Nooby in need of some help please.

[Geordy]

Hi guys. I'm new to the forum and pretty inexperienced reefer. Have a 90 ltr tank with build in sump. Been running it for just over 1 1/2 years now. Not running a skimmer just sponges and cotton wool filters. Have rowaphos and activated carbon which I change every 3 or sow weeks. Probably change the cotton every 2 and rinse the sponges. I have 2 clow fish and a six line wrasse, 5 snails 4 corals( Blasto, torch, hammer and candy canes). All are healthy. The problem I have is this turf algae which just grows like crazy all over the rocks and back wall. I can't get rid off and driving me nuts. Salifert Phosphate test always says 0 phosphate. I use peroxide to batter it back but not really a cure. I've heard that Blue Life Phosphate rx is good. What do you guys think or recommend. You can't actually enjoy you tank for looking at the crappie stuff. Lol. Any advice would be welcome. Thanks!

 

[revhtree]

Welcome to your new home for saltwater reef aquarium resources and fun! Welcome to the family!

 

[Nano_Man]

 

[CO2TLEY]

 

[SeaworthyAquatics]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

Algae like these are really efficient in low nutrient environments and you need to think of it backwards. If you're truly reading 0 phosphate, then nothing else can grow and thus the algae takes over. To combat this you need to raise your nutrient levels so that things like bacteria can grow and colonize the areas that the algae has taken over. You'll need a good clean up crew, or manual removal like you've been doing with the peroxide, to remove the algae while the bacteria recolonizes. when this happens I aim for about 15-20 nitrate and .1 phosphate and then reduce it after the algae has faded. What is your nitrate reading at? Too much light could also be a factor.

 

[DDenny]

 

[PharmrJohn]

Greetings and Welcome to our collective obsession!

 

[Geordy]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

Algae like these are really efficient in low nutrient environments and you need to think of it backwards. If you're truly reading 0 phosphate, then nothing else can grow and thus the algae takes over. To combat this you need to raise your nutrient levels so that things like bacteria can grow and colonize the areas that the algae has taken over. You'll need a good clean up crew, or manual removal like you've been doing with the peroxide, to remove the algae while the bacteria recolonizes. when this happens I aim for about 15-20 nitrate and .1 phosphate and then reduce it after the algae has faded. What is your nitrate reading at? Too much light could also be a factor.

Thanks for replying. Think my nitrate is about 5 or 10 and also think light is a factor although the tank is sat back a little from the main window and it is a bright south facing room. Was hoping not to run a skimmer but do you think this might help a bit. You think feeding fish a little more might help raise nutrient levels. I've always been to the way of thinking that this would have opposite effect and worsen the situation. You really think raising nutrients might help. Thanks for any advice.

 

[Geordy]

Doing about a 15% water change weekly do think doing this fortnightly might help to raise nitrate levels. Thanks.

 

[Brisk]

Welcome!

 

[AlyciaMarie]

Hey, welcome to R2R! Nice setup; I love the aquascape.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Welcome to reef2reef!!!!!

 

[SeaworthyAquatics]

Thanks for replying. Think my nitrate is about 5 or 10 and also think light is a factor although the tank is sat back a little from the main window and it is a bright south facing room. Was hoping not to run a skimmer but do you think this might help a bit. You think feeding fish a little more might help raise nutrient levels. I've always been to the way of thinking that this would have opposite effect and worsen the situation. You really think raising nutrients might help. Thanks for any advice.

Yes, I believe your ecosystem is out of balance. A lot of the microfauna in our tanks require phosphate and at the moment the algae is stealing the small amount in your tank. I'd start with adding a heavy phosphate food like pellets or reef roids to your regimen if you don't already use them and keep up the manual removal.

 

[Geordy]

Yes, I believe your ecosystem is out of balance. A lot of the microfauna in our tanks require phosphate and at the moment the algae is stealing the small amount in your tank. I'd start with adding a heavy phosphate food like pellets or reef roids to your regimen if you don't already use them and keep up the manual removal.

Thanks. Willing to try anything just now. Will keep up with the peroxide and removal and maybe feed little bit extra with the pellets. I'll get some more snails they seem to be munching machines and maybe needing a few more corals to compete for phosphate. Sounds like a plan. Thanks for your help. Cheers!

 

[Ocean_Queenie]

Hello & Welcome to R2R!

 

[NanoNana]

Thanks for replying. Think my nitrate is about 5 or 10 and also think light is a factor although the tank is sat back a little from the main window and it is a bright south facing room. Was hoping not to run a skimmer but do you think this might help a bit. You think feeding fish a little more might help raise nutrient levels. I've always been to the way of thinking that this would have opposite effect and worsen the situation. You really think raising nutrients might help. Thanks for any advice.

My new answer to every algae question is lettuce nudibranch. They will even climb 3 inch spikes of algae and munch them down and are the only things I’ve ever seen eat the tall stuff. (Don’t ask how I know that). Mine doesn’t seem to care what algae it is, or where it is. On the rock, he eats it, back of the tank, no problem, coral frag, cleaned. He even dove head first into a zoa colony and ate the stuff growing between the zoas. Absolutely the most useful creature in my tank.

They will eat some macro algaes as well so you can keep them alive between outbreaks but many people just sell or trade them at the LFS when they are done cleaning.

 

[zheka757]

Welcome to R2R!

 

[Geordy]

My new answer to every algae question is lettuce nudibranch. They will even climb 3 inch spikes of algae and munch them down and are the only things I’ve ever seen eat the tall stuff. (Don’t ask how I know that). Mine doesn’t seem to care what algae it is, or where it is. On the rock, he eats it, back of the tank, no problem, coral frag, cleaned. He even dove head first into a zoa colony and ate the stuff growing between the zoas. Absolutely the most useful creature in my tank.

They will eat some macro algaes as well so you can keep them alive between outbreaks but many people just sell or trade them at the LFS when they are done cleaning.

Thanks. Reading about them there. Seems very interesting. Might look into something like that.

 

[kevgib67]

Welcome, glad you are here!

 

[shakacuz]

welcome aboard the r2r board. hello from PA!