Algea Overgrown plus film on top

I have had my salt water tank(90 gal.) for about 2 years now. In the past 3 mos. I've had an over growth of green algea on live rock as well as everything else. Also there is a film, dark green that forms on the top of the water. This clogs the Overfllow filers and of course my tank over flows. Once the filters have been cleaned all is well for about 3 days.
My questions become - how do I get rid of the green alfea?
What is this film and how do I get rid of that? What is it caused from? Why all of a sudden?
The fish are all fine. My snails have seemed to die off, all eight of them. I also have a CorelLife Protein Skimmer attached. My temp is about 78. I have about 4 powerheads going.
Hope someone has an idea.
Thank you

 

Sounds like dinoflagellates. Can you take any photos, or describe the algae a little more? Does it look like snot? Does it have air bubbles in it?

 

http://www.3reef.com/forums/asap/asap-please-start-here-54456.html

Fill that out in a response to this thread. We will figure it out

 

welcome to 3 reef

as Peredhil is indicating, the more you can tell people about your system, the better the help you will recieve

Steve

 

Info needed from post

Please find what information I had. Hope this helps. I'll try to load a picture, wouldn't work yesterday.
Brief description of the problem-fine, evergreen in color algea looking,fine.All over rocks and bubble.
A picture(s) will also help.
PARAMETERS (important)
Temperature: 78
PH: 8.5 to 9
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate:
Salinity: 1.23 to 1.24
dKH/KH/Alkalinity:
Magnesium: 540
Calcium: 400
Phosphate: 4
Test kits you own: NH3,KH,NO2,MG,PO,PH,Ca
Liquid or Strips: none
Brand Name: API & Sera
Are they Expired?: Dec. 2009


Tank size? 90 gal. with 50 gal refugium
Estimated total system? 120 gal water

Reef, fish only or, freshwater? Reef, fish

Current inhabitants? What and how many? Clowns, bleemy, tang, wassel, cronies - about 10
Clean up crew? Died off (had 8 turbo snails and a cleaner shrimp)

How long has your tank been set-up? 2 years (With same fish)

Substrate.
Type? Live sand, spots about 1 inch
Depth?

Live rock? Yes, about 7-9 sections
How much? About 80 lbs or a little more
Did you recently add some? No

Filtration. Refugium in 50 gal. tank below with seaweed type stuff in it and 2 live rocks
Type?
Protein skimmer? Yes Coralife Super Skimmer
Do you wet or dry skim? Dry skim
Maintenance schedule for filtration? ?
Drilled tank/hang on back overflow? C-siphon CS100 continuous siphon overflow, hang on back
Sump/refugium. What's in it and how much? Refugium in 50 gal half full with 2 live rocks and grassMacro? What kind?

Lighting.
Lighting type? T-5 , 4 bulbs - variety
Age of bulbs? About 9 to 10 mos.

Feeding Have used same food for the 2 years with frozen food
What? Flakes
How much? About 3 average pinch
How often? Once a day

Water change schedule.
How much? 15 gal
How often? Every 3 weeks
What salt brand?
Water source? RO, make my own with Pure-Flo RO Unit & dual TDS meter

Additives/supplements used? None lately

Do you have a ground probe? None
What kind of flow does your tank have? Pump sends up over top with tube

 

working at trying to insert a picture

 

picture of algea

hope the picture come thru
there are no bubbles, does not look like snot. Just a dark green color, seems fine, like algea on the bottom of a boat.

 

Looks like hair algae to me. Do you see fern like leaves or is it just straight and thick and flowing? Your phosphates are high, calcium is okay, mag. is low. Are you using a hydrometer or refractometer? The phosphates and nitrates feed that algae. Your bulbs may be too old, too, adding to that. It's hard to tell if you're overfeeding your fish, that extra food feeds algae, too. If you don't have sensitive corals, you can keep your tank lights out and only turn them on half hour before and after feeding fish. Finding the source of the algae bloom is key. Is there any sunlight hitting the tank? if you can remove the rock, use a clean stiff brush in bucket of saltwater to remove algae, if you can't get rocks out, just scrub them in tank and run filter, remove algae manually, then do water change, I'd suggest 20 percent once a week for a while. Adding Florida cerith snails, Mexican turbo snails, an emerald crab or two usually help get rid of it. Keeping up with lowering nitrates and phos. will work towards controlling blooms. Also, using a Sea Hare for a while to eat algae works, just try to make sure you see it eating hair algae before you purchase it. Do you have light on your macro in fuge? can you post a pic or id that macro? I'm sure there are more questions, but this is a start.

 

Hello and welcome to 3reef

 

acemow

the algea is thick yet flowing looking. my pic does not do it justice.
To lower Phosphates - by water changes? Or is there a solution to bring it down slow? I know not fast so as not to hurt the fish. I've had these fish for the past 2 years. Only things dieing off are the turbo snails and shrimp.
I do not know what a hydrometer or refractometer is? And how often should you change the bulbs? Store told me once a year.
No sunlight near the tank. There is a low light in the fuge - no algea there. Also in fuge is 2 med./small live rock. Do not know what kind of macro is in the tank fuge. Looks almost like a scub pad you'd use in the sink.
I know I've had the tank for 2 yrs. yet always learning. Right now it is hard with working F/T and taking care of my 95 yr. old mother-in-law. Tank has been over looked. I always have to top the tank off from the fuge. And find time to change water. At times over whelming.
I do thank you for your help, it is much appreciated.
I will work on some more pictures of both tank and fuge, give me a day or 2.
thank you again