Don't understand why

Constant turf algae and diatoms. Having trouble understanding why. My water parameters are constant (past 4 weeks) at:

• Salinity - 1.026
• Amonia - 0
• Nitirites - 0
• Nitrates - 0
• Phosphates - 0
• Calcium - 400- 480 ppm
• Carbonate Hardness (KH) - 6.5dKH - 116.35 ppm KH
• Temp (last 24 hrs.) 76.8 - 78.2
• PH (last 24 hrs. ) 8.21 - 8.29 Currently 8.21
• Magnesium Mg (1280)

Using API Reef Master Test Kit for Calc-Carb-Nitrate-Phos tests and individual Salifert for the other tests.

Tank is 75G w/sump-fuge (chaeto and mangroves). Pusing ~800GPH through the sump and have an MP40W set at 90% (2900 GPH) wave action motion in the main tank. Algae build up seems to be heaviest on the end of the tank opposite the MP40 (also where the overflow is).

I'm doing 4 gallon water changes every week (60 Gallons actual water). I'm running a PhosPhate Reactor and a UV filter. I removed the sock from my filtration two months ago and use ChemiPure in the sump. Protein skimmer running 24/7.

I only feed my fish once a day. Feed the corals twice a week.

Anyone have any ideas as to what I can do to eliminate the algae?

Jimmy MANYTHANKS!!

 

Turf algaes are excellent at trapping detritus as well as bacterial mulm. If you were to fill up a 5 gallon bucket with saltwater, put one rock in there and hit the algae patches with it, you would be shocked at how much junk comes out of the patches. They have all of the phosphorus and Nitrates they need right there....they don't need to pull it out of the water column.

I would recommend that the next time you do a waterchange, you save that 4 gallons of water. Make an additional bucket of saltwater. Pick a rock, scrub and pull the algae in your "old" water, then dunk and swish in the fresh saltwater bucket before putting the rock back into the tank. NEVER PULL ON NOR SCRUB TURF ALGAES WHILE THEY ARE IN THE DISPLAY TANK. One of turf algaes defenses against predation is called fragmentation. When it's pulled on fragments will float elsewhere in your tank and start growing again wherever it lands.

For the diatoms, you need to determine the source of your Silica. Are your DI resins possibly due for a change?

 

Great advise Inwall:

• I have a TDS meter on my RO/DI and it shows 000PPM. It could be wrong, but normally they are accurate. One thing I have been concerned about, but don't know if I should - is the plumbing in my house is copper. I assume that the RO/DI will filter any issues from that as well.
• I don't know how to perform the rock cleaning as all my rock is epoxied in place. Another oddity is that the turf algae is only growing on the Fuji rock that I used. I went through a strong cleaning process before putting it in the tank, but it seems to be the rock with the most problem. I'm finally starting to get some coralline on it - but it's (minty green) in color.

Again Thank you for the information.

 

Is that epoxy leaking silicates?

 

Hi BJE - Not sure I understand the question. It's the same epoxy used to set corals. Suppose to be reef safe. How would I know?

 

The tank is only 4 months old correct? Just how bad is the algae? What do you have as far as clean up crew?

 

Stepho: Tank is 15 weeks today. I estimate that it covers about 10% of my live rock.

CUC consists of:

• 12 Nassarius Snail (Nassarius sp.)
• 3 Astrea Snail (Astrea Tecta)
• 3 Nerite Snails (Large)
• 1 Blue Tuxedo Urchin (Mespilia globulus)
• 16 Red Leg Hermit Crab (Paguristes cadenati)
• 1 Cleaner Shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis)

I also have a Bristletooth Tomini Tang

Thanks for the reply.

 

• 
  
  Don't worry about that. Copper is even a part of NSW as well as an ingredient in some foods. It's very unsafe at the levels in many medications though.
  
  
  If you prefer the pink and purple coralline, scrape some of that species so the spores go into the current and land around your tank. It will overtake the minty green species.
  
  Buy a couple Mexican turbo snails. i.e. not just any turbo snail. Unless you have Bryopis....then even Mexican turbos won't touch it.

 

nevermind then if its 'reef safe'.

i saw "EPOXY" and its an immediate red flag for me when i see that word i always think the worst possible epoxy was used.

 

i would definatley buy a stronger algae eating CuC you only have 6 things taht will eat algae i would get more nerites or mexican turbos