Please help me with my algae problem !!

[Buzz-light-year]

Please Help me !!

Sorry in advance if my english is not perfect I'm a french Canadian from Quebec.
I really wish to solve my green hair algae problem because i just cant enjoy my tank as it is right now. every week im pulling out as much algae as i can with my 10 to 20 % water change but im not able to keep up with the problem they seem to have the best of me. i don't want to teardown my tank or start over because i still have 4 fish in an some corals that i dont want to dispose and i dont have another aquarium to put them while i wait for the cycle. the tank has been running for approx 2 years. but i have to admit that i neglected it a bit with the water change and that probably why the algae problem realy took off .. 2-3 month after my algae problem started i got a sea hare and it died.. afterward the real problem really took off and the algae got really long and all over the tank .. but now i realy want to have a nice tank and enjoy it
I have tested with hanna tester my phosphate and nitrate and both of them are at 0 ppm. i know that the algae may have all of it in them even if my water is clean...
I feed pellet and sometimes frozen food once a day.. i dont think i overfeed they eat it all in 30 seconds

so here is my equipement:
Nuvo 30 gal all in one
ai prime (non hd) set from 4pm to 1 am with a long ramp up and down (see picture)
seapora hob skimmer
Barracuda Ro-di
tunze ato
150 watt eheim heater

i switch to fauna marin salt 1-2 month ago

in the back chamber two big bags of seachem Matrix and also a bag with carbon

Live stock :

Clown fish x2
Blue Damsel
Royal dottyback
halloween hermit crab
blue leg hermit crab
emrald crab 2x
i have trouble keeping my snails and other invertebrate .. i had a urchin and some snails but they all died

Corals :
im not good with the names sorry
i have 3 types of zoa's
gsp
4-5 type of mush
i have 2 hard coral too
they all seem fine except when the algae grow on them

i will send more picture when the tank light are on
The white rock that hold my frag is brand new because i wanted a space where my coral would not be touch by algae

Thanks in advance ! any help would be greatly appreciated !!!

 

[SlugSnorter]

Please Help me !!

Sorry in advance if my english is not perfect I'm a french Canadian from Quebec.
I really wish to solve my green hair algae problem because i just cant enjoy my tank as it is right now. every week im pulling out as much algae as i can with my 10 to 20 % water change but im not able to keep up with the problem they seem to have the best of me. i don't want to teardown my tank or start over because i still have 4 fish in an some corals that i dont want to dispose and i dont have another aquarium to put them while i wait for the cycle. the tank has been running for approx 2 years. but i have to admit that i neglected it a bit with the water change and that probably why the algae problem realy took off .. 2-3 month after my algae problem started i got a sea hare and it died.. afterward the real problem really took off and the algae got really long and all over the tank .. but now i realy want to have a nice tank and enjoy it
I have tested with hanna tester my phosphate and nitrate and both of them are at 0 ppm. i know that the algae may have all of it in them even if my water is clean...
I feed pellet and sometimes frozen food once a day.. i dont think i overfeed they eat it all in 30 seconds

so here is my equipement:
Nuvo 30 gal all in one
ai prime (non hd) set from 4pm to 1 am with a long ramp up and down (see picture)
seapora hob skimmer
Barracuda Ro-di
tunze ato
150 watt eheim heater

i switch to fauna marin salt 1-2 month ago

in the back chamber two big bags of seachem Matrix and also a bag with carbon

Live stock :

Clown fish x2
Blue Damsel
Royal dottyback
halloween hermit crab
blue leg hermit crab
emrald crab 2x
i have trouble keeping my snails and other invertebrate .. i had a urchin and some snails but they all died

Corals :
im not good with the names sorry
i have 3 types of zoa's
gsp
4-5 type of mush
i have 2 hard coral too
they all seem fine except when the algae grow on them

i will send more picture when the tank light are on
The white rock that hold my frag is brand new because i wanted a space where my coral would not be touch by algae

Thanks in advance ! any help would be greatly appreciated !!!

View attachment 3098804 View attachment 3098805 View attachment 3098806 View attachment 3098807 View attachment 3098808

Bump up the CUC, add some carbon, and make sure your not overfeeding

I would recommend getting a turbo snail and some Trochus snails.

 

[Buzz-light-year]

Bump up the CUC, add some carbon, and make sure your not overfeeding

I would recommend getting a turbo snail and some Trochus snails.

How many would you recommand ?

 

[brandon429]

Algae Identification

Any opinions on what type of algae this is growing on my rocks and sand bed?

www.reef2reef.com

 

[brandon429]

If you want those results shown you handle the system all at once, not in parts

It's a complete roadmap to your tank fixed in 24 hours in that thread.

 

[Garf]

Please Help me !!

Sorry in advance if my english is not perfect I'm a french Canadian from Quebec.
I really wish to solve my green hair algae problem because i just cant enjoy my tank as it is right now. every week im pulling out as much algae as i can with my 10 to 20 % water change but im not able to keep up with the problem they seem to have the best of me. i don't want to teardown my tank or start over because i still have 4 fish in an some corals that i dont want to dispose and i dont have another aquarium to put them while i wait for the cycle. the tank has been running for approx 2 years. but i have to admit that i neglected it a bit with the water change and that probably why the algae problem realy took off .. 2-3 month after my algae problem started i got a sea hare and it died.. afterward the real problem really took off and the algae got really long and all over the tank .. but now i realy want to have a nice tank and enjoy it
I have tested with hanna tester my phosphate and nitrate and both of them are at 0 ppm. i know that the algae may have all of it in them even if my water is clean...
I feed pellet and sometimes frozen food once a day.. i dont think i overfeed they eat it all in 30 seconds

so here is my equipement:
Nuvo 30 gal all in one
ai prime (non hd) set from 4pm to 1 am with a long ramp up and down (see picture)
seapora hob skimmer
Barracuda Ro-di
tunze ato
150 watt eheim heater

i switch to fauna marin salt 1-2 month ago

in the back chamber two big bags of seachem Matrix and also a bag with carbon

Live stock :

Clown fish x2
Blue Damsel
Royal dottyback
halloween hermit crab
blue leg hermit crab
emrald crab 2x
i have trouble keeping my snails and other invertebrate .. i had a urchin and some snails but they all died

Corals :
im not good with the names sorry
i have 3 types of zoa's
gsp
4-5 type of mush
i have 2 hard coral too
they all seem fine except when the algae grow on them

i will send more picture when the tank light are on
The white rock that hold my frag is brand new because i wanted a space where my coral would not be touch by algae

Thanks in advance ! any help would be greatly appreciated !!!

View attachment 3098804 View attachment 3098805 View attachment 3098806 View attachment 3098807 View attachment 3098808

150 watt heater on a 30 gallon, is that on a good controller? Perhaps it’s in a cold room? If not you could be getting large fluctuations which your snails and urchins took a disliking to. Something to consider/correct/test before you rip it apart to clean it. Oh by the way, how do you check salinity?

 

[brandon429]

for sure you've got some changes to make before it stays gone, but that's no reason to have a lawn wrecking up the whole neighborhood. the guy down the block may only need to mow once a month to be within his HOA rules lol, and the home across the street needs mowed 2x a week to stay in compliance

rate of regrowth is no excuse to have a wrecked yard, junking up the block is how I see it. if we're physically able to make a compliant lawn happen, we should/to not do so is an excuse.

we'll be forced to enact much better regrowth controls in order to mow the lawn less (less lighting intensity, less bioload, no sandbed so there's no waste catch in this very high bioload system, incorporating some degree of actual live rock, reducing photoperiod, lowering white levels in led lighting, making sure make water is strictly RODI with no total dissolved solids present)

 

[Buzz-light-year]

150 watt heater on a 30 gallon, is that on a good controller? Perhaps it’s in a cold room? If not you could be getting large fluctuations which your snails and urchins took a disliking to. Something to consider/correct/test before you rip it apart to clean it. Oh by the way, how do you check salinity?

my house temp is normally around 19 degree celcius .. i like it cooler
i dont have a controller for my heater but i wanted to get one this weekend .. would you recommand to change my heater at the same time ? is so what would you suggest for a controller and a heater ?
i check my salinity with a refractometer (btw i verified my calibration with my lfs recently)

 

[Buzz-light-year]

for sure you've got some changes to make before it stays gone, but that's no reason to have a lawn wrecking up the whole neighborhood. the guy down the block may only need to mow once a month to be within his HOA rules lol, and the home across the street needs mowed 2x a week to stay in compliance

rate of regrowth is no excuse to have a wrecked yard, junking up the block is how I see it. if we're physically able to make a compliant lawn happen, we should/to not do so is an excuse.

we'll be forced to enact much better regrowth controls in order to mow the lawn less (less lighting intensity, less bioload, no sandbed so there's no waste catch in this very high bioload system, incorporating some degree of actual live rock, reducing photoperiod, lowering white levels in led lighting, making sure make water is strictly RODI with no total dissolved solids present)

i try to pull out as much algae as i can during my weekly water change du you suggest to take my rock out of the aquarium to put them in a salt water bucket and remove all the algae i see and to put them back in the tank afterward ?
do you think my light schedule is too strong ?
should i get all my sand out of my aquarium ?
is my bioload too much for my aquarium size ?
for the rodi i have a tester on it and its always 0 tds

 

[vetteguy53081]

i try to pull out as much algae as i can during my weekly water change du you suggest to take my rock out of the aquarium to put them in a salt water bucket and remove all the algae i see and to put them back in the tank afterward ?
do you think my light schedule is too strong ?
should i get all my sand out of my aquarium ?
is my bioload too much for my aquarium size ?
for the rodi i have a tester on it and its always 0 tds

Often effective yes- Pull off as you have by hand, place rock in a container of tank water and scrub off with a firm brush such as automotive detail brushes. I suspect as this time of the year, GHA increases when tanks are at or near a window (found this out with my LFS)
Is your tank near a window?

harbor freight:

 

[Buzz-light-year]

Often effective yes- Pull off as you have by hand, place rock in a container of tank water and scrub off with a firm brush such as automotive detail brushes. I suspect as this time of the year, GHA increases when tanks are at or near a window (found this out with my LFS)
Is your tank near a window?

harbor freight:

View attachment 3099167

my tank is near windows but there is never direct sunlight on it . but i do live in a modern style home so there is always sunshine entering.
i will get myself a brush like the one you sent thanks !

 

[vetteguy53081]

my tank is near windows but there is never direct sunlight on it . but i do live in a modern style home so there is always sunshine entering.
i will get myself a brush like the one you sent thanks !

As suspected and its not the sunlight of concern but the UV from the window and likely reason you are getting this. As Ive told many who found out like i did - Place a sheet of black construction paper from Walmart stationary section and place on the side facing the window and you will see a huge reduction moving forward

 

[Buzz-light-year]

As suspected and its not the sunlight of concern but the UV from the window and likely reason you are getting this. As Ive told many who found out like i did - Place a sheet of black construction paper from Walmart stationary section and place on the side facing the window and you will see a huge reduction moving forward

i will try this thank you !!

 

[diwit]

Please Help me !!

Sorry in advance if my english is not perfect I'm a french Canadian from Quebec.
I really wish to solve my green hair algae problem because i just cant enjoy my tank as it is right now. every week im pulling out as much algae as i can with my 10 to 20 % water change but im not able to keep up with the problem they seem to have the best of me. i don't want to teardown my tank or start over because i still have 4 fish in an some corals that i dont want to dispose and i dont have another aquarium to put them while i wait for the cycle. the tank has been running for approx 2 years. but i have to admit that i neglected it a bit with the water change and that probably why the algae problem realy took off .. 2-3 month after my algae problem started i got a sea hare and it died.. afterward the real problem really took off and the algae got really long and all over the tank .. but now i realy want to have a nice tank and enjoy it
I have tested with hanna tester my phosphate and nitrate and both of them are at 0 ppm. i know that the algae may have all of it in them even if my water is clean...
I feed pellet and sometimes frozen food once a day.. i dont think i overfeed they eat it all in 30 seconds

so here is my equipement:
Nuvo 30 gal all in one
ai prime (non hd) set from 4pm to 1 am with a long ramp up and down (see picture)
seapora hob skimmer
Barracuda Ro-di
tunze ato
150 watt eheim heater

i switch to fauna marin salt 1-2 month ago

in the back chamber two big bags of seachem Matrix and also a bag with carbon

Live stock :

Clown fish x2
Blue Damsel
Royal dottyback
halloween hermit crab
blue leg hermit crab
emrald crab 2x
i have trouble keeping my snails and other invertebrate pk xd hack unlimited 999.999 coins and gems 2022.. i had a urchin and some snails but they all died

Corals :
im not good with the names sorry
i have 3 types of zoa's
gsp
4-5 type of mush
i have 2 hard coral too
they all seem fine except when the algae grow on them

i will send more picture when the tank light are on
The white rock that hold my frag is brand new because i wanted a space where my coral would not be touch by algae

Thanks in advance ! any help would be greatly appreciated !!!

View attachment 3098804 View attachment 3098805 View attachment 3098806 View attachment 3098807 View attachment 3098808

you're dealing with a common issue in reef tanks, which is an overgrowth of green hair algae. Here are some steps you can take to help control it:

1. Increase your water changes: Since you mentioned that you've neglected your tank with water changes, increasing the frequency and volume of your water changes can help remove excess nutrients and prevent them from fueling algae growth.
2. Add more filtration: Consider adding more filtration to your tank, such as a larger skimmer or a refugium with macroalgae. This will help remove excess nutrients and compete with the green hair algae for resources.
3. Reduce feeding: Even if you don't think you're overfeeding, reducing the amount and frequency of your feeding can help limit the nutrients available for algae growth.
4. Manual removal: Continue to manually remove as much of the algae as you can during water changes or with a toothbrush or scraper. This will help prevent it from spreading further.
5. Check your lighting: Make sure your lighting isn't too strong for your corals and other inhabitants, as this can also contribute to excess nutrient levels and algae growth.
6. Consider adding more herbivores: Certain species of fish and invertebrates, such as tangs, rabbitfish, and snails, are known for their ability to graze on algae. Adding more of these to your tank can help keep the algae in check.

It may take some time and effort, but with a combination of these steps, you should be able to get your algae problem under control.

 

[Idech]

You’ve had good advice ! I just wanted to say hello from another Quebecer.

For the controller, you can get an Inkbird from Amazon. Make sure it says in the description it’s made for aquariums or it will rust.

For the black cover, you can also get black window film from Amazon. You spray water on it and it stays put for years. You can remove and replace as need be.

 

[Buzz-light-year]

You’ve had good advice ! I just wanted to say hello from another Quebecer.

For the controller, you can get an Inkbird from Amazon. Make sure it says in the description it’s made for aquariums or it will rust.

For the black cover, you can also get black window film from Amazon. You spray water on it and it stays put for years. You can remove and replace as need be.

thats nice to find other people from quebec here ! maybe one day we will trade coral with each other ! if i can solve my algae problem first haha ! i will check the inkbird thanks for the tip !

 

[Idech]

thats nice to find other people from quebec here ! maybe one day we will trade coral with each other ! if i can solve my algae problem first haha ! i will check the inkbird thanks for the tip !

I’m up for it ! I still have to grow my corals first, lol !

 

[Buzz-light-year]

I’m up for it ! I still have to grow my corals first, lol !

thats the fun part growing corals haha ! im preparing for a big cleanup this week end im preparing 30 gal or rodi water and a setup to clean my sand and rock ! hopefully it will help my problem if not solve it !
i just bought the controller you told me .. the inkbird itc-306a the wifi one it was on rebate on amazon for 62$. do you change your controller each year instead of your heater when you have a unit like this or you dont need to change it ?

 

[Idech]

thats the fun part growing corals haha ! im preparing for a big cleanup this week end im preparing 30 gal or rodi water and a setup to clean my sand and rock ! hopefully it will help my problem if not solve it !
i just bought the controller you told me .. the inkbird itc-306a the wifi one it was on rebate on amazon for 62$. do you change your controller each year instead of your heater when you have a unit like this or you dont need to change it ?

I have been using it for 2 years and I just changed the sensor (sonde) when someone mentioned it in a post. It’s like 20$ on Amazon. I don’t plan on changing the main part as I am home most of the time and will know if it fails. I also trust it.

As for heaters, I only use Eheim jagers and they last forever so I never change them. I’ve had one for 15 years that’s in the tank. I do run run 2 smaller heaters on the inkbird, for redundancy. If one fails, there is still one left.

Adjust your heaters about 1 degree higher than the Inkbird, so the Inkbird has full control.