fear of adding fish due to Green Algae

[felixfish]

I am fearful of the addition of another fish to my 55gal. I have 2 clowns, and a dotty back, plus a crab and clean up crew. My tank has been up and running 3 months + but have green algae on the majority of my rocks. I just installed an 15 gal HOB refugium last week. Should i wait til my algae has subsided before adding an extra fish? :bounce:
Thanks

 

[fastrd400]

What is the cause of the algae? If you have addressed the cause then you should be okay to add another fish.

 

[jcegt87]

what kind of algae? hair algae or what?

i have green coralline algae on all of my rock completely covered.

 

[felixfish]

no its not an established coralline algae, It's the beginning stage of green hair algae. I'm guessing its from the end of my cycling stage. I just use the testing strips, and my nitrates are up just a hair, but in the ok range, everything else is ok.

 

[jcegt87]

algae shouldnt affect your new fish as long as your levels are fine , but just to be sure when you do go to your LFS take a small sample of your water and let them check it just to make sure, if its hair algae , a fish that graces should do ok especially since it starting to come out, a lawnmower blenny would love to eat that , but if its too big the blenny wont touch it. check your phosphates if they are too high then thats what your hair algae is feeding on

 

[felixfish]

Ok Thanks, I'm gonna head to my LFS tomorrow and get the water tested. I borrowed my brothers RO/DI unit that he has not used for a year and think my filters need to be changed causing my phosphates to increase. Thanks for the advise!

 

[jcegt87]

RO/DI unit that he has not used for a year

im suprised it even filtered anything O.O lol good luck :D and get back to us

 

[felixfish]

Yes, it filters but at a slow rate! I'm going to try and sell my old hob cascade 300 filter and GET NEW RO/DI filters! Took my water to the LFS today and checked my water. All levels are in sync except my nitrates. They are in the good range a tad up and no phosphate issues! (whew) I was given the ok to add another member to the tank. I picked up several types of snails, hooked up the pump and light timer to my refugium and patiently waiting for the clean up crew to begin!