Algae help needed

[Llorgon]

I have started to see a reduction in dinos on the sand bed. Especially in the mornings. So I'm hoping the dosing is doing something. The rocks are still as brown as can be though.

I've noticed that leaving the Dino's alone and not stirring the sand and blowing off the rocks seems to help more than stirring and blowing. The tank looks good after, but they always come back more afterwards.

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[Llorgon]

Tested my water last night. 10ppm nitrate and 161ppb/0.494ppm phosphate.


Rocks are still super brown, but I see white patches of sand!


Most corals are doing ok. My anemone isn't looking great as it roams around the tank though.

[Razor Ramon]

Very good thread, a lot of help here, this will help many refers to come to!
Not an easy thing but you will win .
I’m batting a similar war . I haven’t gone to the black out yet, but I have hit them With peroxide as well as filtering as much of it out of the tank with filter floss daily, using my turkey baster and a very soft artist brush.
Get as much out of the system because they release poisons into the water carbon is a must .I added filter pads that removes po4 and one for no3 that I change every week.
Also I added to the rain of fire is two bacteria strains one for new rank other for breaking down wast,and 3 turbo snails and 2 emerald crabs.
Wet protein skimming all the time . I should have taken pictures but I’m on my way to defeating this beast.
Hope this will help a little keep at it !
RAZOR RAMON

[Razor Ramon]

One other thing I am doing is reduced lighting by a couple hours and run blues only ,might help .

[Llorgon]

Originally Posted by Razor Ramon

Very good thread, a lot of help here, this will help many refers to come to!
Not an easy thing but you will win .
I’m batting a similar war . I haven’t gone to the black out yet, but I have hit them With peroxide as well as filtering as much of it out of the tank with filter floss daily, using my turkey baster and a very soft artist brush.
Get as much out of the system because they release poisons into the water carbon is a must .I added filter pads that removes po4 and one for no3 that I change every week.
Also I added to the rain of fire is two bacteria strains one for new rank other for breaking down wast,and 3 turbo snails and 2 emerald crabs.
Wet protein skimming all the time . I should have taken pictures but I’m on my way to defeating this beast.
Hope this will help a little keep at it !
RAZOR RAMON

I wouldn't bother with the blackout. In my experience and from what I have been reading it doesn't do much. It knocks them back for a day and that's about it. And if your corals are already stressed(which mine were) you will lose them.


I didn't have much luck with using the turkey baster on the rocks and sand originally. Just made them worse. Siphoning them out does help though.


Did the snails and crabs help at all? Mine won't eat the stuff.



Have the filter pads that removes po4 and one for no3 worked for you? My dino outbreak was caused from po4 and no3 being at or very near 0. It isn't until I have had them at 10ppm and 0.5ppm for a week that the dinos are disappearing.


I have been taking some photos along the way. I should post them..

[DKoKoMan]

That’s great that your in range for your nutrient level. Hopefully you can continue to dose, keep them there and battle these out of your tank.

[Razor Ramon]

The system I have is new and a lot is going on . The corals are Zoas from another tank and already had algae on them so the Dino’s would attach to it . The crabs and snails eat the algae after the Dino’s are blown off .
The nitrate and phos pads are keeping the levels in check for algae blooms .
The bacteria,low blue light,dosing peroxide and filtering seems to be the answer to the Dino’s .
It is defiantly a balancing act between bacteria , algae’s , Dino’s .
I think it just takes time and the effort to work it out .

[Llorgon]

Originally Posted by Razor Ramon

The system I have is new and a lot is going on . The corals are Zoas from another tank and already had algae on them so the Dino’s would attach to it . The crabs and snails eat the algae after the Dino’s are blown off .
The nitrate and phos pads are keeping the levels in check for algae blooms .
The bacteria,low blue light,dosing peroxide and filtering seems to be the answer to the Dino’s .
It is defiantly a balancing act between bacteria , algae’s , Dino’s .
I think it just takes time and the effort to work it out .

Interesting. The blue lights didn't do much for me in the fight against dinos. I never tried peroxide. I am kind of scared to try it.


I have been having good results so far with elevating nitrate and phosphate. The dinos are almost completely gone off the rocks, rocks are getting a nice coating of green on them with some hair algae here and there. There is still a light brown coating every day, but not long and stringy stuff like it was.


The sand is a bit more tricky it seems. Dinos are still growing on it, but not as quickly or as bad. I can see some white sand now. No other algae seems to be taking hold on the sand as of yet.


My nitrate and phosphate are high, but my chaeto seems to be shrinking. Any ideas on getting it growing? I would have assumed it would be growing pretty well with all the extra nutrients. I have a LED grow light above the refugium that comes on opposite of the display tank lights.