What am I missing

[Gigi197]

HELP! I CAN’T get rid of this green algae!

90 gallon saltwater tank, approximately 16 months old using 2 FluvalSmart Marine&Reef 1100mm lights, using the sunrise to sunset setting. I have been fighting a hair algae/ green algae for the past few months.

Last week removed all live rocks and scrubbed off all the hair I could while trying not to damage my bubble tip, star polyp and feather worms…and although the hair is significantly less the green on the sand and glass comes back EVERY dang DAY! I probably have 50 Nassarius snails 20 or so hermit crabs and a tuxedo urchin. Now the green is much darker and isn’t going away when the lights are off. Couple of pics attached

My most recent water test on 4/22/24 In the past 2 months I’ve tried:
Calcium 420ppm. Dr Tim’s Refresh
Alkalinity 10dkh. Microbe-Lift Algaway 5.4
Phosphate 0ppm. NO3 PO4 X
PH 8.0
Ammonia, Nitrite & Nitrate all 0ppm
Salinity 1.26

 

[Doctorgori]

Another urchin?
but you will get additional replies, but those narcissus snails aren’t exactly herbivores…. a better snail mix might help (I use all types, nerites, verity, turbos, et)
Added IMO hermits are grossly overrated for algae removal anyway

 

[Jekyl]

Can you please post some white light pics? The CuC you have listed is not sufficient. Nassarius don't touch algae and hermits eat a little of everything. Using RODI?

 

[Jekyl]

If in the US I would recommend a reefcleaners.org package without more hermits.

 

[19Mateo83]

If you are sure it’s GHA you could try a dose of fluconazol. Do 1/4 to 1/2 the recommended dose and it should put a dent in your algae, enough to where the CUC can start to keep up with it.

 

[Gigi197]

Can you please post some white light pics? The CuC you have listed is not sufficient. Nassarius don't touch algae and hermits eat a little of everything. Using RODI?

Can you please post some white light pics? The CuC you have listed is not sufficient. Nassarius don't touch algae and hermits eat a little of everything. Using RODI?

I do use RODI yes, and I can’t believe I was sold on the Nassarius snails as the answer. oh well live and learn. Hopefully this pic is better

 

[Jekyl]

I do use RODI yes, and I can’t believe I was sold on the Nassarius snails as the answer. oh well live and learn. Hopefully this pic is better

Nothing too alarming. Get a reefcleaners.org package for some diversity.

 

[Gigi197]

Another urchin?
but you will get additional replies, but those narcissus snails aren’t exactly herbivores…. a better snail mix might help (I use all types, nerites, verity, turbos, et)
Added IMO hermits are grossly overrated for algae removal anyway

Well live and learn I guess, I was promised when I bought them the Nassarius were the way to go. lol Thank you I’ll look into those.

 

[Dom]

I wouldn't worry about that amount of algae. A cleanup crew that targets such algae would help.

 

[Lavey29]

I agree with the above posts about getting a more diverse cleaner crew with at least 3 tuxedo urchins and couple turbos and make sure you are using minimal white light. Just blue and uv only with a small amount of red and green. White is for viewing pleasure. Also not to go off topic but if you have corals in your tank then bottomed out nutrients levels you posted are bad because they are starving and having 0 phosphate and nitrate may make your tank susceptible to dinos.

 

[19Mateo83]

I agree with the above posts about getting a more diverse cleaner crew with at least 3 tuxedo urchins and couple turbos and make sure you are using minimal white light. Just blue and uv only with a small amount of red and green. White is for viewing pleasure. Also not to go off topic but if you have corals in your tank then bottomed out nutrients levels you posted are bad because they are starving and having 0 phosphate and nitrate may make your tank susceptible to dinos.

What is the recommended tuxedo urchin to gallon ratio?

 

[Doctorgori]

I agree with the above posts about getting a more diverse cleaner crew with at least 3 tuxedo urchins and couple turbos and make sure you are using minimal white light. Just blue and uv only with a small amount of red and green. White is for viewing pleasure. Also not to go off topic but if you have corals in your tank then bottomed out nutrients levels you posted are bad because they are starving and having 0 phosphate and nitrate may make your tank susceptible to dinos.

there is some truth in that algae prefers or grows better in “whiter” wavelengths but I’ve always fought the idea of adjusting lighting for what is essentially a water quality issue…
this is coming from a ole skool user of 4800K MH lighting

 

[Lavey29]

What is the recommended tuxedo urchin to gallon ratio?

Guess it kind of depends on available food supply. I've had 3 in my 65g DT for 3 years now with no issues and great success. Petco buys too.

 

[19Mateo83]

Guess it kind of depends on available food supply. I've had 3 in my 65g DT for 3 years now with no issues and great success. Petco buys too.

How do you deal with the constant rearranging? My one drives me crazy.

 

[Lavey29]

How do you deal with the constant rearranging? My one drives me crazy.

Mine have never messed up a single thing. I've watched the delicately move in and around corals, SPS frags, etc... and never damage anything. They snatch a zoa polyp or to for decoration but that's it. I glue my stuff in place though.

 

[exnisstech]

If in the US I would recommend a reefcleaners.org package without more hermits.

Minus the Dwarf cerith snails. All those did for me was lock up my powerheads. Ive been happy with John from RC just not the dwarf snails.

 

[Lavey29]

Minus the Dwarf cerith snails. All those did for me was lock up my powerheads. Ive been happy with John from RC just not the dwarf snails.

If you want real quality cleaners then go to saltwateraquarium.com far better then RC and your stuff won't show up in a damp kleenex either.

 

[exnisstech]

If you want real quality cleaners then go to saltwateraquarium.com far better then RC and your stuff won't show up in a damp kleenex either.

I don't mind how he ships snails. I was buying snails buy the 100 lot frome ebay a few years back and they shipped in wet paper towels with no issues. Crabs and shrimp are shipped in water from RC, at least mine were. I love saltwateraquarium.com but have never used them for livestock. I'll have to give them try.

 

[Jekyl]

If you want real quality cleaners then go to saltwateraquarium.com far better then RC and your stuff won't show up in a damp kleenex either.

I've had 4 or 5 orders from reecleaners now. Always alive, cheap, and more than what was advertised that I would get.

There are plenty of ways out there. No need to downgrade one over the other.

Most snails are accustomed to high and low tide areas. Damp cloth is all that's required for shipping.

 

[Evil1]

0= nitrate
0= phosphate
Am I reading correctly?
What do you use to test?