red algea

nervous nelly · 03/08/2010, 07:32 PM

Ok i have a 35 hex tank with 130w coralife that i just added about 3 weeks ago from the little 15w light it came with .. What a difference love the color it brings out in the green mushrooms and pallyps... my amonia and nitriate are 0 .. my phasphate is 5.0ppm my nitrate is 40ppm.. calcium is past 520 unless im doing the test wrong it was a bright pink at 13 drops.. I just did the carbonate hardness test dont understand it did it twice i dont know how blue can turn to yellow all im getting is a pale blue with drop one and after each drop it gets darker.. its telling me."The test is completed when the water in the test tube,after haveing been shaken, turns from blue to yellow.".. Also all my live rock is getting this red brick red color all over it when i hit it with the turkey baster it doesnt come off is this the begining of purple slate stuff corline i think its called not sure sorry for the miss spelling.. my sand i notice is turning a slight green can i fix that with an algea bunny...
Thanks for you help..Nervous Nelly

nuccadoc · 03/08/2010, 08:46 PM

With your phosphates and nitrates as high as they are the red algae is probably cyanobacteria. Coraline algae start off as almost a florescent green. How long has the tank been set up? Are you using a sump? Protein skimmer?

nervous nelly · 03/08/2010, 08:52 PM

The tank has been set up for about 3 years ... no sump and no protein skimmer iam actually picking up a skimmer this week...so how do i get my phosphates and nitrates down.. and what should i do to remove the cyano or should i leave it..

nuccadoc · 03/08/2010, 09:13 PM

What are you using for biological filtration? The change in lights is what brought out the algae. You could set up an external canister filter with phosphate and nitrate sponge. You really should consider setting up a sump. That way you can set up a skimmer which will help take out the DOC's and that will help you with the algae also.

03/08/2010, 07:32 PM	#1
nervous nelly Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: New York Posts: 23	red algea Ok i have a 35 hex tank with 130w coralife that i just added about 3 weeks ago from the little 15w light it came with .. What a difference love the color it brings out in the green mushrooms and pallyps... my amonia and nitriate are 0 .. my phasphate is 5.0ppm my nitrate is 40ppm.. calcium is past 520 unless im doing the test wrong it was a bright pink at 13 drops.. I just did the carbonate hardness test dont understand it did it twice i dont know how blue can turn to yellow all im getting is a pale blue with drop one and after each drop it gets darker.. its telling me."The test is completed when the water in the test tube,after haveing been shaken, turns from blue to yellow.".. Also all my live rock is getting this red brick red color all over it when i hit it with the turkey baster it doesnt come off is this the begining of purple slate stuff corline i think its called not sure sorry for the miss spelling.. my sand i notice is turning a slight green can i fix that with an algea bunny... Thanks for you help..Nervous Nelly

03/08/2010, 08:46 PM	#2
nuccadoc Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 482	With your phosphates and nitrates as high as they are the red algae is probably cyanobacteria. Coraline algae start off as almost a florescent green. How long has the tank been set up? Are you using a sump? Protein skimmer?

03/08/2010, 08:52 PM	#3
nervous nelly Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: New York Posts: 23	The tank has been set up for about 3 years ... no sump and no protein skimmer iam actually picking up a skimmer this week...so how do i get my phosphates and nitrates down.. and what should i do to remove the cyano or should i leave it..

03/08/2010, 09:13 PM	#4
nuccadoc Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 482	What are you using for biological filtration? The change in lights is what brought out the algae. You could set up an external canister filter with phosphate and nitrate sponge. You really should consider setting up a sump. That way you can set up a skimmer which will help take out the DOC's and that will help you with the algae also.