new lighting..new algae?

paul26 · 10/26/2010, 11:22 PM

hi rc!

about 4 days ago i replaced my 4x54w t5 fixture with a 2x250w mh fixture and i jus had a huge diatom bloom and alot of the algae (on the rocks, sand) are releasing bubbles and bubbles are resting around the tank. is this normal for new extreme lighting?

thanks guys!

bigdog0598 · 10/26/2010, 11:31 PM

i'm not 100% but i'd say ya....see what the more senior people think

iamwrasseman · 10/26/2010, 11:43 PM

yes it is ,you should cut back on the hours that they are on and i would cut it in half .also there is some sort of "fuel" for this bloom so check your water parameters especialy po4 and your nitrate levels .if either is high or even measurable than that's the "fuel" for your bloom IMO. do a couple of water changes and cut back on your lights for a bit . cut in half and add 1 hour a week until your back to 8 to 10 hrs a day and the less is better unless you have a bunch of light hungry sps corals .

aleonn · 10/27/2010, 12:46 AM

I would also raise the MH higher, and slowly lower them each week. This will give a chance for your livestock to acclimate to the intense lighting.

paul26 · 10/27/2010, 01:44 AM

hey thanks for the replys guys!

for some more info, the tank is almost 3 months old. before the lighting was put in place, my diatoms and algae were all under control. i do you have a skimmer running and a fuge with chaeto and caulerpa. the bulbs i have are labeled as 15k's but kinna...whitish tellow. id like to switch to 20k seeing as i like the blueish look. i also heard that corraline grows better under the blue spectrum?

thanks guys!

Uncle Salty 05 · 10/27/2010, 07:07 AM

How big is your tank?
Does your T5 unit still work?
Most people like to supplement their MH with T5, PC or VHO actinics to get that blue look.

Uncle Salty 05 · 10/27/2010, 07:10 AM

Plus coraline grows faster under low to moderate lighting than it does under MH.

rcoughtrey · 10/27/2010, 07:57 AM

I have just completed the same process. I upgrade to duel 250's. My original lighting hours were 7 hours with the MH's I started at 4 hours which was 1 week ago. This week I'm up to 5 hours. I will be slowly increasing this to be around 6 to 7 hours again.

My algae has not really bloomed. Are you sure it was not already on the rocks? What I noticed that with the 250's it shows more detail on the rock than the T5's did.

If you do not have VHO blue lighting with your MH's then that is why it looks worse than it did before.

Running without the blue lights makes most tanks look horrid from what I have seen.

Scuba Steve · 10/27/2010, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamwrasseman

yes it is ,you should cut back on the hours that they are on and i would cut it in half .also there is some sort of "fuel" for this bloom so check your water parameters especialy po4 and your nitrate levels .if either is high or even measurable than that's the "fuel" for your bloom imo. Do a couple of water changes and cut back on your lights for a bit . Cut in half and add 1 hour a week until your back to 8 to 10 hrs a day and the less is better unless you have a bunch of light hungry sps corals .

+1

smy168 · 10/27/2010, 12:36 PM

I would also raise the water movement up a notch, how much movement do you have in the system? What are your specs?

10/26/2010, 11:22 PM	#1
paul26 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Fort Myers, Florida US Posts: 110	new lighting..new algae? hi rc! about 4 days ago i replaced my 4x54w t5 fixture with a 2x250w mh fixture and i jus had a huge diatom bloom and alot of the algae (on the rocks, sand) are releasing bubbles and bubbles are resting around the tank. is this normal for new extreme lighting? thanks guys!

10/26/2010, 11:43 PM	#3
iamwrasseman Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: syracuse Posts: 7,003	yes it is ,you should cut back on the hours that they are on and i would cut it in half .also there is some sort of "fuel" for this bloom so check your water parameters especialy po4 and your nitrate levels .if either is high or even measurable than that's the "fuel" for your bloom IMO. do a couple of water changes and cut back on your lights for a bit . cut in half and add 1 hour a week until your back to 8 to 10 hrs a day and the less is better unless you have a bunch of light hungry sps corals . __________________ This hobby certainly can put you in some weird positions ! Dave Current Tank Info: 40 freshwater,25saltwater 2000 gallons ,enough tanks for an army ?

10/27/2010, 07:07 AM	#6
Uncle Salty 05 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: South Florida Posts: 3,799	How big is your tank? Does your T5 unit still work? Most people like to supplement their MH with T5, PC or VHO actinics to get that blue look. __________________ In all that I endure, of one thing I am sure. Knowledge and reason, change like the season. A jester's promenade. - Kerry Livgren Current Tank Info: 180 gal reef tank with dual attached refugiums 20 long and 10 gallon. Plus 55 gallon True Percula breeding tank.

10/27/2010, 07:10 AM	#7
Uncle Salty 05 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: South Florida Posts: 3,799	Plus coraline grows faster under low to moderate lighting than it does under MH. __________________ In all that I endure, of one thing I am sure. Knowledge and reason, change like the season. A jester's promenade. - Kerry Livgren Current Tank Info: 180 gal reef tank with dual attached refugiums 20 long and 10 gallon. Plus 55 gallon True Percula breeding tank.

10/27/2010, 07:57 AM	#8
rcoughtrey Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Noblesville, IN Posts: 168	I have just completed the same process. I upgrade to duel 250's. My original lighting hours were 7 hours with the MH's I started at 4 hours which was 1 week ago. This week I'm up to 5 hours. I will be slowly increasing this to be around 6 to 7 hours again. My algae has not really bloomed. Are you sure it was not already on the rocks? What I noticed that with the 250's it shows more detail on the rock than the T5's did. If you do not have VHO blue lighting with your MH's then that is why it looks worse than it did before. Running without the blue lights makes most tanks look horrid from what I have seen. Last edited by rcoughtrey; 10/27/2010 at 08:03 AM.

10/26/2010, 11:31 PM	#2
bigdog0598 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Moorpark, CA Posts: 295	i'm not 100% but i'd say ya....see what the more senior people think

10/27/2010, 12:46 AM	#4
aleonn Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 4,041	I would also raise the MH higher, and slowly lower them each week. This will give a chance for your livestock to acclimate to the intense lighting.

10/27/2010, 01:44 AM	#5
paul26 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Fort Myers, Florida US Posts: 110	hey thanks for the replys guys! for some more info, the tank is almost 3 months old. before the lighting was put in place, my diatoms and algae were all under control. i do you have a skimmer running and a fuge with chaeto and caulerpa. the bulbs i have are labeled as 15k's but kinna...whitish tellow. id like to switch to 20k seeing as i like the blueish look. i also heard that corraline grows better under the blue spectrum? thanks guys!

10/27/2010, 12:36 PM	#10
smy168 Back to the habit Join Date: May 2002 Location: New York City Posts: 1,027	I would also raise the water movement up a notch, how much movement do you have in the system? What are your specs? __________________ SY Current Tank Info: Nuvo 16

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