green algae

P

Pitch

New member
Hey guys, I have been fighting some green algae in my IM 20 gallon reef tank. I have multiple corals and they are all doing great the water parameters are all in check and water temp is stable. I have a clean up crew of about 8 Hermits, 2 emerald crabs, 1 turbo snail, and 1 conch. any ideas as what may be wrong or how to stop it? :dontknow:
 
Depending on the species of algea, some are much easier to get out of a tank. Pics would go a long way to help identify.

Algea won't grow if it doens't have food. Your params may be good becuase the algea is using up the no3 and po4 to grow. While reducing nutrients won't rid the tank in many cases, without reducing nutrients usually is a guarantee the algea will still grow.
 
Yea it comes off pretty easy, when I did my last water change while pulling water out I put the hose up to it and it came off the rocks
 
Id say cyano as well. Looks like the kind @dariensreef had

Hows your nutrients. Have you tried leaving the tank black for 4 days?
 
I have not tried leaving the lights off yet. Also, dumb question but what do you mean by nutrients haha :a11:
 
Well when you said your water parameters are in check. And being a small system they fluctuate quickly. You probably have high nutrients and need to have a method to export them. You said your corals all look great as they should be but balancing the nutrients is difficult because it also causes algae growth...both good and bad.
Ok so do you have a method to export? A fuge? Skimming heavy? Ats? Reactors? Something needs to help starve it.
For instance with me. My fish were pooping nicely and my corals looked real good. ....got velvet and they stopped pooping so my corals starved. Check phospates nitrates nitrite. These feed algae growth. The method of a black out works by starving them of light.

A water change can help export nutrients but if your feeding powder for corals you will raise nutrients quickly

Edit. Please read post #4 on page one from josh. He went over it also and was easier to understand than my fish to poop comparison
 
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Ah okay thank you for clearfying, currently it's running a reactor with GFO and carbon. I don't have a fuge or skimmer set up on this tank as I have heard mixed things about the skimmers on this size tank. I may have to take a look into them again if that will help.
 
Pitch said:
Ah okay thank you for clearfying, currently it's running a reactor with GFO and carbon. I don't have a fuge or skimmer set up on this tank as I have heard mixed things about the skimmers on this size tank. I may have to take a look into them again if that will help.
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I run a skimmer on my Biocube 29 and it pulls out a lot of nastiness, on a daily basis.
 
What skimmer are you running on that?

I think if I did one on my innovative marine I would have to do their ghost skimmer
 
Pitch said:
Ah okay thank you for clearfying, currently it's running a reactor with GFO and carbon. I don't have a fuge or skimmer set up on this tank as I have heard mixed things about the skimmers on this size tank. I may have to take a look into them again if that will help.
Click to expand...

I started with a nano as well, some sort of nutrient export is necessary. Skimmers for small tanks didn't use to be all that great, but I havn't done research on them in many years. That said, growing macro algea, a skimmer, algea turf scrubber, or very regular (and properly sized) water changes are critical to export nutrients. Water changes have the negative of affecting alk/ca/mg levels. Macro algea would require some sort of fuge. Small skimmers use to be a nightmare to adjust (again, bon't know about today's offerings.) Every one has negatives. If your using test kits like API, red sea or similar, for po4 and no3, they aren't accurate. If they register any no3 value you have a lot which will eventually cuase one problem or another. GFO as long as it's regulary changed and not clumped up will take care of your po4.

The other option is to keep hardier species that can tolerate the high nutrients. You may just have nusciense problems, like you have today. It may be eaiser to just regularly blow it off with a turkey baster or siphon with a tube.
 
Pitch said:
What skimmer are you running on that?

I think if I did one on my innovative marine I would have to do their ghost skimmer
Click to expand...

I run the Coralife Biocube Protein Skimmer, but upgraded the air pump to a Tetra Whisper AP150. The tank is on my 1st floor, but I drilled through the subfloor and ran an airtube down to the basement, because I have my pump sitting down there in the window well, to suck in fresh air to help with PH maintenance. I also have an air check valve on it to allow me to adjust the air flow into the skimmer. Even running up through the basement that air pump is a beast!
 
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