Radion Photo Period

[Sdoutreefer]

I've had my radions for about 3 months now, and am having an algae issue. Deep blues come on at 8am and ramp up 20k at 20% around 10, then to 14k at 45% around 11pm. At 12pm, lights are running 12k at 75%. They stay at 75% till 6pm and ramp down to 14k at 45% around 7pm, then to 20k at 20% at 8pm, then to all blues around 9pm, and finally at deep blues at 11pm, ramping down from 20%-0% by midnight. Could my photo period be causing this algae because of it being too long? Any and all advice is welcome and appreciated!

 

[Emac909]

What are ur Nitrates and phosphates?

 

[Sdoutreefer]

Not sure about nitrates. Phosphates are zero according to the salifert kit. Im assuming my trates are low due to the coloration of my SPS. They are bright and happy.

 

[mike007]

I don't think its the lighting it more likely there are too many nutrients in the water column. Check your parameters and make sure you are not overfeeding wheter thats coral foods are fish foods.

 

[Sdoutreefer]

Im not over feeding. I feed every other day. Sometimes i go 3 days without food. I think my rock may be leaching phosphates. I started running GFO about 3 weeks ago and the only difference I can see is that its made the water really clear. I dont have any macros growing yet because I dont have a strong enough fuge light.

 

[mike007]

You might consider carbon dosing.

 

[Arkaeus]

Not saying this is the issue or that it will work for you. If any light you add is growing algae in most cases something in the system is feeding it and needs to be corrected. When I first purchased my Radions I was dealing with algae issues. Sometimes going from weaker to stronger lights can create a mini algae bloom for a period of time, almost like a break in period. I ended up going higher in the K spectrum. I started from 12-14-18-20k to 14(few hours) 18-20k. In my mind it was just like a 6500k will grow better algae than a 20k. 12-14k has a lot of red, yellow, and whites. I would also only be running the lights for 8 hours until you fig out the problem, slowly increasing the amount of time the lights are on over a period of a few weeks.

Edit:
Did you test for no3 and po4? Noticed you tested for these.. You may be reading 0 because the algae is consuming any phos the system has quicker than you can test for it. If its growing, it is there =)

 

[Sdoutreefer]

Well these lights were the first and only lights used on my tank so I dont think that is the problem. Might be tho. Doesnt hurt to mess around a little.

NO3 Im not sure what its reading. PO4 Salifert reads 0. It seems like most radion users have theyre lights on for majority of the day, at least a couple of my buddys do, and they dont have algae problems.. So im starting to think its not my lights and indeed my rock is leaching PO4

 

[Arkaeus]

Hope it's not your rock, seems that would be a nightmare to deal with.

You ever tell us which algae specifically your dealing with? That might help narrow it down some.

GS3JellyBamROM

 

[Sdoutreefer]

Some of its GHA, I have a few bubbles of bubble algae, which are getting taken care of by my emerald crabs, and the other stuff I believe is..... Byropsis.