can changing carbon cause an algae bloom?

[kevensquint]

Hello, I changed out my carbon 3 weeks ago and in the following days I went from cleaning the algae off the glass every 3 days to at least every day, I could have done it twice!...I removed the carbon and it took a few weeks for things to go back to normal. Coincidence, or something in the carbon? it was Marineland brand carbon.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Are you using an organic carbon source?

I find that the bacteria grow nicely on GAC, and if you swapped them out it might possibly slow the rate of organic consumption for a bit.

Did you stir things up at all?

Otherwise, I think it unlikely the GAC contributed. The amount of phosphate that might come with GAC is usually very small.

 

[kevensquint]

ok, thank you. and yes I played with dosing a bit of vinegar around that time.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

OK, that might be it, but I generally would not avoid GAC because of algae.

Good luck.