Algae Problem, help please.

[imlocke]

I left the lights off for a few days, and my water looked pretty clear, so I decided to start turning my lights back on so that I could make sure my temperature was right with the lights on again, etc...And the water is getting cloudy again, I'm assuming with more algae (the same that happened last time...cloudy then green) so I turned my lights back off, and I guess I'll leave them off for a while. But I'm worried that it's just going to come back again next time...What should I do to make sure that this algae doesn't come back?

I was told by a few people it was from my tank cycling etc...but I had my water tested and was told my tank had finished cycling, the levels were good...So it can't be from the tank cycling because then the algae wouldn't have come back, no?

 

[jgiordano]

How long has it been up; also how much live rock do you have?

 

[jerl77]

wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! how lond has it been running?

 

[mcmxc17]

What are your readings when you test the water?

 

[imlocke]

it's been up about 1.5 to 2 months, there's not much live rock I know I need more, but I don't want more branch, and haven't managed to find any cured live rock to put in atm, the branch was cured when i started, but died off and is now coming back...I haven't personally tested the water, but the LFS, aqua hut has tested it, and he said the cycle was over and the levels were good to start putting corals in...but I still have this algae problem to deal with first...

 

[jgiordano]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10816353#post10816353 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by imlocke
I haven't personally tested the water, but the LFS, aqua hut has tested it, and he said the cycle was over and the levels were good to start putting corals in...but I still have this algae problem to deal with first...

I am no expert and haven't been in the hobby that long, but I think you should really learn how to test your own water. You can't trust LFS to test your water all the time.

You will never understand the changes that happen in your aquarium without knowing how they fluctuate week to week. The first 2 months I set up my tank I tested Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate and phosphate everyday. Then I scaled it back to testing Nitrate, Phosphate and Calcium every couple of days. Now I test 1-2 weeks, but I can see if my parameters are off because my xenia's don't pulse or other corals look unhappy.


Are you using tap water?

 

[imlocke]

no, I'm using RO water. I had some corals..and they were doing fine...open, etc, but the water was green, so I took them all out. Had my water tested and he said my tank was cycling and the nitrites were high, so i was towards the middle of the cycle, went back later on and he said the nitrites were going down and the nitrates were going up, and went back later on and he said it was done cycling the levels were good, I know how the cycle works, I just haven't done the testing myself. I'm still fairly sure this algae thats making my tank green isn't part of the cycle, the algae was going away, and now its coming back...

 

[jgiordano]

Direct sunlight? What kind of sand?

Algae is common during a cycle, I had 2 outbreaks of diatoms towards the end of my cycle.

 

[imlocke]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10816521#post10816521 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jgiordano
Direct sunlight? What kind of sand?

Algae is common during a cycle, I had 2 outbreaks of diatoms towards the end of my cycle.

I know its common during a cycle, but my cycle is over, and the algae looked to be gone...and now its coming back again...I think it might have been sunlight, but the sun shouldn't ever hit it directly, I'm going to try leaving the lights off for a week or two or something and hope it goes away completely unless someone comes up with a better solution or something..

 

[jgiordano]

that's not a solution; because your gonna have to turn them on at some point and if the nutrients the algae is using to grow is still there it will never go away.

Also as soon as you add fish or corals and get a bio-load you will have a bigger problem.

 

[imlocke]

which is why i haven't added anything else to my tank yet, because i know something is obviously wrong, but im unsure of what to do to fix it..

 

[jgiordano]

What Kind of saltwater are your using?
Did you mix your own salt?
Where are you getting you RO from?

 

[imlocke]

i get the RO water from aqua hut, I add Oceanic salt to it

 

[jgiordano]

Do you test the salinity and ph?

 

[imlocke]

I test my salinity, salinity is fine, don't know about the ph

 

[qy7400]

Are you using the sponges and bio balls that come with the cube?
Any mods or changes to increase flow or lighting?
Water changes? If so how often and how much?

 

[imlocke]

No bioballs, yes sponge, only mod is added a hydor flo deflector

1 gallon a week water changes

 

[qy7400]

I would start with loosing the sponge, it's a nitrate trap; may be an issue already as the algae needs a food source.
The hydro flo is nice at creating more random flo but the trade off is lower flow. I'd suggest swapping the return pump or adding a small powerhead just to get more flow going.

I have an AquaPod 24 and heat is a huge issue with it, can keep the cover closed or the temps go over 83. If your getting temp spikes over 84 you may be getting die off from that fueling the algae.

 

[imlocke]

temp spike from the sponge fueling the algae? ill take the sponge out now then...