Frustrated - algae

medic29

Premium Member
I'm over it. I can't figure out why I still have this algae hanging around. I had some, the room everything out, scrubbed it all off the rock, emptied the tank and cleaned it out, replaced the substrate and complete water change.

I was running a new LED light I bought that coat me a chunk of money and all of this algae grew up. A few weeks ago I shut the LED down and went back to my MH and I installed a brand new Hamilton bulb in it.

I only feed them a small pinch every day or so. Running my skimmer. Specific gravity is 1.020. I haven't checked the water other than that because all of my kits have gone bad and I haven't taken any into town to get it checked.

Any ideas other than getting the water checked?
be18b993d3c1a995e1a32256e0bcc066.jpg
54a6bb4b7d85d129831b2b618d7b8686.jpg


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk
 
A few questions before I venture a guess (without testing anything is just a guess):

Are you using RODI? Have you checked the TDS?

What about nutrient export? What is your skimmer producing? What's in your fuge and what is it doing?

What is your lighting schedule?


- Jeff
 
I really think the rocks get loaded up with nutrients and can take for ever to get it out. Few years ago I bought a guys tank and let all of the rock sit in it with one fish and a crappy light with just a power head for months. The rock never had any algae on it. I moved a rock from my main tank where I have had algae issues too and after putting that rock in it grew crazy algae but the rest of the rock I got from the guy still kept looking great for months. Been in this house 4 years now and still have algae issues. Just gave up on trying to get rid of mine. I run a good skimmer. Grow half a 5 gallon bucket of cheto every 2 weeks. Tds of rodi is always zero. At this point next time I set a tank up again I will go for new rock or look at some way to "fix" the old.
 
Wow that's a nasty case of cyano. I'd say the root cause has to be nutrients if the bulb is new. But we do have a few factors at hand, looks like low flow in the tank and that light is very close to water's surface.

If you get your water test pay close attention to nitrates and phosphates. A quick fix is chemi-clean from boyd aquatics but if you don't address the root cause it will come back as it always had for me.
 
That looks terrible, i would start over, setup a separate temporary tank for your lifestock and give that rock a muriatic acid bath. Looks like its leaching phosphate


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
That looks terrible, i would start over, setup a separate temporary tank for your lifestock and give that rock a muriatic acid bath. Looks like its leaching phosphate


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



If he test for phosphates would it read high or low (being sucked up by algae as fast as it is leaked)?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
While I agree that the MH so close to the surface can be an issue, I also know personally that it doesnt have to be. I had the same situation with my tank (175 MH sitting right on top of a 26bf) and I had no cyano issues because I had a significant nutrient export system (huge fuge and skimmer).

Hopefully, the OP comes back and gives us some answers.
 
Rick I just tested my tank with a hanna hi 736 phosphorus checker and it shows zero. If I get over your way I will come test your water with it. I may be over on March 10.
 
Rick I just tested my tank with a hanna hi 736 phosphorus checker and it shows zero. If I get over your way I will come test your water with it. I may be over on March 10.

Hey Dave,

I think my biggest issue was no RO unit. I tested it and the TDS was pretty high. Since I replaced my entire RO unit, then discovered my booster pump wasn't working like it should, thus I have recently replaced it and am in the process of making a supply of RO water. I also picked up a Hanna HI736 and tested my Phosphorus and the meter read 40. It took me some time to figure out what that meant other than I had some phosphorus in my system. The reading from my meter equates to a PO4 of 0.126, which from what I read...it should never be higher than 0.1 and preferably closer to 0.05 or less. :(
 
Back
Top