Saltwater- algae taking over

[doaz]

Hi All,
I have a 75 gal saltwater tank with a 25 gal refugium and I've got algae taking over the tank. Potassium is 0 and I'm trying to figure out how to get rid or control it. All comments are appreciated.

 

[fish wrangler]

Whats your lighting and wager change regimen?

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[agfish12]

Potassium is not your issue what is rest of your parameters? Phosphate and nitrates to be specific


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[agfish12]

Also how old is the tank


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[Sniperhank]

Hair algae. I'd ask about nitrate and phosphate levels, but that much it will be a false reading...
Either way, there are two articles in my signature about battling algae. Make sure you are doing water changes with ro/di water, feeding sparingly, and pull out what you can during water changes as a start.

 

[PB_Smith]

lawnmower blenny

 

[Animal-Chin]

to start - Physical removal. You are never going to just have that much algae disappear. Even if it does start dying, its going to create spikes in everything that feeds it so get it out! Turn off pumps and scrape that back glass. Remove the rocks and use a stiff plastic bristle brush and brush as much off as possible into a bucket of tank water you removed. You have to get the upper hand on it and with that much, removal is the only first option.


Then you have to control it from coming back. Buy a handful of Mexican turbo snails. They'll eat the surface bits, they wont eat long algae but they eat the tiny parts left after brushing.


Get your water clean! Water change the heck out of that tank and get rid of the nitrates and phosphates causing the algae.


Clean your sump! Do you have years worth of goo down there? I use a shop vac every once in a while to clean the bottom of the sump.


Rinse your frozen food. Don't throw cubes in there, rinse them off and feed slowly to make sure all the food is eaten. Keep your fish fed but don't over feed.


How old is your sand? If its years old and never vacuumed, suck it out and replace with clean sand. You won't believe the color of the gunk hiding in your sand.