too much light?
- Thread starter macboat
- Start date
sir_dudeguy
Active member
well there's no guarantee on that...some are gone 2 weeks after setting up the tank, some get over it 3 months later...just depends on how well everythng is kept in balance, how routine your water changes are, etc.... But at this stage, i wouldnt say the algae is a big problem...just normal for some tanks.
As for your flow, i dont know what that pump does gallons-per-hour wise, but you generally wanna go for at least 20x turnover per hour...so basically take whatever powerheads and return pumps (minus head loss) that are in the display tank, and divide by the number of gallons of the tank...so in your case 55 (obviously there isnt 55g of water in the tank, but for this sake, say there is)
If its under 20, you need more...but i usually start at 30 personally.
Thats all kinda separate from the nitrate issue, but more flow usually stops a bit of algae (to an extent)
As for your flow, i dont know what that pump does gallons-per-hour wise, but you generally wanna go for at least 20x turnover per hour...so basically take whatever powerheads and return pumps (minus head loss) that are in the display tank, and divide by the number of gallons of the tank...so in your case 55 (obviously there isnt 55g of water in the tank, but for this sake, say there is)
If its under 20, you need more...but i usually start at 30 personally.
Thats all kinda separate from the nitrate issue, but more flow usually stops a bit of algae (to an extent)
Prototype
Zoa Collector
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13926191#post13926191 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by macboat
All kinds of....
green blue brown dark... hair/slime/dust like....
wow, is that all? lol
looks like you got all the kinds of algae!
red slime is cyano..thats what im fighting with now...i hate that stuff!
brown is diatoms...normal for starting the tank...wont take that long to go away...
hair algae..thats what i have my tangs for!
never seen blue before...
post up a pic of your tank!
Kraylen
New member
Interesting.. Im looking to put the SAME light fixture over my 55gallon..... I was worried about "too much light" and I also planned on upgrading the ballasts.... I dunno if I wanna purchase it but I'm glad theres someone else in my neighborhood with the same light over their 55g....
Jayreefer
New member
What skimmer? How often and much are you doing water changes?
The tap water is what has started it. Tap has minerals in it here in the valley witch means you started off with high nutrients. Then you added live rock that need to do a little cureing as well as fish and food that need to be dealt with. For all the nutrients that go in almost the same need to come out. Some big water changes area must as well as a good quality skimmer. The light is not the problem. I had my 400w HQI over my 50gal. If you think you are getting too much light then switch to 14k bulbs. I prefer the color and the light is less intense.
The tap water is what has started it. Tap has minerals in it here in the valley witch means you started off with high nutrients. Then you added live rock that need to do a little cureing as well as fish and food that need to be dealt with. For all the nutrients that go in almost the same need to come out. Some big water changes area must as well as a good quality skimmer. The light is not the problem. I had my 400w HQI over my 50gal. If you think you are getting too much light then switch to 14k bulbs. I prefer the color and the light is less intense.
ScrubberOTanky
New member
What do you have in your sump? Is there a refugium, and if so is there macro algae in it?
Many times the macro algae in a fuge soaks up all the great stuff that would cause a bloom or general nastiness in the main tank.
X2 on jayreefer's tapwater theory as well.
Many times the macro algae in a fuge soaks up all the great stuff that would cause a bloom or general nastiness in the main tank.
X2 on jayreefer's tapwater theory as well.
Jayreefer
New member
I am sorry but they won't. Invest in a good quality skimmer and increase your water change amount to about 15 gal. At leat until water quaily improves.
I would recommend a Octopus or SWC NW-150 if you don't want to pay a ton for a skimmer. They are about $150-$175 shipped to the door.
I would recommend a Octopus or SWC NW-150 if you don't want to pay a ton for a skimmer. They are about $150-$175 shipped to the door.
OwenInAZ
New member
Your problem sounds like it's due to the normal cycle, maybe exacerbated by heavy feeding. I fought and fought algae in my nano for a solid five or six months, despide DI water topoff, almost daily water changes, chaeto and plenty of flow. Then all of a sudden the tank hit a point where it was "mature" enough and it literally vanished.
I doubt you can have "too much light," except in reference to specific types of coral. In fact, it's my understanding from reading Borneman and Calfo's stuff that corals are actually quite efficient at outcompeting nuisance algae once they get established, assuming the nutrient load isn't off the charts.
I doubt you can have "too much light," except in reference to specific types of coral. In fact, it's my understanding from reading Borneman and Calfo's stuff that corals are actually quite efficient at outcompeting nuisance algae once they get established, assuming the nutrient load isn't off the charts.
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