algae removal tips?

[caleb bruyn]

I have stumbled into what I believe is old tank syndrome and am trying different methods of getting my old tank back to normal. I have had problems after dosing levamiasole to kill flat worms. Its been a year and everything is back to normal except I have a lot of algae. The tank is about 7 years old,200 gal display. I installed a gfo reactor to help with phosphates to starve the algae out. I was thinking of using an electric toothbrush or water pick to try and remove more of it and with less work. A 200 gal is a lot of work with a normal toothbrush and it doesn't get it all. Any ideas would be helpful.

[shaginwagon13]

I have stumbled into what I believe is old tank syndrome and am trying different methods of getting my old tank back to normal. I have had problems after dosing levamiasole to kill flat worms. Its been a year and everything is back to normal except I have a lot of algae. The tank is about 7 years old,200 gal display. I installed a gfo reactor to help with phosphates to starve the algae out. I was thinking of using an electric toothbrush or water pick to try and remove more of it and with less work. A 200 gal is a lot of work with a normal toothbrush and it doesn't get it all. Any ideas would be helpful.

What are your water parameters? Post some pictures of your tank so we can take a look, but algae is usually the result of PO4, excess nutrients and excess light.

[caleb bruyn]

I am a very light feeder, maybe a half teaspoon every 3 days of reef crack directly into corals and fish. I recently (30 days ago) installed a phosphate reactor and have been cleaning the tank all day and I am going to leave the lights off for a couple days to shock the algae. doing a 60 gallon water change. I think algae is bryopsis not the normal hair algae.

[jlafou1]

My tank went through something like that and the only thing that helped was running a ton of Phosban and reducing the feedings. Also, when trying to manually remove, ripping it from the rock work will likely release more spores to continue the problem so suction works great while picking them off.

[caleb bruyn]

Good tip. Its more of a pain but I will try syphoning while grabbing the algae. I changed my gfo last night and ran the output directly into the top of the skimmer so I don't get a rust color on everything in the display tank. I am really considering going all coral and no fish after this pain in the butt. I had no problems for 5 years and then bam.

[caleb bruyn]

Is phosban the same as bulk reef supply gfo. I though about a phosphate sponge to get started but water changes may work as well.

[caleb bruyn]

I installed a BRS phosphate reactor and have left the display lights off for 2 days. Then I scrubbed the rock with a hard toothbrush. I is looking a lot better now. I still think it will take 6 months for the algae to be totally off the rocks. I am also using a little carbon and doing 30 to 60 gallon water changes every week. Purple coralline is starting to come back and the algae is getting thinner.

[caleb bruyn]

Pics of display tank259530