green algae on liverock

nickwhitsett · 12/26/2006, 06:13 PM

Recently I have put new liverock in my tank I took all the old out because it turned green and ugly. It is a 36 gallon tank I have a 250w mh and 65w acitanic compacts running. The algae is not hair algae and the crabs and snells don't clean it to good. I have well water do you think it could be somthing in my water? the tank has been running 3 or 4 years. Any help would be great.

bertoni · 12/26/2006, 07:52 PM

To Reef Central

A picture might help with an id for the alga. The well water might be provided extra nutrients that are encouraging its growth.

In general, dealing with algae problems often comes down to starving the pest, perhaps with some manual removal. Maybe there's too much food going into the tank?

How much live rock is present? Is there a refugium?

alizarin · 12/26/2006, 09:25 PM

I would be suprised if you didn't have algae problems using well water, but maybe well water isn't the same in your part of the country as in mine.

nickwhitsett · 12/27/2006, 11:56 AM

I have 50 pounds of liverock and I don't have a refugium.

nickwhitsett · 12/27/2006, 12:14 PM

It is the same algae I seen on thread "Can't seem to get rid of'em" but it grows on liverock and glass.

bertoni · 12/27/2006, 12:54 PM

The tank has a reasonable amount of live rock. What animals are stocked? How much is being fed?

nickwhitsett · 12/27/2006, 01:21 PM

I only have four small fish and feed them ounce a day. I also target feed my lps 2 times a week.

bertoni · 12/27/2006, 04:09 PM

Well, four fish might be a fairly significant load for that size tank, depending on the actual size. I suspect that you'll need to reduce the feeding or look into a refugium. Better skimming or a phosphate reactor might help, too. The algae is getting food from somewhere, and since this is the second load of live rock, it's likely not from the rock itself.

12/26/2006, 06:13 PM	#1
nickwhitsett Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: whitsett,NC Posts: 5	green algae on liverock Recently I have put new liverock in my tank I took all the old out because it turned green and ugly. It is a 36 gallon tank I have a 250w mh and 65w acitanic compacts running. The algae is not hair algae and the crabs and snells don't clean it to good. I have well water do you think it could be somthing in my water? the tank has been running 3 or 4 years. Any help would be great.

12/26/2006, 07:52 PM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	*To Reef Central* A picture might help with an id for the alga. The well water might be provided extra nutrients that are encouraging its growth. In general, dealing with algae problems often comes down to starving the pest, perhaps with some manual removal. Maybe there's too much food going into the tank? How much live rock is present? Is there a refugium? __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

12/27/2006, 12:54 PM	#6
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	The tank has a reasonable amount of live rock. What animals are stocked? How much is being fed? __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

12/27/2006, 04:09 PM	#8
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Well, four fish might be a fairly significant load for that size tank, depending on the actual size. I suspect that you'll need to reduce the feeding or look into a refugium. Better skimming or a phosphate reactor might help, too. The algae is getting food from somewhere, and since this is the second load of live rock, it's likely not from the rock itself. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

12/26/2006, 09:25 PM	#3
alizarin Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 869	I would be suprised if you didn't have algae problems using well water, but maybe well water isn't the same in your part of the country as in mine.

12/27/2006, 11:56 AM	#4
nickwhitsett Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: whitsett,NC Posts: 5	I have 50 pounds of liverock and I don't have a refugium.

12/27/2006, 12:14 PM	#5
nickwhitsett Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: whitsett,NC Posts: 5	It is the same algae I seen on thread "Can't seem to get rid of'em" but it grows on liverock and glass.

12/27/2006, 01:21 PM	#7
nickwhitsett Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: whitsett,NC Posts: 5	I only have four small fish and feed them ounce a day. I also target feed my lps 2 times a week.