Green Hair Algae Bloom

[cgw0008]

My tank is three months old. For the last two or three weeks, I have had a green hair algae bloom that has taken over my tank. It is on the rocks, sand, everything. I have a 20 gallon FOWLR with 1 ocellaris, 3 dwarf red leg hermits (2 of which hide and do nothing), 2 trochus snails, and a medium sized Botryocladia macro. My parameters are:

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10
pH: 8.2
SG: 1.023

I mostly use RO/DI for changes and top off, but have used some distilled. I have been doing that this whole time though.

My kit does not have a test for phosphates, so I assumed that was the problem and added API Phos-Zorb 1 week ago and it has actually gotten worse. When I did my water change last week, I scrubbed it off the live-rock with an old toothbrush into the old water. Since it hit the sand, I manually turn the sand over every other day.

Is this a phase that it will grow out of? I first had a lot of diatoms, but they started to go away on their own and the snails eat them up now. If not, what should I do? I am not running a skimmer or a sump. Sump is not really an option. I know the nitrates can cause blooms, but that is what they have been about since I added the ocellaris two months ago and there were not any problems. And from what I've read, a lot of small FOWLR tanks run at about that.

Thanks for your help.

[SAT]

The tank is young enough that this could still be a phase. I suggest getting a good phosphate test kit.

With no skimmer or sump, you don't have any apparent method of nutrient export, particularly for phosphates. Over the long term, nutrients in need to equal nutrients out or you get an accumulation which will feed undesirable growths of various sorts.

Take a look at Chaeto reactors. They can be a good choice for nutrient export.

[cgw0008]

Thanks so much! I'll order a phosphate test kit. I was looking at making an algae scrubber to stick in the corner, would that be as effective?

[jonto]

My tank is about 4 mos old and I had the green algae start at about 3 mos. My Phosphate was testing 0 so I assume the algae was pulling it from my Pukani rock. I got a Foxface and a Lawnmower Blenny waiting for the cycle to die off.
The algae is now getting very sparse. The folks here said to have patience and it will pass and they were right.
If you want an algae eating machine get a Lawnmower Blenny. He goes nonstop just eating algae. He's amazing to watch.

[Uncle99]

Your nitrate and phosphate should be zero.
You can carbon dose with Red Sea No Pox which will improve your filtration but this takes time. Your phosphate us probably still high so once you test you can lower it daily by 1 ppm using Agent Green or another LC product.

Pull off as much as possible and turn your lights out for a few days and long term make sure your photoperiod is not to long nor too intense.

Bulk reef supply has some good videos on this on You tube....helped me a lot but your tank is still quite young

[SAT]

Thanks so much! I'll order a phosphate test kit. I was looking at making an algae scrubber to stick in the corner, would that be as effective?

Certainly worth a try!

[Uncle99]

BTW....your source water is RODI right....tap water or crappy filtered water....or LFS water are major contributors to algae blooms...

[Uncle99]

I have no algae and have no sump, no scrubber, just a gang on filter and a hang on skimmer......I spend my $ on having great source water and good salt mix...10% weekly change....and carbon dose.

[ReefKeeper64]

Fluconazole will get rid of all the algae in about 10 days. Dose 200mg per 10 gallons of water and it will go away quick. To keep it gone, you'll have to get the nutrients under control of course.

[sde1500]

Full disclosure, I dosed Fluconazole a week ago. But I wouldn't advocate it for a 4 month old tank. I dosed it to my tank that is almost 2 years old because life got in the way and the tank went a little south. GHA in a 4 month old tank is expected. And with a new tank and keeper, I would advocate maintain proper parameters and keeping the tank clean the good old fashioned way first. Learn proper care first, you should be fine.

[crawlerman]

Most likely your live rock has bound up phosphates. The algae is consuming it and will continue to until the phosphates are gone. If you test you will most likely get zero phosphates on the kit because the algae is consuming it. algae scrubber would be a good option. You need some way to export the phosphates. Manually removing the algae from the tank is actually exporting nutrients, but not really a preferred method.

Did you by chance start off with dry Pukani rock? It's known to have high phosphate levels.

[allendehl]

Mine is only 1 1/2 months since cycled and I had a GHA bloom about 2-3 weeks ago. I have a bunch of nerite snails that weren't doing much.
I decided to get a tuxedo urchin and helped it scrubbing some of the algae with a tooth brush with my WC, didn't get it all, not even close as it was coming of the holes in the rocks very hard to get.
The urchin has done an incredible job, rock and walls are now GHA free. Adding a Kole tang helped as well, I did see him going after the algae on the rocks and the walls but in a 20G, I don't believe is an option.

[ReefKeeper64]

Full disclosure, I dosed Fluconazole a week ago. But I wouldn't advocate it for a 4 month old tank. I dosed it to my tank that is almost 2 years old because life got in the way and the tank went a little south. GHA in a 4 month old tank is expected. And with a new tank and keeper, I would advocate maintain proper parameters and keeping the tank clean the good old fashioned way first. Learn proper care first, you should be fine.

I won’t say thanks for the dis. I will suggest that your post offers nothing he doesn’t already know. Welcome to the hobby.

[sde1500]

I won’t say thanks for the dis. I will suggest that your post offers nothing he doesn’t already know. Welcome to the hobby.



Sorry what is your problem? You took something I said as an insult? I can't figure out what at all. I offered a differing opinion that resorting to chemical solutions in a brand new tank is not ideal.

[Uncle99]

Sde1500 is absolutely right.
We can use chemicals in the short term, but his advice works long term.

[cgw0008]

Hey, thanks for the advice on chaeto reactors. The bloom went away on its own, and I've had the reactor for about a month now (made one on my own, only cost about $50). My nitrates went to 0 in like 3 days. Thanks!

[OldReefGuy]

+1 Sde1500