Algae Problem

anentwich · 01/29/2009, 12:11 PM

Hey Everyone,

There is a lot of green algae floating on the water line of my tank. The rest of the water is clear, but the algae seems to just float. I am nearing the end of the cycling process and my water parameters are :

pH: 8.0
Temp: 78 degrees
SG: 1.022
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 17.5
dKH: 8.5
Phosphates: .5

My lighting sequence varies because I'm not in my dorm room around the same time in the mornings/evenings, but the Daylight fluorescents are on for about 7 to 8 hrs per day and the blue actinic 03 fluorescents are on for about 9-10 hrs per day. Is this too much light?

How can I get rid of this algae and keep it gone?

Thanks a bunch for your help in advance.

Andy

greggnyce · 01/29/2009, 12:34 PM

You will need to lower your nitrates and phosphates. Also as the tank matures you may go through different cycles of algea.

Are you using ro/di water?

fitlerreef · 01/29/2009, 02:37 PM

I suggest the following:

1. Make sure you are topping off ONLY with RO/DI or distilled water.

2. Add a refugium if you don't have one.

3. Be certain that the fish are consuming all the food you put in the tank within 3 minutes. If there is any excess, this will substantially fuel your nitrate and phosphate levels.

4. Your phosphates are too high. These are difficult to keep low even with the best husbandry efforts. I suggest purchasing a medium that has granular ferric oxide to put in your filter. PhosBan is one brand. Drs. Foster and Smith also sells a generic. Alternatively, you could purchase Chemi-Pure Elite (which contains granular ferric oxide) along with other adsorbing ions. This is a really easy step to do and will greatly assist with your efforts. It's also not very expensive (<$10). You want your phosphates to be really really low (like < .015).

5. Your nitrates are too high. There are a variety of options to take care of this issue, but there is no adsorbing ion for saltwater that will lower nitrates (although there are some that will "maintain" nitrates). A refugium would help here because the algae you grow in the refugium will consume nitrates. But, your best bet is do several small water changes a day or two apart.

6. How old is your light? T5 or any fluorescent bulb older than 6 months tends to start shifting spectrum. This shift can lead to the growth of more undesirable than desirable algae.

All algae problem are nutrient problems. Your tank is producing excess nutrients - nitrates and phosphates - and this is what the algae are using to grow.

anentwich · 01/29/2009, 03:08 PM

Thanks. I will try to get those nitrates and phosphates down. I don't believe it's a lighting problem because my lights are very new, unless they are simply on too long. I'll look into buying chemi-pure elite and doing some water changes.

Thanks again to both of you for your help.

Andy

YE||0W TA|\|G · 01/29/2009, 06:14 PM

+1 on the Nitrates.. they are still high right now..

Possibly more often water changes.. how often do u do them?

I would get a timer for the lights.. It will ensure you that you have the lights on for the right amount of time throughout the day. you can get one from lowes or HD for not that much. In my experience even letting the lighting run a few extra hours per day starts to build up algae fast especially if there is algae currently present in the tank.

You could always try turning the lights off for 3 days a remove one of the algaes sources of food which would be the light.

01/29/2009, 12:11 PM	#1
anentwich Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 73	Algae Problem Hey Everyone, There is a lot of green algae floating on the water line of my tank. The rest of the water is clear, but the algae seems to just float. I am nearing the end of the cycling process and my water parameters are : pH: 8.0 Temp: 78 degrees SG: 1.022 Nitrite: 0 Nitrate: 17.5 dKH: 8.5 Phosphates: .5 My lighting sequence varies because I'm not in my dorm room around the same time in the mornings/evenings, but the Daylight fluorescents are on for about 7 to 8 hrs per day and the blue actinic 03 fluorescents are on for about 9-10 hrs per day. Is this too much light? How can I get rid of this algae and keep it gone? Thanks a bunch for your help in advance. Andy

01/29/2009, 12:34 PM	#2
greggnyce Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bellport, New York Posts: 1,782	You will need to lower your nitrates and phosphates. Also as the tank matures you may go through different cycles of algea. Are you using ro/di water? __________________ What you talkin about Mrs Lime. Current Tank Info: 120 gl oceanic tech, 30 gallon fuge, 40 gallon sump, Itech 200 skimmer, LED Lighting . Mixed reef.

01/29/2009, 03:08 PM	#4
anentwich Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 73	Thanks. I will try to get those nitrates and phosphates down. I don't believe it's a lighting problem because my lights are very new, unless they are simply on too long. I'll look into buying chemi-pure elite and doing some water changes. Thanks again to both of you for your help. Andy __________________ Andy ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Current Tank Info: 14 Gal Saltwater.

01/29/2009, 06:14 PM	#5
YE\|\|0W TA\|\\|G Registered Member $YE\|\|0W TA\|\\|G's Avatar$ Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Hillsborough New Jersey Posts: 699	+1 on the Nitrates.. they are still high right now.. Possibly more often water changes.. how often do u do them? I would get a timer for the lights.. It will ensure you that you have the lights on for the right amount of time throughout the day. you can get one from lowes or HD for not that much. In my experience even letting the lighting run a few extra hours per day starts to build up algae fast especially if there is algae currently present in the tank. You could always try turning the lights off for 3 days a remove one of the algaes sources of food which would be the light. __________________ Rome was not built in a day, and neither was the ocean.. or our aquariums.. patience is they key to success.
$YE\|\|0W TA\|\\|G is offline$

01/29/2009, 02:37 PM	#3
fitlerreef Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 45	I suggest the following: 1. Make sure you are topping off ONLY with RO/DI or distilled water. 2. Add a refugium if you don't have one. 3. Be certain that the fish are consuming all the food you put in the tank within 3 minutes. If there is any excess, this will substantially fuel your nitrate and phosphate levels. 4. Your phosphates are too high. These are difficult to keep low even with the best husbandry efforts. I suggest purchasing a medium that has granular ferric oxide to put in your filter. PhosBan is one brand. Drs. Foster and Smith also sells a generic. Alternatively, you could purchase Chemi-Pure Elite (which contains granular ferric oxide) along with other adsorbing ions. This is a really easy step to do and will greatly assist with your efforts. It's also not very expensive (<$10). You want your phosphates to be really really low (like < .015). 5. Your nitrates are too high. There are a variety of options to take care of this issue, but there is no adsorbing ion for saltwater that will lower nitrates (although there are some that will "maintain" nitrates). A refugium would help here because the algae you grow in the refugium will consume nitrates. But, your best bet is do several small water changes a day or two apart. 6. How old is your light? T5 or any fluorescent bulb older than 6 months tends to start shifting spectrum. This shift can lead to the growth of more undesirable than desirable algae. All algae problem are nutrient problems. Your tank is producing excess nutrients - nitrates and phosphates - and this is what the algae are using to grow.