Ocean revive coursing algae?

[Goby go]

Could my OR 247 be causing different algeas to grow? I actually run them on a low setting 25%white 30%blue for about 7 hours. I have a tiny bit of 3 algeas, green hair bubble and cyano. All my water test are spot on and have bean for months. I have hardly fed for the last couple weeks and it changed nothing and I want to fix the problem before it goes crazy. And all I can think is the lights. They do have 2 red and 2 green LEDs in them if that makes a difference. Please help this is driving me crazy.
Ammonia nitrate and nitrite come back 0
Phosphates are .02
Calcium 450
Alk 10.1
Ph7.8-8.1
Mag 1380
Temp 78.8
Salinity 1.026 with refractometer
All using Red Sea test kits

 

[whosurcaddie]

If your getting a phosphate reading and you have algae in the tank then it must be really out of control. Most of the time when people have large algae outbreaks phosphate test kits will read 0 because the algae is absorbing all of the phosphate.

Do you use any kind of GFO? What is your water change regimen. Do you use ro/di?

 

[pmcarbrey]

Lights do not just spontaneously create algae, it needs nutrients to grow. How often do you do water changes? The fact that you are having a major algae outbreak while still reading phosphates leads me to believe that you either have rocks that are leaching phosphates or have water quality issues.

 

[Buzz1329]

If your getting a phosphate reading and you have algae in the tank then it must be really out of control. Most of the time when people have large algae outbreaks phosphate test kits will read 0 because the algae is absorbing all of the phosphate.

Do you use any kind of GFO? What is your water change regimen. Do you use ro/di?

+1.

If tank is new, this could be part of maturation process.

BUT, IME, the Red Sea kit significantly under-reports phosphates. So ANY reading above 0 is cause for concern. What skimmer are you using, how big/old is your tank, and what's in it?

Given that you only have a "tiny bit" of GHA and cyano (I would not worry about the bubble algae as that can show even under the most pristine water conditions), I'd get a GFO reactor (the Phosban model is pretty cheap and works well IMO), if you're not using one already, get your replacement water down to 0 TDS with efficient RO/DI filer, ditto, and siphon out cyano with 10% weekly water changes.

Agree that lights are not the issue here.

If you have an efficient skimmer, are using GFO appropriately, have a 0 TDS RO/DO unit, and are doing weekly water changes, then do a search for vinegar dosing.

Good luck,

Mike

 

[Bpb]

Also realize that your tank will have algae even if your lights and feeding are perfect. Regardless what the tests read. Algae grows in well lit saltwater where there is a food source. Mature tanks with little to no nuisance algae aren't that way because it gets starved out or the lights are low. They're free of pest algae because corals and coralline win the real estate battle over time. Water that is too dark and too clean for algae is too dark and too clean for coral. Just keep that in mind. Focus on keeping coral happy, not making algae unhappy. My thoughts anyway

 

[falconut]

I've had my Ocean Revive S026's for a few years (they have the red & green, too). No algae in the tank over that time period, except in my refuge, so doubt it's the OR lights causing it. I do have low levels of PO4 & NO3, too.

Many years ago I had some nasty algae (was running MH then), PO4 & NO3 both read 0. Was told the algae was using the PO4 & NO3, so that was the reason for the 0 readings. Most likely, if you have algae, you have PO4 & NO3. Like previously suggested, run some GFO in a reactor. That's how I got mine under control back then. I had to change it very often in the beginning.

 

[Goby go]

I forgot to mention it is a 190gallon 300 total I do have a 6 stage RO/DI setup and a sca skimmer constantly pulling wet skim. it is lightly stocked with fish and a good amount of corals mostly frags. However the oldest stuff in the tank is only 8 months old so I guess it could still be new tank stuff going on?

 

[Goby go]

 

[Goby go]

+1.

If tank is new, this could be part of maturation process.

BUT, IME, the Red Sea kit significantly under-reports phosphates. So ANY reading above 0 is cause for concern. What skimmer are you using, how big/old is your tank, and what's in it?

Given that you only have a "tiny bit" of GHA and cyano (I would not worry about the bubble algae as that can show even under the most pristine water conditions), I'd get a GFO reactor (the Phosban model is pretty cheap and works well IMO), if you're not using one already, get your replacement water down to 0 TDS with efficient RO/DI filer, ditto, and siphon out cyano with 10% weekly water changes.

Agree that lights are not the issue here.

If you have an efficient skimmer, are using GFO appropriately, have a 0 TDS RO/DO unit, and are doing weekly water changes, then do a search for vinegar dosing.

Good luck,

Mike

I forgot I am running recomended amount of phosban in a reactor and a reactor of carbon as well.

 

[falconut]

I forgot to mention it is a 190gallon 300 total I do have a 6 stage RO/DI setup and a sca skimmer constantly pulling wet skim. it is lightly stocked with fish and a good amount of corals mostly frags. However the oldest stuff in the tank is only 8 months old so I guess it could still be new tank stuff going on?

If it's the SCA-302, that's the skimmer I use for my 90. It's a nice skimmer might be a little small for you tank. It says it's good for 180 gallons, but I think that's a little high. Plus you mention your total volume is 300. Don't think it's the cause of your algae, but you might want to consider a larger skimmer in the future.

Oh, the tank does look really nice.

 

[wildman926]

Invest in an ATS, and don't look back. Grow the hair algae where you want to to remove excess nutrients, not in the dt.

Here is one of mine on my 150g -