New to the forum, algae problem :(

[taemujin]

Hey everyone,

I recently set up a 26 gallon tank a little over a month ago. The tank has cycled fine and all parameters are normal. I have a damselfish (just to keep until I was certain my tank water is fine) that I added after the tank cycled as well as a coral banded shrimp, a sand sifting star, and a few nassarius snails.

As for lights, I have a 24" coralife actinic/10k power compact.

I've recently been overcome with an algae problem which I've been keeping under control with daily cleanings, but it seems to be running rampant. I clean the tank every morning when I wake up and by the night (after lights have been on for about 10-12 hours) the algae blooms right back and covers all my rock and sand with a relatively thick brown cover.

Is this just a diatom bloom that I've been hearing about and should I just wait it out? Or is it something else... In addition to the daily cleaning I've been doing small partial water changes every couple days to try to control it.

Input would be great thanks.

 

[sps1-2-b]

Sounds like the diatom stage. If it's powdery then def. It will go away.

 

[kfisc]

It's a noraml part of cycling but can be helped by using RO/DI water, increasing flow, and decreasing the time your lights are on. You didn't say if you have corals, but with what you have named , you could easily go with much less light. Also, why not just keep the damsel fish? The little guy appears to have been asked to go through a lot...

 

[taemujin]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13317933#post13317933 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kfisc
It's a noraml part of cycling but can be helped by using RO/DI water, increasing flow, and decreasing the time your lights are on. You didn't say if you have corals, but with what you have named , you could easily go with much less light. Also, why not just keep the damsel fish? The little guy appears to have been asked to go through a lot...

I've been using RO/DI water since I started the tank, there should be enough water flow (about 10 times tank volume pumping around per hour, excluding the power filter). I'll definitely try keeping the lights off for the time being.

I was just worrying because it seemed that even if I cleaned up all the algae it came back in full force within 10 hours or so. My filter was soaked completely brown on both sides... the algae also seems to smell pretty bad (enough to make me gag). I can only smell it once I've had my hand in the tank to clean the algae though.. I can't smell it from the top of the tank.

I'm going to keep the damsel in for the time being, but will bring him back to the store if he attacks the new clown fish I plan on putting in. Hopefully I haven't put him through too much though.. I did add him after the ammonia and nitrite levels were undetectable (i would feel guilty otherwise)

 

[taemujin]

Oh also I forgot to add, I have the power compact lighting because I'm trying to keep a sebae alive in the tank as well.

 

[taemujin]

Just noticed no one has replied yet

Just giving this thread a bump. I'm really just wondering if the smell is normal for a diatom bloom. Whenever I put my hand in to clean algae and it comes back out, it tends to smell pretty rank.. enough to make me gag.