Algae with no sump

[mcritter86]

I have had my tank for five months so far and seeing what I can do without a sump. Right now I have green algae everywhere. Is it possible to control it without a refugium? Do I just have to have a lot of clean up crew with a protein skimmer and RO/DI water?

Right now I JUST started using RO/DI water from my LFS. 0.25 phosphate reading. I know this has to be 0 because algae loves phosphate. I hope the RO/DI water helps fix this.
My crew right now consists of 5 reef hermit crabs, 3 snails (not sure their name, they are small, not turbos), and a lawnmower bleeny. I see my lawnmower eating all the time and he is FAT! My lighting runs 10 hours a day. I have read that doing a blackout for 3 days may fix it. But I was to fix it AND prevent it.

 

[bjohanson1234]

Black outs will help. What you need to do is have a water change ready to do so that you can get all the dead algae out and to remove nitrates and phosphates out of the water column. Otherwise it will feed more algae.

Don't expect to win the battle over night. It could take months. But you are on the right track with switching to RO water.

 

[mcritter86]

I know it won't be soon. Have to just let it works its way out. I am trying to save up for an overflow box, sump, and water pump. But who knows when I can afford it all. Doing 10 gallons a week (tank is 55). Only been 2 weeks with RO water, so just starting.

 

[bjohanson1234]

You can also manually remove the algae by removing a rock and scrubbing the rock with a new tooth brush in the old water from the water change.

 

[FishyReef]

The RO/DI should help a lot. I'd also add more of a clean-up crew - that isn't enough for a 55g. Check out Reef Cleaners for an idea of what you will need for your crew. At the very least, I'd pick up a few turbo snails from your LFS to help eat through the algae, and then add the rest of a cuc either from your LFS or online (Reef Cleaners has worked well for many people here).

 

[little_fish]

+1 everyone

It can take a long time to beat algae issues, but you dont need sump/fuge to do so. Switching to RO/DI and increasing your CUC will help. I would also decrease your photo period to 6 hours.