Reef nutrition

Dealing with sudden algae

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Krak256

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Since my vacation in Sep, my tank seems to be a bit off. I’ve been having issues with my acans and now I’m dealing with sudden turf algae and bryopsis.

Not sure if it’s my nutrients as my nitrates are 2 while phosphates are 0.15 (a bit high but I generally have been around there). Correct me if I’m wrong, but it could be that the algae is taking up the nutrients.

I’ve since increased by fuge photo period from 10 hours to 12 but it doesn’t seem to be helping. I wonder if I need to replace the led fuge light as it is getting close to 3 years old. Does anyone have thoughts on that?

The other potential issue is that my fuge seems to not have enough flow as I am getting some bacteria/slime growth at the top of the water.

Any suggestions are welcome. Current tank shot:
95BA1FD4-1410-4339-A982-F27C2E0D0341.jpeg
 
Krak256 said:
Since my vacation in Sep, my tank seems to be a bit off. I’ve been having issues with my acans and now I’m dealing with sudden turf algae and bryopsis.

Not sure if it’s my nutrients as my nitrates are 2 while phosphates are 0.15 (a bit high but I generally have been around there). Correct me if I’m wrong, but it could be that the algae is taking up the nutrients.

I’ve since increased by fuge photo period from 10 hours to 12 but it doesn’t seem to be helping. I wonder if I need to replace the led fuge light as it is getting close to 3 years old. Does anyone have thoughts on that?

The other potential issue is that my fuge seems to not have enough flow as I am getting some bacteria/slime growth at the top of the water.

Any suggestions are welcome. Current tank shot:
View attachment 43302
Click to expand...
My first thought is that your nitrates are a bit low for your phosphate levels but only marginally off using the 16:1 ratio. More experienced heads will chime in I hope. I mostly wanted to say you've got yourself a gorgeous tank!
 
Krak256 said:
Since my vacation in Sep, my tank seems to be a bit off. I’ve been having issues with my acans and now I’m dealing with sudden turf algae and bryopsis.

Not sure if it’s my nutrients as my nitrates are 2 while phosphates are 0.15 (a bit high but I generally have been around there). Correct me if I’m wrong, but it could be that the algae is taking up the nutrients.

I’ve since increased by fuge photo period from 10 hours to 12 but it doesn’t seem to be helping. I wonder if I need to replace the led fuge light as it is getting close to 3 years old. Does anyone have thoughts on that?

The other potential issue is that my fuge seems to not have enough flow as I am getting some bacteria/slime growth at the top of the water.

Any suggestions are welcome. Current tank shot:
View attachment 43302
Click to expand...
Personally, I'm a fan of using fluconazole to knock them all back. Then let tangs keep them at bay
 
I’m having a massive turf algae outbreak after two years as well. I just order some urchins. I hope they help.

I didn’t know flucon worked on turf, may try that.

Good luck, hopefully this thread gets updates with some results in time.
 
Don't use Vibrant. I'm not sure if you got to see @Thales 's talk on algae at High Tide last week, but it did get recorded. Use manual removal, epoxy over the bad patches, add some other good herbivores like good types of copepods and amphipods if you don't have them, banded trochus.

Beautiful Achilles tang too!
 
Blaise006 said:
I’m having a massive turf algae outbreak after two years as well. I just order some urchins. I hope they help.

I didn’t know flucon worked on turf, may try that.

Good luck, hopefully this thread gets updates with some results in time.
Click to expand...
Which type of urchins did you use?
 
Krak256 said:
Which type of urchins did you use?
Click to expand...
I ordered 2 blue tuxedo urchins.

I have a long spine in my 40b which is connected to the same system, and that tank has no algae, but I’ve never seen turf in there to begin with. Lot less light on that tank.

The king spine can’t fit in the Frag tank so hopefully the tuxedos arrive soon and start doing work.
 
Krak256 said:
Does anyone have thoughts on LED replacement or the slime/bacteria in fuge?
Click to expand...
What kind of light you running in your fuge? Didn't see it listed in your build thread. I agree with the above notes about low nitrates. When I had a high phosphate imbalance with very low nitrate, the red cyano was showing up anywhere with light exposure.
 
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