Cant fight algae in dt

[kotlec]

Story began 5 month ago. After returning from one week vacation out of town I found big bloom of algae in dt. Some macro algae also appeared from nowhere and "feeling good". My son told that all was as usuall during that time, but who knows. Anyway I has fight nuisance by all methods I knew for last 5 months. Nitrates at 3-5 and phos at 0.02-0.04. Usual readings for my tank.
Cant understand why nuisance algae is not receding at such low nutrients. Why ATS is not out competing it ? Actually my screen is never growing very well at such low readings , instead algae in dt feels very "healthy" . I even reduced on feeding. That not seems to help as well. filter sponge exchanged every day.
Dont thing "rocks leaching phos" explanation is valid after 5 month fight. I even added real skimmer. Needles to say with zero effect on pests.

Nearly ready to give up.

[Devs]

Firstly, your first post on this thread is Number 666 which is not a good sign, hehe just kidding

[Devs]

I'm sure the big boys on here will be along soon to correct me if I'm wrong but...

It is the algae in the dt that is consuming whatever nutrients there are and therefore keeping your params ok.

You mention a filter sponge, where abouts is this in your system ?

[kotlec]

It sits after ATS and before return pump. I am sumpless. All toys in back chamber


666 is gone now

[SantaMonica]

Looks exactly like phosphate coming out of rocks. Can go on for a year.

How often do you need to clean the glass?

[kotlec]

I clean glass once per week.
But how it can be phos in rocks ? Tank was clean and in a week something happened and now P leaching for 5 month ???

[SantaMonica]

P does not start coming out until P in the water is low. Once P starts coming out, it takes longer if your scrubber is weaker.

[kotlec]

My scrubber was able to keep
n=4
p=0.02
at all times
Would not call it week.

[SantaMonica]

Low P has nothing to do with flow of P from rocks to scrubber. You could have a river of P flowing.

Anyway, it should get better over weeks.

[kotlec]

Hope so . But last 4 month picture is not changing whatever I do. Corals already starved to death. Dont know how long they able to stand that state anymore... Algae already started to attack birdsnest killing it from bottom and climbing up.

One thing that I dont understand is how rocks collected so much P in a week that is able to feed nuisance algae for months. Nothing has changed at any other time except that week when I wasn't at home.

Another thing that I dont understand is P concentration. I read alot of SPS forums and there is general rule that P should be in 0.02 - 0.08 range for healthy corals. More - they get brown. Less they get bleached- pale. How these guys stay clean of algae with those numbers, even not using ATS ? I run ATS , my P is usually 0-0.02 range . Corals cant grow , but algae is thriving. What I am missing here ?

How long should I be waiting if 5 months is not enough ? I'll wait if this is the only way.