Nuisance Algae in Tank

[Saltaddiction]

I have a 28g Nano-Cube that has been up and running for a year and a half. I keep getting brown algae on my rocks, sand bed, everywhere! I also have what I think is some kind of green hair algae. My zooanthids have been closed up tight for over a month now as well. Temp: 79, Salinity: 1.025, PH: 8.4, KH: 9, Calcium: 460, phosphates & nitrates: 0 - regular water changes. CF bulb is a year and a half old, will that cause all my issues? Any help would be appreciated. I tried to attach a pic of my tank below - I hope it works!

Thanks!!

[Ashlar]

Looks like diatoms or dinoflagellates.

Are you using RO/DI water to make up your water for water changes? You might also want to get some phosphate binding media and put it in a media bag in one of the chambers in the back of the tank.

[Saltaddiction]

Yes I always use RO/DI water that reads 0 on my tds meter...I didnt think phosphates were my issue because I got a 0 reding on my phosphate test that i ran.

[Ashlar]

Well, as quick as phosphates enter the system, they're being taken up by the algae and dinos / diatoms.

You add phosphate every time you add food. It's just that things are very good at absorbing them.

[Cole Harlow]

 Theres a product called algae fix that completly killed the hair algae in my tank. Im planning on using it until i can get a ats running

[rayviv]

 until i can get a "ats" running. What does ats stand for??

Where can I find the algae fix??

Thanks Ray

[Boonjob]

until i can get a "ats" running. What does ats stand for??

Algae turf scrubber....

It will out compete the other lesser algae which tend to be nuisances, It will "scrub" your water of excess nutrients(nitrates, phosphates, Carbon dioxide) while releasing oxygen back into the system...

[Todd W.]

<<CF bulb is a year and a half old,>>

Maybe out of the proper spectrum.....

[micki]

If it's diatoms (which it looks like to me imho) Algae fix won't make it go away.

[rayviv]

If it's diatoms (which it looks like to me imho) Algae fix won't make it go away.

If Algae Fix wont work then what?

[lazylivin]

That brown is dinoflagellates. h202 kills it dosing 1ml per 10 gallons per day for 7 days.

[rayviv]

That brown is dinoflagellates. h202 kills it dosing 1ml per 10 gallons per day for 7 days.

What i have looks like that but is green.

[Todd W.]

I would also change that bulb.  1 1/2 years is too old for a CF.

[Bluewater]

First replace the bulbs. That is not your whole problem though because algae dont just need light to grow. As said before you must have phos and nitrates in your tank. Even if your test is zero just means that the algae is using it before it can show up on the test. The algae fixes are not fixes they are just band aids. They way to CURE the problem is to find the root of the source and get rid of it. Also cant really tell from the picture but kind of looks like bryopsis.

[Twizted1]

Will h2o2 kill any of the macro algaes or have any ill effects onany corals?

[Boonjob]

Most Corals should be fine, though they wont like it in strong concentration...

It will harm/kill most all macros as well as unwanted algae...

[lazylivin]

at 1ml per 10 gallons (in tank dosing level) it won't have an effect on any algae or coral just dinoflagellates. When using it for dipping (one part h2o2 four parts saltwater) it will have effect on everything, corals and algae.

[Twizted1]

Would it be better to use a baster & put it right on the dino? Or dose it in high flow like anything else?

[lazylivin]

Doesn't matter where you pour it. Are you sure you have dinoflagellates? Mind sharing a picture?

[Twizted1]

Mine is clearing now. I put some gfo in a media bag & placed it in my filter sock. That seams to be clearing it up. But when my lights are @ the high of the day I seem the have small outbrakes of the stuff. I will try & get a pic when it happens. When lights start to fade it goes away. ? When I rake the sand bed it clumps together. If h2o2 would help clear it up faster I would be willing to try it.

[lazylivin]

That doesnt sound like dinoflagellates. It is a brown snotty substance with bubbles in it. What you see is it's secreations. Nasty stuff.

[Twizted1]

Yea, not what I have.

[Eshyr]

How often do you change out filter sock? Should be done every two to three days. Also PC bulbs are only good for around 9 months. Try blowing the rock off and behind it with powerhead, wait an hour or two then change filter sock. Do this for several days. If you don't have cheato or ATS growing then there is nothing to compete with nuisance algae for nutrients besides mechanical or chemical removal. Hows your clean up crew?

I had some similar looking green hairish algae that an emerald crab took care of for me. Although after the algae was gone I had to remove him cuz he got the taste for shrooms and kenya. Once he had the algae cleaned up it gave the cheato a chance to get on top and havent had any return issues.

These are just thing that I do that seems to work for me.

Here is a pic of the green algae that my emerald cleaned up. Its kind looks like byopsis but its a type of turf algae.

[Eshyr]

Not sure why pic didnt post.

[lazylivin]

Not sure why pic didnt post.

Just a tip: copy and paste the URL it gives you back into post. Here is your pic

[jhart]

I'm wondering what type of h2o2 everyone is using when treating dynos, is it just the dilluted kind that  most pharmacy stores have or is it the more powerful  stuff?

[lazylivin]

Yes it is the diluted 3% that you pick up at the pharmacy.