now I have algae

[docjones]

Ok tank has been up for about 6 months, and now I have algae. The following is my set up;

55g tank
110lbs LR
60lbs LS
25g Sump/Ref with 600gph skimmer and PC lights run on reverse cycle
2x 150w MH run on 8 hour cycle
5 stage RO/DI water purchased from LFS

readings
Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate 0
DKH 10.5
PH 8.4
Salinty 1.023
Tempature 78 F

here is the pics

any help would be appreciated..

 

[Sk8r]

That's not algae: that's cyanobacteria.

Cut your lights for 3 days, 4th day run actinic only, then back to normal. Probably sunlight is getting to your tank from a window; if not, it's just the nature of the beast.

Do this once a month until cured.

 

[T Man]

ride it out............

ride it out............

Welcome to Reef Central docjones! And you thought this would be easy :lolspin:..... the new reef is just beginning - golden brown diatoms followed by all or a combination of dinoflagellates, cyanobacteria (red slime), valonia (bubble algae) and hair/bryopsis alga.
Your parameters all seem to jive and you're using ro/di..... so if it were my reef I'd....... continue to do weekly water changes, remove as much of these nuisances by hand, turkey baster, net, etc.. Then leave the lights out for a few days............continue with the 8 hr. photoperiod thereon.
So where did you get the live sand from? More than often, the live sandbed will bring it's problems with it. An ideal sandbed for a new reef is a deep bed of aragonite, let it establish it's own bacterias to meet the reefs needs - a reefs sand dwellers and sifters won't fare as well with shells and crushed coral as a component of the substrate.
Hang in there docjones, it really is worth the headaches and eyesores - :fish2::fish2::fish2::fish2: -TinMan-

 

[docjones]

Oh, Ill stick threw it. It really isnt that bad yet, but I do want to try and wrestle it as best I can. The sand is supposed to be aragonite that I bought off ebay from the Florida Keys, but I could have been lied to. Wont leaving the lights off hurt the coral I have?

 

[blc_shark]

same issue

same issue

I have this same issue what are you doing to keep it under control mine is getting cazy i don't want to cut the light will hurt the coral i have a frag hammer and some ricao shroom

 

[pledosophy]

Cutting the lights for a few days with a refugium running won't hurt the coral, just make sure the refugium is running to keep the pH up. Some SPS can react negatively but in this case that is not an issue. There are storms in nature as well where corals receive little light. Many of us have gone with no photoperiod for a few days without any negative effects.

Remove any and all hair or bryopisis manually while there is still a small amount. Way easier in the long run.

Products like chemipure and purigen in your filtration are your friends.

What's your flow like. That is a lot of rock for that size tank, you could have some dead spots where detritus is building up. If you move your rock and see dirt moving in the water column this is a sign of dead spots.

 

[T Man]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11106214#post11106214 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by docjones
Wont leaving the lights off hurt the coral I have?

Not at all.........after three days of darkness and a good cleaning, the reef will look tons better You might want to tinker with the circulation in the display, dead spots are a reefers worst enemy and the nuisances open door. TinMan

 

[Frick-n-Frags]

I'm kind of thinking that you are on the verge of bumming out.
Those rocks have tons of little sprigs of all kinds of algae that is going to explode.

That is a lot of LR so you probably need a lot of snails and mithrax crabs.

I am also a big fan of physical removal, like siphon cyanoslime right before lights out when it has the most bound nutrients.

 

[Raynman]

Hi DocJones.... have you measured the phosphate levels?
There is a good possibility that is your problem. If phos is high ... try a phosban reactor...... Ray

 

[docjones]

There is GOOD possibilty of dead spots, but I do have around 1100gph flow rate. I have a spray bar going along the back with about 950gph via a Cap 5000. And then I have the sump return and two Pen. power heads. I will do the mannual removal today and start cutting back the lights. I know I am low on a clean up crew (only 10 hermits, 3 nass. snail, one lawnmower) so I plan to invest in more Nass snails and a two spotted Goby. I do keep Chateo in my sump, but I have not tested for Phos. I am looking into a reactor though. Hmmm..what else.. I do plan to use a Carbon sock...maybe some Chemipure. Thanks for the help guys/gals. And let me know if I am missing anything.