Is My Radion Responsible?

NanaReefer · Jul 10, 2016

I'm running a Gen3 on my 40B. Corals are thriving. 2x rw4's, 1x wp10 and return for flow.
Sump with fuge, Icecap K2-120 skimmer, sock.

Issue? Green algae on the sand bed the entire length of the tank in the back, plus on a rock in the back corner. Seemingly wherever the lighting is the lowest.
2wks ago I siphoned it all out and added the wp10 down low running along the back. Thinking it was a flow issue. Not! By today's WC it was all pretty much back.

Is it possible it's a lighting issue, lack there of?

reefwiser · Jul 10, 2016

Nutrients the cause. Phosphate will bind to the sand. When you test for phosphate you will find it low. This is because it has already bound to the sand bottom.
What forms of nutrient export do you use? A algae scrubber would be a good addition.

NanaReefer · Jul 11, 2016

I grow chaeto very well. Guess it's time to get out the reactor. Thanks for the input [emoji2]

Wilsoni · Jul 11, 2016

Get a Sand Conch... It will do wonders to that sandbed

Wilsoni · Jul 11, 2016

Also I seem to notice dosing MB7 following a WC/sand vac session helps keep my substrate clean.

Wilsoni · Jul 11, 2016

I run G3 Pros as well and I noticed significantly less problematic algae when I switched over to the SPS AB+ program. It totally makes sense though, R,G,W channels contribute to algae growth so turning them down helps a ton.

saltwaterpicaso · Jul 11, 2016

following since switching to radions my sand does the same thing and my rocks look like garbage with a fuzzy type of algea I run gfo and a refugium

NanaReefer · Jul 11, 2016

As of today I've got my red/green now at 0% my white's are at 10% from 20% for 4hrs peak time. UV at 80% 4hrs peak time and blues at 100% 4hrs peak time.

I've got a Strawberry Conch but sadly his area is limited to the front and sides of the tank. Guess I could try a little rescaping.

Update: Took out a rock from the back, giving Conch access to that area. [emoji2]

Wilsoni · Jul 11, 2016

Hmm that's interesting. How long is your photoperiod?

NanaReefer · Jul 11, 2016

I just turned the r/g off today and lowered white's today also.
I've never run the r/g higher than 17% and whites no higher than 20%.
Total photo period is 11hrs. Ramping from 8am off at 9:10pm

Lonely reefer's · Jul 11, 2016

I can garranty it not the light
I got those before & I don't have radion
When the tank was young.
It under kessil

NanaReefer · Jul 11, 2016

My tank is 2+ years old. One things for sure in this hobby....there are NO guarantees [emoji2]
Here's a great read by Orphek on lighting spectrum and nuisance algae growth.
https://orphek.com/the-correct-light-spectrum/

Waters · Jul 12, 2016

Regardless of what light you are using, it will not cause algae growth. Algae requires excessive (or sometimes very little lol) nutrients to grow. Yes, the lights can contribute but the key is removing excessive phosphates and nitrates.

reefwiser · Jul 12, 2016

Algae needs both light and nutrients. Since we give animals that require light and ones that require certain spectrum of light that both corals and algae need. Our best choice is to then limit nutrients by keeping phosphate low.

NanaReefer · Jul 12, 2016

Waters said:
Regardless of what light you are using, it will not cause algae growth. Algae requires excessive (or sometimes very little lol) nutrients to grow. Yes, the lights can contribute but the key is removing excessive phosphates and nitrates.

Totally disagree with you. Just ask anyone who's T5's, MH and LED's get old.
Many reefers run high nutrient systems without nuisance algae issue.
Lighting spectrum has a lot to do with algae growth of any kind.

reefwiser · Jul 12, 2016

Ok that is your view [emoji3]

Waters · Jul 12, 2016

NanaReefer said:
Totally disagree with you. Just ask anyone who's T5's, MH and LED's get old.
Many reefers run high nutrient systems without nuisance algae issue.
Lighting spectrum has a lot to do with algae growth of any kind.

So you are saying if there are 0 nutrients, having old bulbs will cause algae growth? The algae in the high nutrients systems that you are referring to are often controlled via refugiums, algae scrubbers, CUC, fish, etc. I don't disagree with you that spectrum can affect growth...but the nutrients still need to be there.

NanaReefer · Jul 12, 2016

Nutrients will always be there. What I'm saying is lighting spectrum can be a contributing factor to the growth of nuisance algae.
One can run a high nutrient system without worry as long as the correct lighting spectrum is being used.
Please read what Orphak has to say about lighting spectrum and its effect on algae growth. Very informative.

I believe that even though my PO4 & NO3 are both well below the acceptable levels, per Salifert, that I may be using to much of the white/red/green spectrum for my system. An issue I never had before these colors were introduced. Process of elimination [emoji2]