Algae

[Timothyh33]

How can I stop green and brown algae from growing every where? Just got a new light and algae is growing every where now.

 

[lapin]

You will need to turn off the light or turn it down. Algae is the first thing to take advantage of light and nutrients. Until something can out-compete it, its gonna grow
How old is the tank and what sort of nutrients are in it?

 

[Copingwithpods]

How can I stop green and brown algae from growing every where? Just got a new light and algae is growing every where now.

In short, you can't. Specially in a new tank it's just the natural process of the tank maturing.

Long answer, can you post a Pic of the tank to rule out any invasive algaes along with the light you're using the tanks age and parameters?

 

[Albertan22]

How old is the tank? What are your water parameters liking like? If it’s a new tank that is less than 6-8 months old, it’s just part of the cycle and there’s is no stopping it really.

 

[Jvalle]

Hi these guys all had good answers . It can also be phosphate related if it’s reddish. Post a pic thx

 

[Timothyh33]

So my tank is 4 years old and I just got a new light vipar spectra 165 volt. My nitrates are high and I am doing two water changes every weekend. Still haven't helped.

 

[Timothyh33]

See the strings of algea

 

[Timothyh33]

In short, you can't. Specially in a new tank it's just the natural process of the tank maturing.

Long answer, can you post a Pic of the tank to rule out any invasive algaes along with the light you're using the tanks age and parameters?

 

[Timothyh33]

In short, you can't. Specially in a new tank it's just the natural process of the tank maturing.

Long answer, can you post a Pic of the tank to rule out any invasive algaes along with the light you're using the tanks age and parameters?

So my tank is 4 years old and I just got a new light vipar spectra 165 volt. My nitrates are high and I am doing two water changes every weekend. Still haven't helped.

 

[Albertan22]

What kind of livestock do you have in the tank? How heavily do you feed? Do you run a skimmer? Refugium? Any other nutrient export method?

 

[Timothyh33]

What kind of livestock do you have in the tank? How heavily do you feed? Do you run a skimmer? Refugium? Any other nutrient export method?

I have a skimmer and I only feed every three days. Only have a clown fish and cleaner shrimp with some hermit crabs

 

[Albertan22]

You said that your nitrates are high, how high are they? It's weird that your nitrates would be so high with such a low bioload and infrequent feeding given the water changes you say you're doing. Do you test phosphates? How big is the tank? Also, does the algae look like snot with air bubbles at the end? Have you tried manual removal? Does it instantly come back the next day or take awhile to grow back?

 

[Timothyh33]

You said that your nitrates are high, how high are they? It's weird that your nitrates would be so high with such a low bioload and infrequent feeding given the water changes you say you're doing. Do you test phosphates? How big is the tank? Also, does the algae look like snot with air bubbles at the end? Have you tried manual removal? Does it instantly come back the next day or take awhile to grow back?

So my tanks a 20 gal and I changed how much I feed and my water changes since this started about 3 weeks ago and it hasen changed anything. My nitrates are 160 ppm. I don't check phosphates. I posted a pic and it does look like snot with air bubbles on it.

 

[Albertan22]

So my tanks a 20 gal and I changed how much I feed and my water changes since this started about 3 weeks ago and it hasen changed anything. My nitrates are 160 ppm. I don't check phosphates. I posted a pic and it does look like snot with air bubbles on it.

I saw the picture but it was a bit blurry and couldn't tell if it was strings of hair algae or maybe dino's. It kind of sounds like you're dealing with a dinoflagelate outbreak but that seems a bit strange given your elevated nitrate levels. I would be curious if your phosphates are reading zero and maybe that's contributing. Do you run any kind of phosphate removal media like GFO?

Maybe take a look at the dino thread below and see if you think that might be what you are dealing with. Try manual removal if you haven't already and see if it comes right back almost overnight. If it does seem to be dino's, you may need to try to get your phosphate up as counter intuitive as that may seem. You may want to find a phosphate test kit to see where your phosphate is at.

Dinoflagellates – Are You Tired Of Battling Altogether?

I don't know what percentage of folks had luck battling dinos with any of the methods in the old Dino thread but it's obviously a very low percentage, so I'd like refresh folks on the natural alternatives and lay out three areas of info: some of the factors that contribute to a dino outbreak...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Copingwithpods]

Yes very odd, looks like dinos but not 100% on that. Agree with above, run phosphate reducers? What's your PO4 at? Also what are you feeding and how much?

 

[Timothyh33]

Yes very odd, looks like dinos but not 100% on that. Agree with above, run phosphate reducers? What's your PO4 at? Also what are you feeding and how much?

My po4 is in-between 32-33

 

[Copingwithpods]

My po4 is in-between 32-33

0.32-0.33 right? Other wise I have many questions

 

[Timothyh33]

0.32-0.33 right? Other wise I have many questions

Yes .32-.33

 

[Timothyh33]

0.32-0.33 right? Other wise I have many questions

Sorry I actually don't now my po4 since I don't have a test yet..

 

[Copingwithpods]

I'd do a vacuum and scrub while doing a 75% (15g) water change, this should get you to 0.08 PO4 and 40ppm NO3,much better levels. Just get as much algae as you can out.