Algae ID

I know y'all are probably tired of us asking about algae problems, but I've looked for pictures that match what I have in my tank, and I don't see anything. Okay, here goes...

Ph 8.4 (usually 8.2 until today when i checked)
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Calcium 460ppm
KH 300ppm
Phosphate 0

It's starting to really become a problem! I'm desperate! ANY THOUGHT?!
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You have a really bad combination of things happening here. And the fact that your Phosphate reading is 0 is a perfect example of how phosphate is bound up in the algae and giving you a false reading.

That is darn close to a dinoflagellate outbreak. You have several steps that will help.

Manual removal - pinch it off and pull out. Dip your hand in a bowl of water, reach back in and pull off more. Repeat, always rinsing your hand to avoid releasing any back in your tank.

Siphoning - try to siphon out all you can. Using 3/8" tubing, you can limit how much water is wasted.

Chemically - I would use ChemiClean to kill off the cyano bacteria that I believe is present as well. Run fresh carbon on the tank for 3 days. Replace it at that point and run it again for another four days.

Reduce lighting - Either leave them off or turn them on for only 2 or 3 hours a day, if you have livestock that needs lights.

Water change - plan on a 50% water change during that week.

Biological - add some Turbo snails to help clean off your tank.

Stop feeding if you can avoid it for a few days. Only feed if you absolutely must, just a little bit to keep the livestock from total starvation.
 
Thank you so much! No wonder I couldn't find any pictures...
I'm going to do all that RIGHT NOW! Hey, it give me something to do, right? I'll keep you posted, thanks again!
 
Okay so the lights have been off (except for 2.5 hours a day) for 2 days now. And they haven't eaten for 2 days now too...
I'm thinking to add the light again gradually over the next few weeks til i get to about 8 hours and if I notice it coming back, shorten the light time again? Am I thinking along the right lines?

I bought some of that ChemiClean stuff, but I'm nervous to use it...
The directions on the bag say to do a water change as soon as the treatment is complete. No idea when that is...
 
Chemiclean works very fast. I changed my water the next day after using it. If you have a skimmer, it will go crazy!

Keep up with the cleaner crew, and make sure you have enough critters to help keep the algae down, but not so many they will starve :D
 
Is there a reason to increase your lighting period at this time? What livestock is in the tank?

If not, I'd hold off for now.

ChemiClean is great stuff. Not ChemiPure though - that is a different product. I just bought some ChemiClean today while attendng our club meeting at Tranquil Scape. You have nothing to fear. Turn off your skimmer for 48 hours. Treat the tank by mixing it in a cup of RO water well, then pour it in an area of high flow over 30 seconds.

After 48 hours elapses, turn on your skimmer again, and be ready to empty it every hour as the skimmer will go crazy at first. Doing a 20% water change would be good too. I've never lost anything with it.

I do add an airstone to provide some airbubbles during treatment, to make sure the fish get enough oxygen - just in case. This is mentioned on the packaging as well.
 
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