Algae issues Please help

[schneijt]

Wow, I haven't done an update in a couple weeks either!

My remote 'fuge is up and running. It's a 44qt Rubbermaid from Menards. I got a compact fluorescent floodlight like Melev suggests at Menards, too, but could not find a kelvin rating. "White" according to the label turned out to be a very dim looking yellow... So, I ordered one of the ones from the link on Melev's page. Both bulbs are lighting my fuge on a reverse lighting schedule from the main tank. Chaeto has, in a week, tripled in size. I'm not using any sand in the 'fuge, since I've started to hate sandbeds recently... No pods seemed to make their way into my chaeto when my friend gave it to me, but I'm planning to add copepod and amphipod cultures along with LR rubble into the fuge in the Spring or early Summer.

I added a Koralia #3 to replace the MaxiJet 1200, which was turned into a feed pump from the sump up to the 'fuge above and next to the tank. I'll be adding another soon, as it is a very nice powerhead for producing good water movement and random current. And they're pretty cheap, too!

My last addition was a new vertical DI cartridge from Purely H2O. Water was great before, but still it didn't hurt to make sure I was getting the most stuff out of it before putting it into my tank.

I've actually stopped worrying about constant water changes. 5gal is changed every couple weeks now, and I vacuum out sand in the areas where I have algae on the sandbed.

Overall, the algae seems to not be getting much worse. The one rock that had the worst problem is being picked at by hermits and snails once in a while, and slowly is looking like a rock again. There are other spots in the tank where it's present, but it doesn't seem to grow or spread very quickly. That makes me happy.

To sum it up, I've gotten (I think) this algae under control. I focused on nutrient export, limiting nutrient import, and improving my husbandry in all areas that warranted attention. It seems to have worked.

OK, that was long. Feel free to ask any questions you may have; I'm glad to help others.

Thanks,
Joe

[TwentyTwenty]

I have just one thing to add to my update. While on WWM.com I saw a picture of "our" algae. Likely a BGA, and the recommendation was to start raising the iodine level in the system. Something to think about anyway. Joe, it sounds like we are on the same road to controling this algae. Keep up the good work and if anything new arises let us know, Mike.

[armagedon48]

you can move all your fish into the Q-tank and keep them well fed there while you starve the display of nutrients from food and fish waste. if you dont have coral, you can leave the lights out as well.
also, if you have the space for a fuge, set one up. i have three 36"longx18"widex5"deep trays filled with chaeto algae and it seems that i have more than enough. click on my red house to see a picture of my top tray for ideas.

[schneijt]

Well, we've had good luck by just focusing on nutrient management and refinging our maintenance routines. I don't think we need to go as drastically as QT'ing the display tank. We're doing pretty well just by cutting back on food, making our water changes more effective (more frequent), and making sure we get as much DOC removal from the water column as possible. Also, we've had good luck with bigger 'fuges running chaeto under optimal lighting. My new fuge is growing chaeto really well, and the gravity drain down into my display tank should make for optimal pod production for a future mandarin.

-Joe

[TwentyTwenty]

Hello, I know it has been 2 months. But, a very good 2 months. My tank is now 99% free from that fuzzy brown. It has happened over the last 2 weeks. So, here is my update. While reading some posts on WWM.com I came across a person who had our problem. He battled it for over a year, before he found his cure.

He basically did all the things we did, with about the same result. Until someone told him that this algae or was it really a bacteria, could have been feeding off of metals in his water. He purchased CupriSorb a Seachem product which absorbs metals. Needless to say in 2 weeks his tank was free from this algae/bacteria.

My turn to try this stuff. I also added Hypersorb and Purigen along with the CupriSorb. I just fit them in my sump between the baffles. In 2 weeks my tank was just about completely free of it as well. I hope this helps, good luck and any questions just fire away. I'm more than happy to be able to help.

[schneijt]

My algae slowly went away over the course of a few weeks. I really didn't do anything different; it's like it just ran out of fuel one day and started receding. There are only a couple spots here and there in my tank, and I don't worry about them since they don't spread. Interestingly, I'm now getting some bubble algae popping up in a few places now. It's as if the BA replaced the terrible brown hairy plague...

Even though I'm no longer worrying about the algae problrem, I'm still keeping an eye on water quality. I use a small piece of polyfilter in my Megaflow, and it gets replaced as soon as it turns brown, which is about a week or so. I also have a bag of Chemi Pure in my sump, which will be replaced pretty soon, since it's been in there for nearly two months. Any chemical filtration I use gets washed/rinsed before being put in.

I don't know 100% what "fixed" my problem, but all is well now.

-Joe