Algae comes back quick

[Narnia17]

I could use some advice. I do a 20% water change 2 days ago and siphoned all the sand per my usual every 2 weeks. The algae comes back within 2 days on my sand and get some bubble agae from time to time but usually my fish eat it. Just tested my water is it possible I don't have enough nitrates in my system?
Ammonia-0
Ph-8.2
Nitrite-0
Phosphates-0.03
Nitrates- 0?
See pictures of nitrates and phosphates below.

 

[dontavo27]

Nitrates look zeroed out, and phosphate looks closer to .1
How long has the tank been running?

 

[Narnia17]

Nitrates look zeroed out, and phosphate looks lowers closer to .1
How long has the tank been running?

Since June

 

[Narnia17]

Nitrates look zeroed out, and phosphate looks closer to .1
How long has the tank been running?

This was .1 why I thought it was closer to .03

 

[joseserrano]

Need some more clean up crew. Especially sand sifting

 

[Narnia17]

Need some more clean up crew. Especially sand sifting

Unfortunately I treated my tank with copper a few months ago so I can't.

 

[Narnia17]

Need some more clean up crew. Especially sand sifting

I had a diamond goby but he jumped out of my tank through my egg crate top..

 

[Quotes]

Narnia, I think you should try to check your results against the white background on the paper. So instead of sitting the test vial on top of the color, hold the white portion of the test result against the side of the test vial. Parallel to each other instead of perpendicular. It will give a better color of what your result is.

Also, the first picture seems to have some bubbles on the back of your tank. Is that bubble algae? Because of how fast and how low your nutrients are, it could be a progression of dinos. Just my thoughts.

 

[joseserrano]

Unfortunately I treated my tank with copper a few months ago so I can't.

Lots of ways to remove copper, but if you are going to do no inverts. Really crank you lights down to almost non existent.

 

[Narnia17]

Lots of ways to remove copper, but if you are going to do no inverts. Really crank you lights down to almost non existent.

How would you suggest getting rid of it cuprisorb?

 

[Narnia17]

Narnia, I think you should try to check your results against the white background on the paper. So instead of sitting the test vial on top of the color, hold the white portion of the test result against the side of the test vial. Parallel to each other instead of perpendicular. It will give a better color of what your result is.

Also, the first picture seems to have some bubbles on the back of your tank. Is that bubble algae? Because of how fast and how low your nutrients are, it could be a progression of dinos. Just my thoughts.

Okay I'll retest nitrates. Yes I do have some bubble algae that my foxface usually takes care of.

 

[joseserrano]

How would you suggest getting rid of it cuprisorb?

Sure. Before throwing a bunch of $ on inverts, do an icp.

 

[drexel]

Why did treat the tank with copper? Never add copper to a tank full of rock and sand. Have you tried to remove the copper via cuprisorb and other media?
You need herbivores to eat the algae, there's no way around this. You can't control algae via nutrient control, that's a fool's game. Your tank looks pretty young, so you're going to get the uglies for a while. Algae grows on my glass a day or two after I clean it, but I don't care, as it's food for the little guys in the tank. Until you remove the copper from your tank, there's really nothing you can do that's going to help.

 

[Narnia17]

Why did treat the tank with copper? Never add copper to a tank full of rock and sand. Have you tried to remove the copper via cuprisorb and other media?
You need herbivores to eat the algae, there's no way around this. You can't control algae via nutrient control, that's a fool's game. Your tank looks pretty young, so you're going to get the uglies for a while. Algae grows on my glass a day or two after I clean it, but I don't care, as it's food for the little guys in the tank. Until you remove the copper from your tank, there's really nothing you can do that's going to help.

I did it because I was doing a fish only tank so figured it'd be okay. I've had fish in the tank since June. I clean my glass every 2 days with a mag cleaner. I haven't tried cuprisorb or anything yet that was my next step

 

[Narnia17]

Sure. Before throwing a bunch of $ on inverts, do an icp.

Icp?