About at wits end

[Mad Reefer]

As most of you probably know by now I have been fighting some sort of green algae for some time now. I think its getting worse. I cleaned the tank and everything else, did water changes, checked water params, use RO/DI water and its still keeps coming back. Its all over my sand bed, on only a few rocks right now and has covered my small Toadstool. I just cant get a handle on it. when I set up this tank originally I used live sand to seed the base,Im wondering if its th culprit. Well I dont cut back feedings any more ( every 2-3 days) and I have tried limiting lighting. What else

 

[~Flighty~]

Do you have a picture of the algae? a propper id could help. once we figure out what it is we can suggest something to eat it.
that and starving it of nutrients should take care of it.

 

[Mad Reefer]

Opps forgot pics.

 

[~Flighty~]

Kind of like army green cotton, really thin strands?

 

[Mad Reefer]

Yes thats it alright...

 

[denvig]

When you do a water change try to siphon a thin layer of this sand out of the tank. Is it kind of crusty and like a layer that you can peel? How much flow do you have?

 

[Mad Reefer]

I have removed a lot of sand with the past few water changes and it comes back. In this 30 gallon tank I have 2 ph's a 270gph and a 180 gph. Also the return from the sump is a mag 7 on a spray bar.Not sure of gph on that.

 

[denvig]

Skimmer? Fuge?

 

[smcnally]

Looks like green cyano. If it is, get "Chemi Clean". I got it for my cyano problem (which I fought for months) and it went away after one treatment, and didn't affect anything else. It has been gone for about 3 months now.

 

[Mad Reefer]

Yes i have both a skimmer and a fuge. The skimmer is a Berlin Airlit 60, but its works great i get a cup full every 2 days or so. I have had others but they didnt work as well.

 

[Mad Reefer]

I was thinking it might be Cyano and treated it with Chemi clean to no avail

 

[denvig]

It?s got to be a nutrient thing. How many fish do you have and how big? Is you fuge growing fast? try 24/7 lighting on fuge.

 

[~Flighty~]

If it is hairy rather than slimy it isn't cyano. Do you have snails and hermits? Do they eat this stuff?

Also is it single cotton like strands or is it like teeny feathers like a shaft and hairs comming out of that.

 

[TBoisvert]

What is your alk at? I had that pond scum stuff and brought my alk up to about 12.8 dKh and it went away like magic. Are there air bubbles attached to the strands?

Tam

 

[etszoo]

How old is this set up? The side view shows the sand bed is still new. Looks like you are still cycling. Keep doing what you are doing. It will...eventually, run it's course. It
seems some people (most of us) get harsh algae cycles, others just get damn lucky!

 

[clamm]

Could be, if its cyano, I would suggest increasing flow inside and keep up the water changes. Main thing is be persistant, and try not to give up.

 

[Triggerfish]

looks sort of brown in the pics.
list what all your water params are for both tank and RO/DI effluent including silicate and phosphate. also TDS reading.
what do you have for lighting, age of bulbs?

flow seems ok at around 20x turnover..

what do you have in the fuge for macro and how often is it harvested?

 

[Clam Man]

try to get the best close up picture then post it on rc under the anthony calfo form it never hurts to get his opionion also

 

[Mad Reefer]

Ok lets see if I can answer all the questions lol . Tank has been set up for 6 months now. I have 2 small O Clowns and 3 Small Blue Chromis snails hermits cleaner shrimp. Fuge is growing really good. How do you know when to harvest it? Algae is greenish brown...some has bubbles some doesnt...Chemi clean did not clear it up. It is like strands not the fern type. I dont have a TDS meter. Fuge has Chaeto and Culpera in it (sp?)

I am going to try and add another PH to increase flow and do another water change tonight and of course vac vac vac .


Thanks all Ps Bulbs all 2 months old 150 mh 2x 55 watt Actinics

 

[NateHanson]

Check your ph and alkalinity. Raising them to 8.3 and 4.5 meq/L might help. Sounds like it could be dinoflagelates? Anyways it couldn't hurt.

Harvest your macro whenever it gets crowded.