dose some NeoPhos and note the change on the next test....and then it slowly decays over the next few days. I've cross checked the NP with my Hanna's and they are all in the ballpark so I "trust" them all. N has not gone over 7.0 or below 2.5 since the NP started daily testing. P has been as high as 0.05 to a low around 0.03.

I've got a good size ball of Chaeto growing in the sump on a eight hour cycle using a Kessill H80 set to Grow. Chaeto isn't growing like some have mentioned. I rarely harvest half of it and reduce it down to a couple of softballs worth....maybe 6 months ago. Algae grows on most surffaces in the sump that are getting hit by the H80. I've got it positioned as close to the chaeto as I can get to avoid any spillover into other areas...but some light shines to the "left" of the refigium near my protein skimmer which gets some algae. To the right is the return chamber and it too grows some algae and coralline...on the pump.

Speaking of coralline. my rockscape does not have much coralline...best places for growth seem to be the seams of the aquarium (Grrrrr) and the pump down in the return chamber of the sump (Double Grrrr).

Filter roller and protein skimmer going 24/7. UV on as well with about 550 Gph going through it.

At first I thought it might have been due to too much ambient light in the room. As you can see from my previous post...I put a screen up to block some light. 18 months haven't made any difference on that front. So...about a month ago I just put a tent up around the whole tank. so...it's only getting light from my 2 x AP9X's during their cycle. No noticeable change...algae continues to grow.

Reef Flux has knocked it down...but not out. it just comes back. Cyano seems to follow but I am now monitoring that more closely with the NP so I'm planning to keep it from bottoming out. I just don't think dosing more stuff or more bacteria is going to solve what seems to be some fundamental issue.

CuC: tired all kinds of snails and crabs. they all seem to die off over time. Turbo's don't seem to last long so not going that route again. I'll likely place another order to reefcleaners here shortly and focus on nassarius for the sand...and florida cerinth for algae. all other types of snails with the exception of nerites just seem to fall over and I don't see them before it's too late. I've had astrea as well..but they fall off the glass and make quite a chore of finding them before they die. or...when I used to have hermits...them getting picked off by the little buggers.

Pods: In the past I've added a couple of gallons of various pods from Dinkins. Can't say I see them anymore.

Flow. Return pump is about 550gph. 2 x MP 40's on opposite ends of the tank. one behind the rock structure...the other in front. Both are set to Reef crest and report about 1800gph each.

So. Clearly I'm doing something that's causing the algae to continue to florish. I'm looking for advice or something that I'm missing here. Frustrated as I've proven I can keep corals alive...when they aren't getting choked out by the dang algae.