Another algea outbreak Thread.

reefboarder

reefboarder

Intelligent Donkey
So within the last month or so I have been having great troubles with algea; Hair, cyano, and some other types that seems to form in layers that coat the rockwork, although easy to remove its ugly as hell, There are also some various macros that have mysteriously popped up none of which I have ever seen in my tank. So to date I have faithfully been basting, plucking and syphoning once to twice weekly, as well as 20 gal changes once per week on a 140 total gal system. All levels are in check although I have no reliable phosphate test and I suspect my salifert mag test may be bad. I have a lawnmower blenny, 30 + various snails and two emerald crabs. It is starting to become very discouraging, I also have heavily cut back on feeding.
I am running out of ideas here. I read once somewhere about B-Ionic mag being a viable solution but I would like some feedback/ideas/suggestions.
 
Even if your tests are coming back with low readings for nitrates and phosphates their actual levels are probably considerably higher since that much algae would be using it up as it grows so it isn't in the water to show up on tests.

My advice would be really aggressive rock cleanout, more than just basting. Blow water through your rockwork and really get the gunk up into the water column. Then follow this up with a big water change, like 40-50% volume change. I'd wait a week then do it again. Also like Joe said, I would look into cutting down on your light schedule a little bit.

How old are your bulbs? Do you have a skimmer?
 
halides are one week old just replaced, pc bulbs are due, i am running a turboflotor 1000 skimmer that pulls alot out and its cup is cleaned every 3-4 days I also have a filter sock that gets changed with the skimmer. My alk is 8.5 dkh calc 440 ph lights on is 8.2/3 lower during the lights off periods no3,no4 0 and ammonia 0. I should note that I also started running GFO about a cup in a BRS reactor with a maxijet 1200 that has been up for about 5 weeks the gfo was changed last saturday with my 20 gal water change.I also have done the lights off for 36 hours leading up to the water change two weeks ago. I noted that I believe I had some sort of event undetermined but 2 days after the lights were back on my tank was crystal clear around 7 am then around 830 I looked over at it and it was super cloudy I did another 20 change that day it eventually cleared up no adverse reactions from anything in the tank.
 
New bulbs can do it. Did you switch to a different type? Do you have Gooey bubble algae(dinoflagellates)? Is your tank in a room with Lots of day light? Did you cover your tank when you did your 36 hour lights out period?
 
My guess is that daily your cyanobacteria and dinoflagellates die back when lights are off. They are simple organisms that grow rapidly when lights are on and if there is bioavailable nutrients that continue to fuel their daily growth. Do you have a fuge that you can leave a light on 24 hrs a day?
 
jmo

jmo

don't bother purchasing a PO4 test kit and don't battle nuisance algae with B-ionic Mg.

Kent Tech M can help get rid of Bryopsis but that's all.

This problem is more than just Bryopsis. I would continue the use of GFO. Keep changing water using RO. Set up a 'fuge to grow macroalgae.

Don't give up.

Even in an aquarium like mine algae can pop up if I take a moment to rest :sleep:
 
museumguy said:
Even if your tests are coming back with low readings for nitrates and phosphates their actual levels are probably considerably higher.
Click to expand...

With this being said, how effective would a po4 remover work if there isn't an abundance of po4 in the water column? It sounds like a lit five with macro algae may be a better way to go. I have some turf algae going on, but when I tested for po4, the reading comes back zero. What to do?
 
you can "starve out" algae in a reef system with heavy use of GFO.

(Note that I'm not recommending this!)

using Rowa, I've even killed off all the macroalgae in a lit refugium. (Not recommended!)

unless you're using a low range PO4 test kit results are useless- "low PO4" isn't a usable test result. You need numbers.

But why bother?
Test for nitrates. If they aren't an issue and you have a lot of nuisnace algae you can fairly be assured that PO4 is the problem.

Don't forget- "pre-enjoyed" LR that wasn't "cooked" can often be a source of ongoing PO4 that fuels algae growth.

(Note that none of my recommendations involve lighting. Manipulate PO4 and nitrates to control nuisance algae.)
 
My nitrates are currently reading, per Salifert, between 2.5 and 5 ppm. Instead of using a Rowa or GFO type product, I am using a po4 remover pad that I have located between baffles in my sump. Why would you NOT recomend "starving" algae with heavy use of GFO??
 
having some algae is good- especially macros in the 'fuge.

Heavy GFO usage will bring down dKH.
Similar to GAC, it's best to constantly run a smaller amount.

edit: the initial investment is relatively a lot but GFO is a heckava lot cheaper in the long run than those PO4 algae pads.......
 
Last edited:
I'm not very familiar with the effects of GFO or GAC. I'm interested in how they #1, differ from one another and #2, how they differ from any other po4 remover. I'll have to research it later tonight.
 
GAC adsorbs organics, some of which contain bound phosphate that will release when the organics breakdown. It helps but is not an inorganic(PO4) remover.

GFO adsorbs PO4 ,inorganic phosphate. If it is placed in a system with high PO4 it can exhaust in a day or two. Further once rock and substrate have been exposed to higher levels of phosphate they stick to carbonate surface loosely and leach back once the PO4 in the water drops. Sometimes it can take months to balance it out and gfo is expensive unless you regenerate it with a soak in a lye solution and reuse it.
Alumina binders also work well to remove PO4 and are less expensive but aluminum may leach from them and can irritate corals.
Lanthanum chloride works very well in high PO4 situations and is relatively inexpensive but care needs to be taken to dose it slowly and to filter out the fine precipitant lanthanum phosphate it forms.
 
PO4 below .03ppm is limiting to green micro and macro algaes including nuisance algaes and those you may want to keep.. PO4 above 0.15ppm or so can limit calcification by stony corals and harm them. Personally, I prefer to test for PO4 and NO3 frequently .NO3 below 15ppm or so should do no harm,ime.
 
I currently am running Matrix Carbon and the po4 reducer pad. As I said, my po4 is testing at zero. If po4 was high enough to inhibit the calcification of corals, I probably would not be seeing the whitish growth tips and rings on and around various sps, correct? I may just be overconcerned.
 
+1 on not doing the darkout - I've been through it (against Gary's advice) and it causes the corals stress - the algae temporarily recedes and comes right back. You need to limit its energy source, which is in your water.

In addition to the advice above - are you using RO water? DI? when is the last time the filters were changed and how old is the RO membrane? Any chance you have a TDS meter on your RO unit?
 
magdelan said:
I currently am running Matrix Carbon and the po4 reducer pad. As I said, my po4 is testing at zero. If po4 was high enough to inhibit the calcification of corals, I probably would not be seeing the whitish growth tips and rings on and around various sps, correct? I may just be overconcerned.
Click to expand...
concern is always a good thing- it sounds like reefboarder isn't seeing any stony coral growth and his PO4 levels are probably higher than yours, mag.

Nuisance algae is probably the biggest reason people get out of reefkeeping but nuisance algae can be controlled. You just need to learn how.
 
I believe ReefBoarder is seeing decent stony growth. The last time I was over, there was some decent growth.
 
My stonys are actually growing quite well. I took various water samples to abc aquariums (thanks G) and my tank was 0.06 and my pure rodi was 0.02. The membrane, pre-filters and di resin were just changed 3-4 months ago so probably like 400-500 gallons ago. I also do have an inline tds and in is around 180 and out is 0 I have been manually removing the bryopsis and others( I should try to put some pics of the various types) but I'm continuing with
Normal water changes etc. I purchased a new mag test kit and it was a little over 1400 calc was 420 and alk was 8.3 dkh. I also found that my temps were running on the high side due to a heater I neglected to hook in through my controller. I have been leaving my sump light on 24 hours my sump was built to be a sump/fuge but the lighting isn't as good as my tank light so I don't blame the algea for growing in my display, and for the record I love this hobby and algea isn't going to get rid of me!
TMZ, I kinda understood your post, but basically you are saying that lanthanum chloride is also an efficient method of reducing po4??




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

D
Corals slowly dying / getting white spots water tests good
Replies
18
Views
704
griss
griss
H
New Crocea Clams - Some opening some not?
Replies
3
Views
522
hilde123
H
T
75g 4’ stocking
Replies
6
Views
555
Toolfan333
T
NancyT3
Help with Snail Anxiety
Replies
8
Views
843
CharleyDavis
C
J
Calcium very elevated
Replies
3
Views
872
jcarlilesiu
J
Back
Top