algae problem

[calebjk]

Hello, i could use some help. i've had this algae for a few weeks now and i figured it would just go away like other algae issues i've had. i went through a bout with hair algae a while ago and i just cut back on feeding and so less algae grew, and also my algae grazers were hungry so they ate more algae. i'm still feeding the same way but now i have this different algae.
i've checked phosphates and nitrates using an API test kit and had 0ppm on both. my water turns around 22 times per hour. i'm running just over 6.5 watts per gallon and the tank's about a foot deep (33gal long). my lights are current nova extreme t5's. my light stages are; 108W of actinic for 15 hours per day and 108W of 10,000k for 11 hours per day.

this may be answering my own question but i don't want to just assume these are related. i was running the same watts and light stages with a cheep aquatraders odyssea light, then upgraded to the nova extreme fixture, the algae issue did happen after the upgraded lighting, same watts, just better quality.

here are some pics.

anyway, if there is anything i can do to get rid of this stuff then please do tell. i'm open to changing the way i do things or purchasing something that will graze on that type of algae. i do have a diamond goby that sifts the substrate like crazy but he can't keep up, i have to scrape the glass every day. the growth in the pics happened in less than 48 hours.

i hope i answered any questions in advance, but if i left anything out just ask.

thank you guys

~caleb

 

[glaspie69]

I would cut back on the lighting cycle, 15 hours a day is alot. I would say 10 to 12 hours would be plenty. I would also check your flow, these spots are usually caused by a dead spot in the flow. Also check your temp, if you keep the temp around 76-77 you'll be better off.

 

[SnkyJake]

Agreed - lighting is on for way too long. Also, that does not appear to be algae, but looks more like cyano-bacteria. Couple of things will kill cyano without harming corals. Chemiclean or Freshwater Maracyn. Cyano needs light to grow, so when you treat your tank, turn off the skimmer and your lights for a day. I had it really bad one time, and ran with skimmer and lights off for 3 days while I treated each day. Yes, the corals got a little stressed, but cyano disappeared and corals came back fine. By the way Caleb, your Xenia's are doing great. I hope Galaxy is doing well for you too!

 

[glaspie69]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10747157#post10747157 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SnkyJake
Agreed - lighting is on for way too long. Also, that does not appear to be algae, but looks more like cyano-bacteria. Couple of things will kill cyano without harming corals. Chemiclean or Freshwater Maracyn. Cyano needs light to grow, so when you treat your tank, turn off the skimmer and your lights for a day. I had it really bad one time, and ran with skimmer and lights off for 3 days while I treated each day. Yes, the corals got a little stressed, but cyano disappeared and corals came back fine. By the way Caleb, your Xenia's are doing great. I hope Galaxy is doing well for you too!

Not to insult this statment or come off like an a hole but this is by far the worst mistake made by reef keepers. Chemiclean is a mask, u can polish a turd but its still a turd underneath. Finding the problem and fixing it is the best way around any type of algae. change your flow up and lower your lighting cycle and see what happens before you pound your tank full of chemicals is my advice, but it's your tank if the the chemi clean is your best choice go for it

 

[calebjk]

i have an idea of how i can change the flow in the tank. right now i have 200GPH coming from my sump going through a hydor flow deflector in the right corner, 180GPH coming through a CPR backpack in the middle, and 300GPH from a powerhead with a hydor flow deflector in the left corner. i can move the 300GPH more toward the center and more evenly distribute the current.

cutting back the light cycle isn't a problem either. you said to cut my 15 hours back to 10-12, the lights that i am running for 15 hours are my actinics, so should i do 12 hours actinic and 10 hours daylight?

on the subject of temp, i have no problem lowering the temp to 76-77, especially given the time of year. my question is, how will this affect my tank inhabitants, everything i have ever read has told me to go between 78-80.

one thing i forgot to mention is i keep my sg at 1.020 - 1.022

SnkyJake, i'm glad the xenia are doing good for you. the galaxy seams to be doing well, they haven't been extending their feeding things but they seam to be filling out, the stuff i read said that once they get established they grow like crazy, which leads me to believe the getting established part could take a little while.

 

[calebjk]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10747157#post10747157 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SnkyJake
I hope Galaxy is doing well for you too!

disregard the comment about not extending their feeding tube, i was just sitting down on the couch doing some reading and i looked up to see a couple feeding tubes extended. i am going to wait another 30 min to see if any more extend out then i am going to feed some oyster eggs.

 

[Nanemene]

ChemClean did nothing for me. Antired killed the cyano and half my livestock. I'm not sure what in-between option would work best.

 

[matt the fiddler]

get rid of the probelm, or it will be back. and ten times worse.

 

[SnkyJake]

so should i do 12 hours actinic and 10 hours daylight?

That is what I run and it works fine for me. (Watch the light cycles on the reef of the month threads, and they pretty much all run the same light cycles - just at different times) I figure that their tanks are so beautiful, I need to mimic what they do.

i have ever read has told me to go between 78-80 I agree with you on this one. I did not change temp during treatment.

In regards to Glaspie69--------> As for why the sudden cyano bacteria appearance, I would look for a fish body decaying behind the rocks. The only time I ever get this is when I lose a fish, and can't get it out right away because it gets behind my wall of rock. If that happens, use a powerhead to "blow" the fish into the open so you can get the carcass out.

As for the Chemiclean, I didn't have any problems with it - but I must say that I prefer using FRESHWATER Maracyn over chemiclean. (Do not use the marine Maracyn - BAD NEWS:eek1: )

One thing I forgot to mention earlier about treating the tank, was to also remove carbon during treatment. (As the carbon will nuetralize the Maracyn)

I have a 75 gallon tank, and when I have to treat (probably once every 20-24 months) I take 4 pills of Maracyn, cut them into 1/4's and spread the 16 pieces out over the base of the aquarium. After a day (sometimes two) I will turn everything back on, and change my filter pad (to get any residual cyano out) - but be warned, your skimmer will be a foaming machine! It will take two or 3 days for your skimmer to settle back down. (If cyano is really bad, treat two days in a row)

Finally as for the Galaxy, just keep an eye on the base of the polyps (or "teeth"). When Galaxy's start dieing, you'll start to see the "flesh" pull away at the base of those teeth, exposing the white skeletal structure. Don't panic, it can still be saved but you'll have to move it around in the tank (In my tank, I 've always found closer to the light is better). As long as you don't see white skeletal, your Galaxy is probably doing fine. (Most of the tentacles usually don't come out until middle of the night)

 

[JEFF SCHENSE]

Red Slime

Red Slime

Red Slime is not a true algae, but a bacteria (Cyanobacteria).

The cause to this problem is typically due to an imbalance in the system that can include low alkalinity, sometimes low pH, low calcium/ mag, dead or low flow areas, compacted sand bed, etc...

Besides improving your water flow, and reducing your photo period (aka cutting down on the hours in light cycle), I would suggest slowly raising your alkalinity, pH and calcium levels.

I remember reading a thread a while back that Cyano, can be knocked back by raising your pH for a short time as high as 8.6, and increasing your flow.

Before raising your pH, etc.. please confirm that your pH meter and test kits are acurate.


Good luck.

Jeff

 

[calebjk]

ok, i'm going to trim back my lights. what i will do is cut off an hour every 3 days until i get to my target cycle.

i'm pretty sure that this isn't red slime, i've seen red slime before and they couldn't have picked a much better name for it, it's red and slimy. this is more of a purple and hairy.

 

[calebjk]

bubbles

bubbles

this stuff is making bubbles. before i though i just had bubbles leaking in through a powerhead, but now i've completely submerged that powerhead and removed the airline from it and the thing is still shotting out a small amount of microbubbles, i believe it is an air/gas being produced by the algae in the prefilter i have on that head. there are also bubbles coming from the substrate. is this normal and does it give a better clue to exactly what this stuff is?

here are some pics.

 

[jtesdall]

These pictures sure look like Cyano to me. The bubbles from the substrate should be a good thing. These should be nitrogen gas meaning you have a good anaerobic zone going. I am hoping to get more of these soon.

 

[JEFF SCHENSE]

The pictures sure look like Cyanobacter to me as well.

The bubbles you see are oxygen. The bacteria contains a red chlorophyll- like substance (the exact name escapes me at the moment) that allows it to photosynthesize. Therefore it has properties of both an algae and a bacteria.


Scientists believe this organism my have help oxygenate our planet when it first formed, and may be the key to reduce global warming gases like CO2.


Jeff

 

[calebjk]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10765375#post10765375 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JEFF SCHENSE
The pictures sure look like Cyanobacter to me as well.

Scientists believe this organism my have help oxygenate our planet when it first formed, and may be the key to reduce global warming gases like CO2.

so are you saying that if i cared about the planet then i wouldn't get rid of this stuff.....lol, jk

 

[JEFF SCHENSE]

I read an article on another website by Dr. Shimek stating every healthy oceanic reef has algae growth that is normally kept in check by herbivores, currents, etc..

In the closed system of an aquarium, some algae is bound to grow. The trick is to find the best balance you can understanding that when you combine nutrients with that much light some algae/etc growth is bound to happen.

Hey, most reefers complain about too much brown in their reef tanks. It least it adds some color (only kidding).

Lowering your photoperiod as well as increased flow are good actions to take. Consider a slow increase in your alkalinity, calcium, and pH.

Good luck.

Jeff

 

[ZLTFUL]

The advice above is great...worked for my minor hair algae problem i had.

That being said, a well trimmed and not out of control patch of hair algae looks good to me. Especially if it is kept in check and isn't spreading over corals and stuff. But then I am a bit strange and really like shrooms and rics...