Advice on battling mystery algae

e048 · 11/21/2015, 01:47 PM

So a few weeks ago I posted a thread on helping solve an algae problem. My water is darn near perfect

Nitrates nitrites and ammonia 0
Phosphates .02
Ph 8.4
Spec grvt: 1.026
Temp 78

My lights consist of leds 2 of the skyye light brand and an led light bar actinics my corals and clam are doing awesome but I'm still battling the algae so I noticed that the algae recedes at night time and when I turn on my lights it's almost non existent leave the lights on for a few hours and boom it's on everything and everyone I'm not sure if it's cyano or diatoms so my question is if I do a lights out period will it hurt my big squamosa clam and coral? How long should I do lights out for?

I have no idea where this crap is coming from... I do 10% weekly wc and I know it's not my water because my other tank uses the same water for top offs and wc same salt and everything my ro-di filters are pretty new still

e048 · 11/21/2015, 06:55 PM

Anyone have an experience with clams and lights off for 3 days?

Bogue Chitto · 11/21/2015, 08:31 PM

I think DK says to take a plastic fork and roll the algae up on it and discard it from the tank. I don't think clams can survive long without light, just don't know how long.

e048 · 11/21/2015, 11:26 PM

How will I roll up and discard something that dissolves into my water then magically appears the next day I've been blowing it off my gsp with a turkey baster

Dkuhlmann · 11/22/2015, 04:32 AM

The fork works great for Cyano, need a picture of this algae.

e048 · 11/22/2015, 08:40 AM

Look at my other thread I have pics of it there I don't know if it's cyano or diatoms I don't think diatoms persist for for over a month though

Bent · 11/22/2015, 10:53 AM

I read your other thread when you posted it.

I really think it's diatoms.

If I remember right, and I have to reach way down in the microbiology class files in my brain stored under "crap I don't use anymore", diatoms are actually a group of photosynthetic heterokonts known as ochrophyta (spelling?). I think they are planktonic and feed off of silicates in order to make their shells. Actually I think diatomaceous earth is made up of cell walls of diatoms.

They are indeed photosynthetic, so killing the lights for a while will get rid of them, but I personally think they are feeding off the silicates in the new sand and once the supply has been exhausted, they will die off. I also think that shutting the lights off will be more detrimental to the clam than the algae itself.

I know it's probably unsightly, but just wait it out, it should go away on its own. Depending on the amount of silicates present in the sand you used it could take a few months.

CStrickland · 11/22/2015, 11:11 AM

+1
I'm more inclined to run the lights for diatoms, like just ripping off the bandaid of using up the silicate. I like to blow them into the water column with a filter sock running to pull them out of the system.
Also, you're testing the water column, levels at the surface of rocks and sand can be quite different.
But I don't have time to search you post history for a pic of this issue, so who knows. If it's not diatoms I might have diff opinion.

e048 · 11/22/2015, 03:42 PM

It's like a powder it's nothing I've seen before its coating my gsp and glass and walls don't diatoms die out in a few weeks it's been over a month

Bent · 11/22/2015, 04:14 PM

It all depends on the amount. I had a tank once take 3 months for the diatoms to recede.

Buzz1329 · 11/22/2015, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by e048

So a few weeks ago I posted a thread on helping solve an algae problem. My water is darn near perfect

Nitrates nitrites and ammonia 0
Phosphates .02
Ph 8.4
Spec grvt: 1.026
Temp 78

My lights consist of leds 2 of the skyye light brand and an led light bar actinics my corals and clam are doing awesome but I'm still battling the algae so I noticed that the algae recedes at night time and when I turn on my lights it's almost non existent leave the lights on for a few hours and boom it's on everything and everyone I'm not sure if it's cyano or diatoms so my question is if I do a lights out period will it hurt my big squamosa clam and coral? How long should I do lights out for?

I have no idea where this crap is coming from... I do 10% weekly wc and I know it's not my water because my other tank uses the same water for top offs and wc same salt and everything my ro-di filters are pretty new still

I feel your pain.

Does your mystery algae look like the pics of the horrible algae I posted at beginning of this thread?

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2531215

It took over my tank despite low NO3 and PO4 and otherwise NSW or above parameters. Nothing ate it. I siphoned it out every week during water changes but it came back stronger than ever.

If so, read the rest of the thread because I was able to eradicate it fairly quickly once I used the right stuff.

FWIW, and no offense intended, I spent the requisite 30 seconds searching for your other thread with the pics and then gave up. I'd respectfully suggest that you provide a link to your other thread to help folks who want to help you.

Good luck,

Mike

Bent · 11/22/2015, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buzz1329

I feel your pain.

Does your mystery algae look like the pics of the horrible algae I posted at beginning of this thread?

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2531215

It took over my tank despite low NO3 and PO4 and otherwise NSW or above parameters. Nothing ate it. I siphoned it out every week during water changes but it came back stronger than ever.

If so, read the rest of the thread because I was able to eradicate it fairly quickly once I used the right stuff.

FWIW, and no offense intended, I spent the requisite 30 seconds searching for your other thread with the pics and then gave up. I'd respectfully suggest that you provide a link to your other thread to help folks who want to help you.

Good luck,

Mike

Here's the other thread he is referring to:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2537480

e048 · 11/23/2015, 06:44 AM

Thanks for putting it up I've been so busy with school I didn't have time to check this thread till today

Buzz it's not like what you had I've fought cyano before in my other older tanks this is like volcanic ash it's everywhere and on everything and it's smothering my gsp and encrusting gorgonian

11/21/2015, 01:47 PM	#1
e048 Registered Member. Join Date: Sep 2015 Posts: 598	Advice on battling mystery algae So a few weeks ago I posted a thread on helping solve an algae problem. My water is darn near perfect Nitrates nitrites and ammonia 0 Phosphates .02 Ph 8.4 Spec grvt: 1.026 Temp 78 My lights consist of leds 2 of the skyye light brand and an led light bar actinics my corals and clam are doing awesome but I'm still battling the algae so I noticed that the algae recedes at night time and when I turn on my lights it's almost non existent leave the lights on for a few hours and boom it's on everything and everyone I'm not sure if it's cyano or diatoms so my question is if I do a lights out period will it hurt my big squamosa clam and coral? How long should I do lights out for? I have no idea where this crap is coming from... I do 10% weekly wc and I know it's not my water because my other tank uses the same water for top offs and wc same salt and everything my ro-di filters are pretty new still

11/22/2015, 04:32 AM	#5
Dkuhlmann Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 8,823	The fork works great for Cyano, need a picture of this algae. __________________ Previous tanks: 200 gal fowlr 9" Emperor Angel and many different butterfly fish 4" maroon clown and several other fish, 50 gal sump, 40 gal mixed reef/fish mostly softies and LPS. Current Tank Info: 40b 750 gph 45 lbs lr, 2"-3" sand, 165w full spectrum dimable LED, 20 gal sump/refugium 30 lbs lr, Bak Pak 2 skimmer, 4" sock temp 79-80, sg 1.026, NH3 0, NO2 0, NO3 <10, ph 8.2, calc 400, mag 1300

11/22/2015, 10:53 AM	#7
Bent I got nothin' Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: The anals Posts: 6,420	I read your other thread when you posted it. I really think it's diatoms. If I remember right, and I have to reach way down in the microbiology class files in my brain stored under "crap I don't use anymore", diatoms are actually a group of photosynthetic heterokonts known as ochrophyta (spelling?). I think they are planktonic and feed off of silicates in order to make their shells. Actually I think diatomaceous earth is made up of cell walls of diatoms. They are indeed photosynthetic, so killing the lights for a while will get rid of them, but I personally think they are feeding off the silicates in the new sand and once the supply has been exhausted, they will die off. I also think that shutting the lights off will be more detrimental to the clam than the algae itself. I know it's probably unsightly, but just wait it out, it should go away on its own. Depending on the amount of silicates present in the sand you used it could take a few months. __________________ Quitters never lose. [QUOTE=CStrickland]Who gets mad at a starfish?[/QUOTE] Current Tank Info: 75g DT, 30G refugium, 10g chaeto tank, 50g stock tank basement sump

11/22/2015, 11:11 AM	#8
CStrickland Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New England, U.S. Posts: 4,595	+1 I'm more inclined to run the lights for diatoms, like just ripping off the bandaid of using up the silicate. I like to blow them into the water column with a filter sock running to pull them out of the system. Also, you're testing the water column, levels at the surface of rocks and sand can be quite different. But I don't have time to search you post history for a pic of this issue, so who knows. If it's not diatoms I might have diff opinion. __________________ If you're havin tank problems I feel bad for you, son. I got 99 problems but a fish ain't one Current Tank Info: 3/2016 upgrade to 120g. Chalk bass, melanurus, firefish, starry blenny, canary blenny, lyretail anthias, engineer gobys, kole tang. Softies / LPS / NPS. <3 noob4life <3

11/22/2015, 04:14 PM	#10
Bent I got nothin' Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: The anals Posts: 6,420	It all depends on the amount. I had a tank once take 3 months for the diatoms to recede. __________________ Quitters never lose. [QUOTE=CStrickland]Who gets mad at a starfish?[/QUOTE] Current Tank Info: 75g DT, 30G refugium, 10g chaeto tank, 50g stock tank basement sump

11/21/2015, 06:55 PM	#2
e048 Registered Member. Join Date: Sep 2015 Posts: 598	Anyone have an experience with clams and lights off for 3 days?

11/21/2015, 08:31 PM	#3
Bogue Chitto Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 960	I think DK says to take a plastic fork and roll the algae up on it and discard it from the tank. I don't think clams can survive long without light, just don't know how long.

11/21/2015, 11:26 PM	#4
e048 Registered Member. Join Date: Sep 2015 Posts: 598	How will I roll up and discard something that dissolves into my water then magically appears the next day I've been blowing it off my gsp with a turkey baster

11/22/2015, 08:40 AM	#6
e048 Registered Member. Join Date: Sep 2015 Posts: 598	Look at my other thread I have pics of it there I don't know if it's cyano or diatoms I don't think diatoms persist for for over a month though

11/22/2015, 03:42 PM	#9
e048 Registered Member. Join Date: Sep 2015 Posts: 598	It's like a powder it's nothing I've seen before its coating my gsp and glass and walls don't diatoms die out in a few weeks it's been over a month

11/23/2015, 06:44 AM	#13
e048 Registered Member. Join Date: Sep 2015 Posts: 598	Thanks for putting it up I've been so busy with school I didn't have time to check this thread till today Buzz it's not like what you had I've fought cyano before in my other older tanks this is like volcanic ash it's everywhere and on everything and it's smothering my gsp and encrusting gorgonian