Best way to get this algae under control?

[jdeb101]

How would you guys go about getting this algae under control in my new 95g (pics below)? It's everywhere; rocks, sand, glass.
A few things that may be important to point out..

• this is a newly cycled tank (only 2 months or so old)
• Tank started with roughly 90% dry rock and sand.
• Only livestock is a handful of snails and one clownfish (its mate sadly perished within a few days )
• All params (amm,ites,ates,phos...) show in check with new test kits.

I already scrubbed the rocks with my last 20g water change. Looked better for maybe a week, but now algae is worse than ever! I've had lights off past two days in hopes that will help kill it...

I posted similar post on other forum and they suggested peroxide dosing the tank. I'm a bit scared to start dosing chemicals in such a new tank and always prefer the natural method. I've been thinking I throw a ball of chaeto in my fuge to help battle it or maybe a phosphate sponge in between sump baffles. Thoughts?? Anyone have some chaeto if that's a good method?

 

[bdaley]

when you do a water change use a new tooth brush and scrub it all then suck it all out with a hose. Also add more of a CUC if you tank can support it. I would add the very small blue leg hermits, and depending on the type of algae a sea hair. Also reduce the light period to 6 hrs a day, I did not see any corals in the pictures.

 

[Pat02026]

When I started the 90 with all new Marco rock, I had the exact same stuff growing through the first 2-4 months. Just keep sucking it out with water changes, and it'll stop coming back. In my case I feel as though it was part of the process of the rock establishing. It's painfully ugly and lasted about two months, but hasn't returned and the rocks are now full of color and life a year later. No reason to dose your tank, let it go through it's course for the next 6 months naturally. It will find a balance.

 

[reefstarter]

When I started the 90 with all new Marco rock, I had the exact same stuff growing through the first 2-4 months. Just keep sucking it out with water changes, and it'll stop coming back. In my case I feel as though it was part of the process of the rock establishing. It's painfully ugly and lasted about two months, but hasn't returned and the rocks are now full of color and life a year later. No reason to dose your tank, let it go through it's course for the next 6 months naturally. It will find a balance.

+ 1 there , had same thing with my 600 gallon set up . but remember this , using dray rock does prolong the process of the tank . I started mine using all dead rock and sand , seded it with a couple cups of sand and a rock or 3 from my 90 gallon set up . If you want to speed it up a little put some Dr Tims in there . but still don't rush . wait for the tank to be able to handle enough to reduce the Har algae on its own . you won't regret it

 

[Technorch]

That's normal to happen in a newish tank. When I started mine it was like that for almost 4 months. After a month and a half, I could even see in the tank because there was so much algae everywhere. I just let it stay as it was without taking any rocks out because I felt that would interfere with the cycle process.

 

[reefstarter]

Turbo snails will eat it too

 

[ebattistoni]

I have a pin cushion urchin who is hungry. He has done a fantastic job at cleaning mine up. I would be happy to re-home him to you. My tank is getting to clean for him.


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[jdeb101]

Thanks for the replies all. Took a brush to it yesterday and looks a little better but I'm sure it will be back, looks like I'll just need to wait it out. It's just so ugly! lol

 

[Technorch]

Thanks for the replies all. Took a brush to it yesterday and looks a little better but I'm sure it will be back, looks like I'll just need to wait it out. It's just so ugly! lol

Trust me, I know it looks really painful to look at. When mine was like that I didn't even want to walk in that room lol.

I waited it out and it went away on its own and now I have absolutely no algae anywhere in my tank.

 

[s_kelley]

What do you have for flow in the tank, I found that a little more flow can help with that stuff

 

[jdeb101]

What do you have for flow in the tank, I found that a little more flow can help with that stuff

I have a jebao dual controller running a WP40 and WP10. I have them on the alternate wave setting at 2nd and 3rd power. They are capable of producing much more flow if needed, however it does look like I get decent flow throughout most the tank at this setting. Funny thing is, this algae seems to appear where there is the most flow hitting my rock & glass as well as on the output nozzle of my return.

 

[ro_nicu]

build an algae scrubber and install it on you overflow. All that algae grows because there's stuff it needs for development, and, it will continue to grow for as long as it has resources; water changes will do but it's a long and paifull process, plus you waste a ton of water and time doing the water changes.

I am yet to see any algae invade a tank with a scrubber.

 

[KReardon99]

I started my new 75g about a month and a half ago... I had the same problem with algae on marco rock, I transferred my globe urchin over from my other tank and he has mowed a ton of the algae down in a weeks time.


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[reef87]

do frequent water change, and take the rocks out and clean it .


I am not sure why so many people talk highly about how good/nice/great about macro rocks.
if you use macro rocks, you better hope that you will never run into algae problems otherwise the macro rocks sucks when it comes to algae problems.

 

[jdeb101]

Thanks guys. I've scrubbed the rocks down twice now during water changes, it comes back. I did pick up a lawnmower blenny yesterday and will run lights out for a few days to see if it helps.