Algae problem - PLEASE HELP!!!

[peterkay]

Hi All,

I apologize in advance for the lengthy post... Here we go.
I have a 15 gallon tank with a Saline Solutions skimmer fed by a Maxi-Jet 1200 powerhead, Aquaclear 30 filter and a Maxi-Jet 400 powerhead in there for some extra current/air circulation. My nutrient levels (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate) are ZERO and have been for several months now. salinity at about 1.025 and temp at approx 76-78
I have a TERRIBLE blue-green algae problem. At least I'm almost certain it's blue green algae... Everything I've read says that it's a big warning sign in your tank that something is amiss with either filtration or air circulation. I just recently changed my filter media and all the hair algae in my tank is swaying to and fro like there'sno tomorrow so I don't see how there could be an air circulation problem. I change 20% every week, I use RO water and don't feed much at all. I'm desperate. I lose sleep over this disgusting black slime invading my tank. It only just started to get bad. I used to have a hair algae problem but cut it out by reducing photoperiod from 12-8 hrs for a week and increasing from 12%-20% water changes every week. In the first pic attached you can see what my tank looked like about 5 weeks ago. No black slime stuff, very little hair algae, basically in good shape.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/150065tank_setup.jpg

I don't know how this happened, and I have no idea what to do to sto pit. It just keeps getting worse. I've attached 4 pics for everyone to see just how disgusting this stuff has become. I also have a bubble algae infestation as well as some hair algae, but I just want to get rid of the blue green algae that has almost covered all of my 15 lbs of LR. It's also in the substrate as well... ARGH!!!

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/150065blue-green_algae_1.jpg http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/150065blue-green_algae_2.jpg http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/150065blue-green_algae_3.jpg http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/150065blue-green_algae_4.jpg

Any advice is welcome, I'd be willing to try anything at this point.

Thanks in advance to all who read and reply.

Peter

[Victor1046]

Get a couple of turbo snails they should clean it up!

[peterkay]

Also forgot to mention, I have 6 snails and 3 hermits in there as well as my 2 OC clowns. My snails won't touch the stuff. They'll only eat algae before it reaches a certain length.

[israelnajar]

Turbos won't touch that stuff, and if they do they will probably die.
What kind of salt are you using? There is a bad batch of IO that was going around a few months ago that caused this in my friends tank.
How old is the tank?
You could try adding a fuge, and macro to help absorb the nutrients.
Your phos is 0 because your green/blue algae is using it up.
Have you tested for silicates?
Skim?

You could try removing the rocks one at a time and scrub them.

Reducing the photo period from 12 to 8 hours will definitely help.