phosphates=algae problem?

[richg315]

Hello all,
I'm continuing to have algae issues and am almost out of ideas. Ive had my water checked, changed bulbs, started running carbon again, and always do healthy water changes. Am i missing anything? I just ordered a phosban reactor and unfortunately this is the last remedy o can think of before breaking my tank down because im so frustrated. Could the phosphates be leaking out of my rock? I changed bulbs (all blue geismann) which i was told are lower light, and only run the 5 hrs per day. Whats odd is that the algae forms only on my sandbed in little clumps and its mainly on the left and right side. I have a small and large koralia so i feel i have sufficient flow for a 40 breeder. Any suggestions before i lose my mind?
Rich

 

[Jacwil]

What do you use for water..ro, tap?

Yes your rock could absolutely be leaching PO4. If possible you could remove a piece of lr and place in new mix water, then test after a cpl days checking for Po4.

 

[Tonynlo]

What are your nitrate and phosphate readings? What does the algae look like?

 

[Gravesj1s]

What were the water parameters? What kind of algae is on the sandbed?
As far as rock or sand leaching phosphates yes both can be a source.

-Steve

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

If possible you could remove a piece of lr and place in new mix water, then test after a cpl days checking for Po4.

I don't mean to pick a fight, but given the biological processes that could be going on when you leave a piece of LR in a container of new water for a few days, I wouldn't really consider this a reliable indicator of what the rock is doing in the tank. i.e. if there was a sponge on the rock and it died from a lack of flow, or algae on the rock died (or grew), etc.

Nuisance algae is pretty much always an issue of nutrients. You're putting more into the system than you're taking out. You need to examine your inputs (topoff water, water changes, food, etc) and your exports (skimming, water changes, macro algae refugium, etc.) and look for opportunities to improve.

 

[Jacwil]

I don't mean to pick a fight, but given the biological processes that could be going on when you leave a piece of LR in a container of new water for a few days, I wouldn't really consider this a reliable indicator of what the rock is doing in the tank. i.e. if there was a sponge on the rock and it died from a lack of flow, or algae on the rock died (or grew), etc.

Lol...no fighting.

I'm saying if you were to suspect your lr was leaching PO4 into the system, I DO believe pulling a sizable chunk out to sample/test is viable. I should have stated to place in a tank or bucket with a powerhead and heater but I didnt . You're absolutely correct Nate, testing bucket water after 3 days of holding a piece of lr in it with stagnant, no-flow water, would certainly skew the results.

 

[jfl14609]

does this area get sun by chance. Also any way to get a pic? determining what kind of algae is key

 

[NirvanaFan]

Something that hasn't been mentioned yet...

How old is this tank? If it's under 6 months or even a year, it's perfectly normal to go through different algae blooms.

 

[Jacwil]

Good point Joe!

 

[richg315]

thanks everybody for the replies it is much appreciated. Some more info:
tank is a 40 breeder that was an upgrade from an established 29 gallon approximately a year ago. FWIW the algae didnt start until a few months ago, before that the tank was algae free. I tested my RO water and also had ABC in Cuse test it and was deemed not the cause of the algae. I took down my HOB skimmer, partly because, and i know this sounds crazy, when i installed this and took down my hob filter w carbon the algae started. So i currently have activated carbon in a HOB filter running, and while my water is crystal clear, the algae stays...I cant for the life of me get my pics from my ipad and iphone onto this site, but the best i can describe this algae is it appears to be hair algae, but only grows on the sandbed and in little clumps that are next to impossible to remove one by one. Please help!!!! I will do my best to get some pics put on here i know that would help you guys tremendously. Thanks again
Rich

 

[Jacwil]

Interesting...whats your livestock consist of..fish wise? That HOB skimmer might need to be ran again.

 

[richg315]

I currently have 0 fish, a healthy cuc, and a few frags. I don't feed my tank now that I have no fish and I dose reef code a and b and kent tech m magnesium. I didn't want to stock my tank until I figured this algae out.
Rich

 

[richg315]

Anybody have a Hanna phosphate meter I could use to figure out where my phosphates are coming from? I wonder if it's possible that the salt I use, storage buckets for ro water are leaching phosphates. If no one has a meter could anybody recommend a good test brand?
Rich

 

[jfl14609]

just use a normal test kit like a salifert I would get nitrate, phos, cal, and alk at minimum. Thats going to be the baseline readings to see whats going on