Algae!

[sulcata1619]

Can three year old t5 lamps cause purple slime and green slime algae all by themselves? I have never had this problem before. I have three fish in my tank.
Nitrates <5
Ca. 420
Alk. 9
Sal. 1.023

My skimmer is awesome
I have a brand new membrane in the RO.
Yet I am getting algae growth everywhere.
My chaeto is growing like crazy in the fuge. I know the tank is only 5 months old but I have never had algae like this in my past systems.
Any thoughts?

 

[Grant W]

What else is in the system? Is the rock old? Phosphates? How's your flow? And yes those bulbs are probably part of the problem. Have you gotten a clean up crew going yet? Hope this helps.

 

[northbay-reefer]

+1 on old rocks, also if you are using carbon it might also leach phosphate.

 

[sulcata1619]

I have since realized that I put a new membrane in the RO and pulled the DI cartridge out but never replaced it. I have new resin on it's way. I think this is the main source of the problem. Explains the crazy algae blooms after a water change.

 

[Reef Bass]

That could do it. Be careful with no DI resin too if you have chloramines in your tap water like Petaluma does. One of the by products of chloramine breakdown is ammonia, which is then normally absorbed by DI resin. No resin and the ammonia can get into the tank.

Tom, for me one of the great things about reef keeping is the perpetual learning that had better be occurring. I did not know carbon could leach phosphates and I had to look into that. Turns out you are correct. IMHO, this is yet another reason to use BRS ROx carbon, as it is rinsed with an acid to remove as much phosphate as possible before it gets to you.

For those running carbon not produced by BRS or without similar quality controls, a couple days soak in 0 tds ro/di is recommended the allow the phosphate to leach before the carbon is used.