schminksbro
New member
Why does a frag tank plumbed into an established system have an algae bloom? My params are stable and there is no change in my display. Why?
Frag tank algae bloom?
- Thread starter schminksbro
- Start date
HighlandReefer
Team RC
May have something to do with the type of light and day-length along with the fact that a new tank (even though it is plumbed in) will not have much established bacteria.......etc to deal with food that is placed directly into the frag tank. How much are you feeding in your frag. tank?
HighlandReefer
Team RC
Perhaps increasing the water flow out of the frag. tank may help.
redfishsc
New member
It's also possible that the lights over the frag tank could be more "algae friendly". Lots of folks will put a much more white-light color over a frag tank since it's assumed that a 10,000K light puts out more PAR in general than a more blue 15,000 or 20,000K light (though that's certainly not a guarantee!).
I've found that the more blue the light is, the more "coral-friendly" the light is and less "algae friendly" it is. Most of our nuisance algaes seem to greatly prefer lower K rated light.
I've found that the more blue the light is, the more "coral-friendly" the light is and less "algae friendly" it is. Most of our nuisance algaes seem to greatly prefer lower K rated light.
I'm running a 10k and actinic from current, and a 15k and 22k Giesemann in the fixture. I can't really increase the outflow, right now it's using a 1" bulkhead mounted horizontally. The tank is fed with a 660GPM Rio pump, slightly turned down by a 1" ball valve. I'd say the flow through this tank is at least 550 GPM, plus I have a K2 under the eggcrate. Polyps are flapping around nicely.
schminksbro
New member
I have an acrylic frag rack, I do not feed into the frag tank, and I have a brand new 250w 20k XM hanging over the frag tank. I run the light 6 hours a day. I run the halides on the display 8.
schminksbro
New member
The overflow in the frag tank is faster that the overflow in the display. I am running 2 Mag 7 returns. One on the display and one on the frag tank. There is less head on the frag tank hence faster flow.
HighlandReefer
Team RC
You have a lot of light on that size tank. Perhaps putting a screen between the light and water may help. Also, raising the metal halide up higher may help. 
I need sunglasses to look at the picture.
I need sunglasses to look at the picture.
schminksbro
New member
I agree it is alot of light. However raising it up floods the room too much and air doesn't cut it much anyway. The acros in the tank seem to love it. The pic does exaggerate how bright it is to look at but that is my lack of photography skills compounded by my lack of a good camera. I don't think too much light is the key to the algae bloom. Otherwise the whole top of my display rockwork would be covered in algae. It has to do with the new tank but I don't understand why. A friend of mine had the same issue and after a month or so it cleared up. It really isn't causing any problems other than it temporarily looks crappy. I just want to know the science behind it.
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14812599#post14812599 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by HighlandReefer
You have a lot of light on that size tank. Perhaps putting a screen between the light and water may help. Also, raising the metal halide up higher may help.
I need sunglasses to look at the picture.
schminksbro
New member
I should point out that the pic without the frag rack is with a 10k bulb that I had. It was only in for 2 days prior to the arrival of the new 20k bulb.
Similar threads
