How to stop bad algae problem?

cstacks

Non-member
Hi I’ve been battling this type of algae that almost looks like a green fern for about 2-5 months. It’s really really bad every week when I do a water change I have to pull out clumps of the stuff and the issue is getting worse it’s spreading to other rocks and comes right back.

I really need to figure out how to stop it I don’t mind the water changes but I can’t stand having to pull this stuff out all the time for it to just come back.

Is this normal?? I was told it would go away but it hasn’t I used vibrant didn’t work and caused harm, wondering if there is another type of chemical I can use to kill the stuff? I don’t think time is helping fix the issue it keeps spreading.

About the tank: 1 year old 30 gallon cube 2 cups of carbon for filtration have like 30lbs love rock, coral and one small 1” wrasse in it, all calcium salinity temp all have been good and well tested. I haven’t tested phosphate or nitrates before not sure if that is a key one with algae and if high can I use something to lower it to kill the algae? I’m also getting bubble algae forming in this and another 5 gallon tank any ideas for killing bubble algae too?

I don’t mind the water changes but if I have to keep pulling out algae every week I might have to close down the hobby which sucks but I just don’t have the time to go elbow deep for 30 minutes a week pulling this stuff out all the time or have it ruin all my coral. If anyone has had similar experiences or have ideas how to fix it would be much appreciated thanks so much!

Sorry if pics are bad snapped this morning when I did a wc desperate for a way to stop the madness haha. I notice it’s growing into some of my sps and spreading fast so really need to figure out a solution. Thanks for the help :)

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What do you have for clean up crew/snails hermits? You described bryopsis (sp?) but it looks like green hair algae.

I would try critter control. Get some big Mexican turbo snails and some hermits. Continue maintenance as you were and see how it goes. If it is Bryopsis stuff people have had a hard time getting rid of that and have given up their tank over it in the past. Chemical treatments may be helpful.

Tim


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Thanks Tim! Thats a good idea to add more snails I have hermit and some snails but I could use more. A couple of my big snails died so should definitely try to replace. I noticed they dont eat the green hair algea stuff that much though but cant hurt to try :) I didn't know that was the technical name for it now I can google some more ways to treat it so thanks so much. I'll look into some ideas maybe I can scrape off the rock nem and swap it with another rock or something too. Its a real pest though I'll keep updated if I find a way to kill or get rid of it all.
 
The bubble algae is an "easy" problem algae. It's not too difficult to remove by hand. Try not to burst the bubbles. I have it in my display tank and I check for it during my water changes. I usually find a few bubbles. I also got several emerald crab to help with this one. I'm not sure if they are helping but I only ever find bubble algae in spots they can't reach.

Note: I've heard they won't eat larger bubbles so they're best at getting the small ones before they grow.

No advice on the hair algae - I'm battling that right now, too.

Good luck!
 
I just watched a video where a guy raised his magnesium levels higher to like 1500 and that helped a lot I might try that. I also heard a yellow tang might eat it I dont think a tang would be happy in the 30 gallon tank so not going to go that route. So I'll read about it a bit more and will probably go the route of clean up crew and maybe try the mag or chemical method if that doesn't work. The bubble I was surprised at how easy it was to pull off I guess I'll just be doing that every 3-6 months to stay on top of it and stuff.
 
Fluconazole will eliminate all that algae in about 4 days. It's an anti fungal medication that interrupts a key enzyme in algae cells. Works great and doesn't affect anything else in your tank. In my tank it got rid of all the hair algae in just a few days. All the grape calerpa and bubble algae disappeared in two weeks. I was surprised at that because I did a lot of water changes after the hair algae died and didn't expect the added bonus. You can get some from Greg at Underwater World in Taunton. I'm sure you could get it online as well.
 
It looks like hair algae. I can test your nitrate and phosphate level. Also can swap you clean rocks.


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Phosphate and nitrate are huge contributors to many types of algae including hair algae. You should test those levels and make sure they are in check.

Try a Sea hare also they devour that stuff.
 
Like the others said, nitrate and phosphate are the main components to algae. You need to test those, but at this point they are likely going to test zero because test kits test for free nutrients. Yours are likely bound up in the algae.

Fluconazole works, but get something good. Reef HD Reef Flux is good. I got some ineffective stolen prescription crap from someone else, so go commercial.

If you go that route, you need a phosphate removal product like gfo, phosguard, etc. If not you will have free PO4 in the water from dying algae and it will just grow right back.

First things first, get the test kits. I use salifert nitrate and Hannah phosphorus checker. I couldn't tell the difference on the colormetric salifert phosphate kit. The first 4 colors all looked the same!

As far as a fish. I think a lawnmower blenny stays small. I wouldn't put a tang or foxface in there.
 
I used Kent tech m and raised my magnesium levels to around 1500 ppm and with the help of my clean up crew it is 95% gone. I fought byropsis for a few months.
 
Fluconazol works like a charm. Dose as recommended remove carbon/gfo. Cut your skimmer back and no water charges for two weeks. But yes like everyone said phosphate and nitrate, test regularly until you know your system. Then you can do your routine tests. Also after you beat this be careful not to over do it. Dont let your let phosphate and nitrate hit and remain at 0. Good luck!
 
If it’s bryopsis Fluconazol can get you right back on track! In a week you will have a different tank.
No one has to suffer with Bryopsis. It’s been cured!

Give us a close up of the algae.


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Ok great I am going to get the test kit and I will get the Reef HD Reef Flux and phosguard I will remove the carbon and put the phosguard on the intank rack in the middle rack. So thankful for the help everyone can't wait to try to fix this issue! I'll post some more pics before and after thanks so much for the help!
 
Just added some reef flux reef hd anti fungal medication did 6 capsules for a double dose. I am going to keep the carbon filter in for a day and remove it after a day or so to try to collect the dead algea by having it catch on a media bag instead of carbon and just rinse it daily for about a week. I'm planning to do a water change after 3 days and will add another 3 pills in about a week will post results around then. Hope nothing reacts bad to the mediation and really hope that this works as a treatment fingers crossed. Thanks for the advice all!
 

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Update:

The Reef Flux HD is really good stuff. It seems to have totally solved my problem. It's been a few weeks and the bryopsis is pretty much gone. I can sort of see a small amount coming back I think or it is just the old stuff leaving the rocks but way more minor than before, if it comes back again I'll do another light treatment. I really think anyone with algea issues should try this it really seems like a scourge that can be cured or at least greatly diminished. The water looks a lot better and the corals and fish seem more happy. Thanks so much to everyone that commented and helped me find the Reef flux now part of my maintenance if things get bad and really saved me a ton of time, no more pulling algea off rocks!! Thanks again everyone!!
 

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The effect on reducing bubble algae is unknown sort of. It seems to be removing a film on the outside of the bubble (cyno?) but I can't say it has decreased the amount of the bubble algae. I almost was thinking the other day that it has slightly gotten worse but not alarming by any means.

The bubble algae bothers me less than the bryopsis because the bryo was growing really fast and covering everything including my sps I was worried I would lose everything if I didn't act the way I did.

Ill probably continue to just manually pull the bubble algae off. In a couple weeks I have to super glue and try to kill aiptasia in my 5 gallon tank (I think it is too small for peppermint shrimp imo so I think manually covering them in glue is the only option) so will probably just try to pull the bubble algae in that tank then. My idea is to try to do manual removal of bubble and algae quarterly and maybe treat with the reef flux and pull all the rocks out for a full clean up roughly annually if needed. That way I only have to change the water weekly to keep the maintenance easier on me etc.
 
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